Anne Herman Receives First-Time Women in Manufacturing STEP Award

Anne Herman, Director of Global Quality for MSA , a manufacturer of safety products, is recognized by The Manufacturing Institute, Deloitte, the University of Phoenix, and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers as one of 122 women in the U.S. who are making meaningful contributions to the manufacturing industry. Herman will receive this first-time Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Award at a gala dinner on February 5, in Washington, D.C.

Herman has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University and an MBA from Duquesne University. She began her career at MSA as an Assistant Chemist in 1984. Most recently, Herman served as the Manager of the Global Operations Engineering Project Management team, where she oversaw continuous improvement and technology transfer projects. She also led the relocation of MSA's corporate headquarters from O'Hara Township to Cranberry Township in 2010. In addition to her academic degrees, Herman also completed the Women's Executive Leadership Program from Duquesne University.

According to William M. Lambert, MSA President and CEO, the recognition is well deserved because it reflects the many contributions Anne has made to MSA. "Anne possesses broad expertise in R&D, quality, standards compliance, and operations engineering, and she is without question a leader in our industry," said Lambert.

Jennifer McNelly, President of The Manufacturing Institute, said that the 122 women being recognized are the faces of exciting careers in manufacturing. The Institute chose these women because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole.

The STEP Awards examine and promote the role of women in manufacturing through recognition, research and best practices for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent.

"The STEP Ahead initiative was founded to change perceptions of the manufacturing industry and create new opportunities for women in the sector," said Latondra Newton, group vice president at Toyota Motor North America, Inc. and chairwoman of the STEP Ahead initiative. "This initiative is the call for action to transform the face of today's manufacturing talent and ensure that women can contribute to the future of this industry."