CHARLOTTE, NC - March 1, 2018: The Manufacturing Institute announced they will award two Sealed Air women employees, Karen Crisp, Plant Manager, and Tracy Barrells, Plant Finance Manager, with the Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award. The STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory-floor to the C suite.

“We are pleased to congratulate Karen and Tracy on this well-deserved recognition,” said Emile Chammas, Sealed Air Senior Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer. “Their leadership is exemplified by going above and beyond every day to create a better way for life for our customers and their colleagues on the factory floor.”

The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent.

Women constitute one of manufacturing’s largest pools of untapped talent. Women totaled about 47 percent of the U.S. labor force in 2016, but only 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce, according to the 2017 report Women in manufacturing. Not only does the STEP Ahead initiative bolster manufacturing’s attractiveness to women, it also plays an important role in improving the perception of careers in the industry among younger generations.

“Companies across the U.S. agree there is a talent shortage in manufacturing. Through the STEP Ahead Awards, we hope to take another step toward closing this gap by highlighting the stories of successful women in manufacturing and giving them a platform to encourage other women to join the industry and be role models for the next generation,” said Carolyn Lee, Executive Director of The Manufacturing Institute.

The awards reception takes place on April 10, 2018 in Washington, D.C.