Female CEO wants to break gender stereotypes about engineering

Jennifer Rumsey grew up in Columbus, Indiana, which is home to Cummins, a long-standing American manufacturer of diesel engines and generators.

Passion for technology

Rumsey’s father was an engineer. Following in his footsteps, Rumsey earned degrees in mechanical engineering from Purdue University (Indiana) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before pursuing her master’s degree, Rumsey spent a year leading a hydrogen fuel cell research team for Nuvera. She joined Cummins in 2000.

“I love solving technical problems, especially complex ones,” says Rumsey. “That’s one of the reasons I started working as a systems controller. But I also want to learn about customers and the business to solve those technical problems.”

“I encourage everyone, especially women, to look beyond the stereotypes of what you think engineers can do.”

Jennifer Rumsey

During his time at Cummins, Rumsey has held several positions including Chief Technology Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and now President and CEO of the company. "When I became CEO, I realized that we were at a really important point in the Cummin business. Climate change is a real crisis. And we have a responsibility to solve it." Under Rumsey's leadership, Cummins' stock rose nearly 26% from July 2022 to July 2023; revenue increased nearly 17% during the same period.

Her approach to leadership is inspired by her experience as a woman in engineering and by her predecessors. Tom Linebarger, former head of Cummins, described her as an extraordinary leader for the company, an invaluable colleague and mentor.

Inspiring Women to Pursue Engineering

Despite the increasing number of women taking on leadership roles in corporate America, Rumsey acknowledged that her gender still draws attention in such appointments. "I want to be clear that I got this job because of my experience and what I bring to the company in this role, not because I'm a woman," she said.

Throughout her career, Rumsey has demonstrated a commitment to mentoring individuals, especially women, in the fields of Science , Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), both within and outside of Cummins. She believes in investing in people and has dedicated significant time to mentoring others, from elementary school students to women in engineering.

“I don’t feel like I’m necessarily on a completely new path that women haven’t taken, but I do realize that I have the opportunity to be a role model and inspire more women to pursue engineering and advance into leadership roles in the industry,” Rumsey said.

Rumsey credits her success in part to growing up in Columbus, where she was exposed to engineers, although it wasn’t until high school that she chose engineering as her career path. The CEO hopes to break gender stereotypes about engineers and help other women achieve success in the field.

"My life and career have been shaped by people who helped me see my potential, created an environment that allowed me to be myself at work, cared for me and helped me achieve my aspirations," she shared in 2022, when she was included in Fortune magazine's list of "Most Powerful Women in Business."

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nu-ceo-muon-pha-vo-khuon-mau-gioi-ve-nghe-ky-su-20240521155025043.htm