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Two LORD Corp. Employees Receive National Women in Manufacturing STEP Awards

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Cary, N.C. — LORD Corporation, a global leader in highly reliable adhesives, coatings, motion management devices and sensing technologies, recently announced two of its employees each received a Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Award from The Manufacturing Institute. Heidi Haft, senior information technology (IT) specialist, and Becky Williams, president, Asia Pacific, were among 130 recipients selected for their significant accomplishments and strong leadership in the manufacturing industry. Haft and Williams accepted their awards at the Third Annual STEP Awards dinner in Washington, D.C., on March 26.

The Manufacturing Institute partnered with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the University of Phoenix and Deloitte to launch the STEP Awards program in 2013. The awards are part of a larger STEP Ahead initiative that examines and promotes the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research and best practices for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent.

“Heidi and Becky are outstanding role models for careers in manufacturing,” said Ed Auslander, president and CEO, LORD. “We are proud of their accomplishments and we thank them for the positive impact they have made on LORD Corporation, our industry and in our communities.”

Williams received this honor based on her 35-year commitment to LORD. Her career has encompassed both technical and commercial functions throughout several business units at the company. Early in her career, Williams served as lead design engineer on fixed wing engine mounting systems that built a foundation of significant new business and advancement in this market for LORD. Later, while in a manufacturing leadership role in Aerospace operations in the early ’90s, Williams led a complete operations transformation of the company’s silicone manufacturing processes, implementing cellular manufacturing, collaboration and employee involvement with a focus on quality and continuous improvement. Williams also led the global Aerospace sales function and started the process of unifying and standardizing how LORD communicates within the global sales team to manage the business. Williams advanced to her first executive role in 2010, assuming responsibility for the company’s long-term organic growth efforts. Today, she serves as president of the Asia Pacific Region.

Haft earned the recognition through her noteworthy achievements as an IT specialist. She is known as a seasoned professional who actively listens to the customer’s voice to best meet their needs. As the LORD IT expert for Order Management, Sales, and Distribution, Haft has served as the leading IT developer for three major operating system implementations. Haft’s story is particularly inspiring, as she came to LORD nearly 35 years ago as a computer operator after leaving her job as a seamstress without formal IT or manufacturing training. Haft attended college in the evenings to earn her degree and was promoted within a few months at LORD thanks to her ability to quickly grasp new concepts.

The STEP Awards Dinner recognized honorees for their tremendous impact on the manufacturing industry. By telling the stories of these women, the organization also hopes to inspire the next generation of talent to pursue the growing number of career opportunities in the industry.

For more information about LORD, visit www.lord.com/our-company/careers. For more information on the STEP Awards, visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org.