100 CEO Leaders in STEM

Transcription

2016
#100STEMLeaders
©2016 STEMconnector® All Rights Reser ved
Production Team
Edie Fraser
Chief Executive Officer
STEMconnector®
[email protected]
Printed By:
Vern Von Werder
(727) 698-0925
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Lorena Soto Fimbres
VP & Chief Business Development Officer
[email protected]
Acknowledgements
Diversified Search, LLC
Carly Louis - Jean
Samuel Blair
Latifa Cooper
Manager, Business Development & Member Services
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Erika Hansen
Manager, Partnerships & Projects
[email protected]
Information and Copies
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STEMconnector® Team
Edie Fraser
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Director, Digital Content
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Philip Casey
Manager, Projects
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Lorena Fimbres
VP & Chief Business Development Officer
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Brian Jackson
Director, Strategic Initiatives
202-304-1953
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Latifa Cooper
Manager, BD & Member Services
202-304-1964
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Ted Wells
VP & Chief Strategy Officer
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Dania Roach
Director, Project Partnerships
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Erika Hansen
Manager, Partnerships & Projects
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Dr. Talmesha Richards
Chief Academic & Diversity Officer
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Jordan Bullock
Director, Corporate Development
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Kayla Brown
Manager, State Programs
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Senior Advisors
Dr. Dane Boyington
Co-Founder & Chief Technical Officer
Thinking Media-Learning Blade
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Sheila Boyington, PE
Co-Founder & President
Thinking Media-Learning Blade
[email protected]
Leadership Board
Rob Denson
President,
Des Moines Area Community College
Dr. Heidi Kleinbach-Sauter
Senior Vice President, Global Foods R&D
PepsiCo
Balaji Ganapathy
Head, Workforce Effectiveness, NA
Tata Consultancy Services
@STEMconnector
3 | 1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M Michael Norris
CEO, Healthcare
Sodexo North America
Jane Oates
VP, External Affairs
Apollo Education Group
/STEMconnector
www.STEMconnnector.org
STEMconnector
Table of Contents
About the Publishers.............................................................................................................................................................11
SECTION I FOREWORD
Dale Elton Jones...................................................................................................................................................................23
President and Chief Executive Officer, Diversified Search
SECTION II 100 CEO LEADERS IN STEM
Inge Thulin............................................................................................................................................................................28
Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, 3M
Ajita Rajendra.......................................................................................................................................................................30
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, A.O. Smith Corporation
Carlos Rodriguez...................................................................................................................................................................32
President and Chief Executive Officer, ADP
Dennis Albaugh....................................................................................................................................................................34
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Albaugh LLC
Kate Lindsey.........................................................................................................................................................................36
Chief Executive Officer, Alpha Corporation
Warner L. Baxter..................................................................................................................................................................38
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ameren Corporation
Nicholas K. Akins..................................................................................................................................................................40
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, American Electric Power
Margery Kraus......................................................................................................................................................................42
Founder and Executive Chairman, APCO Worldwide
Gary Mignogna.....................................................................................................................................................................44
President and Chief Executive Officer, AREVA Inc.
Betty Manetta......................................................................................................................................................................46
Chief Executive Officer, Argent Associates Inc. / Asociar
Randall L. Stephenson..........................................................................................................................................................48
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, AT&T Inc.
Jeffrey Wadsworth...............................................................................................................................................................50
President and Chief Executive Officer, Battelle
Philip Blake...........................................................................................................................................................................52
Senior Representative, U.S., Bayer
Bill Dudley............................................................................................................................................................................54
Chief Executive Officer, Bechtel Group, Inc
Sonny Beck...........................................................................................................................................................................56
Chief Executive Officer, Beck's Hybrids
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 4 John Mingé...........................................................................................................................................................................58
Chairman and President, BP America Inc.
Mike Gregoire.......................................................................................................................................................................60
Chief Executive Officer, CA Technologies
Richard D. Fairbank..............................................................................................................................................................62
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Capital One Financial Corporation
George S. Barrett..................................................................................................................................................................64
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cardinal Health
David MacLennan.................................................................................................................................................................66
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cargill
Michael E. Hansen................................................................................................................................................................68
Chief Executive Officer, Cengage Learning
Jacqueline Hinman...............................................................................................................................................................70
President and Chief Executive Officer, CH2M
Michele Kang........................................................................................................................................................................72
Chief Executive Officer, Cognosante
Brian L. Roberts....................................................................................................................................................................74
Chief Executive Officer, Comcast
Michael J. Ward....................................................................................................................................................................76
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CSX Corporation
Bradley Feldmann................................................................................................................................................................78
President and Chief Executive Officer, Cubic Corporation
Tom Linebarger.....................................................................................................................................................................80
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cummins Inc.
Scott Berkey..........................................................................................................................................................................82
Chief Executive Officer, SIMULIA, Dassault Systèmes
Cathy Engelbert....................................................................................................................................................................84
Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte LLP
Bill Goodwyn........................................................................................................................................................................86
President and Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Education
James Dyson.........................................................................................................................................................................88
Founder and Chief Engineer, Dyson
Theodore F. Craver, Jr...........................................................................................................................................................90
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Edison International
John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D........................................................................................................................................................92
Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer, Eli Lilly and Company
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Mary Frantz..........................................................................................................................................................................94
Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner, Enterprise Knowledge Partners, LLC
Ron Mobed...........................................................................................................................................................................96
Chief Executive Officer, Elsevier
Stephen Howe, Jr.................................................................................................................................................................98
US Chairman and Americas Managing Partner, EY
Rex W. Tillerson..................................................................................................................................................................100
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ExxonMobil
David T. Seaton...................................................................................................................................................................102
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Fluor Corporation
Mark Fields.........................................................................................................................................................................104
President and, Chief Executive Officer, Ford Motor Company
Richard C. Adkerson...........................................................................................................................................................106
Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
Abdol Moabery..................................................................................................................................................................108
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, GA Telesis
Maryrose T. Sylvester.........................................................................................................................................................110
President & Chief Executive Officer, GE Lighting
Phebe N. Novakovic...........................................................................................................................................................112
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, General Dynamics
Gordon B. Fowler, Jr...........................................................................................................................................................114
President and Chief Executive Officer, Glenmede
Sylvana Coche.....................................................................................................................................................................116
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gravity Pro Consulting
Ilene S. Gordon...................................................................................................................................................................118
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ingredion Incorporated
Mark Sutton........................................................................................................................................................................120
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, International Paper
Jennifer Bisceglie................................................................................................................................................................122
Chief Executive Officer, Interos Solutions, Inc.
Alex Gorsky.........................................................................................................................................................................124
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Johnson & Johnson
Michael Araten...................................................................................................................................................................126
President and Chief Executive Officer, K'NEX and The Rodon Group
Bernard J. Tyson.................................................................................................................................................................128
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kaiser Permanente
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 6 Dr. Chris Nelson..................................................................................................................................................................130
President and Chief Executive Officer, Kemin Industries
Lynne Doughtie..................................................................................................................................................................132
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, KPMG LLP
Michael T. Strianese...........................................................................................................................................................134
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, L-3
Aymar de Lencquesaing.....................................................................................................................................................136
President, North America, Lenovo
Leo A Daly III.......................................................................................................................................................................138
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, LEO A DALY
Marillyn Hewson................................................................................................................................................................140
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Jonas Prising.......................................................................................................................................................................142
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ManpowerGroup
Ajaypal Singh Banga...........................................................................................................................................................144
President and Chief Executive Officer, MasterCard
Shellye Archambeau..........................................................................................................................................................146
Chief Executive Officer, MetricStream
Anthony R. Jimenez............................................................................................................................................................148
President and Chief Executive Officer, MicroTech
Al Grasso.............................................................................................................................................................................150
President and Chief Executive Officer, The Mitre Corporation
Hugh Grant.........................................................................................................................................................................152
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Monsanto
Dr. James Truchard.............................................................................................................................................................154
President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, National Instruments
Warren M. Boley, Jr............................................................................................................................................................156
President and Chief Executive Officer, Norsk Titanium
Wes Bush............................................................................................................................................................................158
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Northrop Grumman Corporation
Michael J. Dowling.............................................................................................................................................................160
President and Chief Executive Officer, Northwell Health System
Glenn Kellow......................................................................................................................................................................162
President and Chief Executive Officer, Peabody Energy
Pedro Padierna...................................................................................................................................................................164
President, PepsiCo Mexico
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1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 8 When the world demands a
highly-skilled workforce,
and you need the
best collective leadership,
we are here with you.
Over 150 Members Strong
n
STEM 2.0 as operating principle - Demand for Jobs
n One Stop for STEM Information and Careers
n STEM Management Consulting
n STEM Best Practices
n Powerful Convener of STEM Stakeholders
n Leverage of a Strong STEM Network
n Focus on the Entire Pipeline (K-Jobs)
n Research & Benchmarking
n STEM Platform Ready to “Plug & Play”
n Emphasis on Women & Diversity
n Global STEM Vision
n STEM Strategic planning
For information on becoming a member,
contact [email protected]
or visit www.STEMconnector.org
9 | 1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M ©2016 STEMconnector® All Rights Reser ved
Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn...........................................................................................................................................................166
President and Chairman, Peritus Partners, Inc.
Nina Vaca............................................................................................................................................................................168
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pinnacle Group
James Heppelmann............................................................................................................................................................170
President and Chief Executive Officer, PTC
Robert E. Moritz.................................................................................................................................................................172
Chairman and Senior Partner, PwC US
Steve Mollenkopf...............................................................................................................................................................174
Chief Executive Officer, Qualcomm Incorporated
Linda Galipeau....................................................................................................................................................................176
Chief Executive Officer, Randstad US
Dr. Thomas Kennedy..........................................................................................................................................................178
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Raytheon
Timmothy Boettcher..........................................................................................................................................................180
President and Chief Executive Officer, Realityworks
Siobhan Mullen..................................................................................................................................................................182
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SAS Games, Inc
Jim Goodnight....................................................................................................................................................................184
Chief Executive Officer, SAS
Carmen Castillo..................................................................................................................................................................186
President and Chief Executive Officer, SDI International Corp.
David Etzwiler.....................................................................................................................................................................188
Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Foundation
Nick Pinchuk.......................................................................................................................................................................190
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Snap-on Incorporated
Lorna C. Donatone.............................................................................................................................................................192
Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo Schools Worldwide & President, Sodexo North America, Sodexo, Inc.
Michael Norris....................................................................................................................................................................194
Chief Executive Officer of Healthcare, Sodexo North America
Thomas Fanning.................................................................................................................................................................196
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Company
Natarajan Chandrasekar....................................................................................................................................................198
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Tata Consultantcy Seniors
Alka Dhillon........................................................................................................................................................................200
Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Technalink
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 10 Richard (Rich) K. Templeton...............................................................................................................................................202
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Instruments
Marc Casper.......................................................................................................................................................................204
President and Chief Executive Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Peter J. Davoren.................................................................................................................................................................206
President and Chief Executive Officer, Turner Construction Company
David Abney.......................................................................................................................................................................208
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, UPS
Henry Fleches.....................................................................................................................................................................210
Chief Executive Officer, United Data Technologies
Sajan Pillai..........................................................................................................................................................................212
Chief Executive Officer, UST Global
Marni Walden.....................................................................................................................................................................214
EVP and President of Product Innovation and New Businesses, Verizon
Jason Andringa...................................................................................................................................................................216
President and Chief Executive Officer, Vermeer Corporation
Doug McMillon..................................................................................................................................................................218
President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart
About The Publisher
Edie Fraser
STEMconnector® &
Million Women Mentors
Vice Chair,
Diversified Search
STEMconnector® is the organization whose mission
is to be the information resource and produce STEM
results and connections with STEM Leaders in every
sector. The mission is to bring Education, Research,
Resources, Best Practices, Communications and
Outreach – and provide resources such as the web
site, STEMdaily®, EdTech Weekly Report and STEM
Results. Edie worked with more than 250 Fortune
companies on women and diversity leadership and
with several hundred associations. Edie was Founder
and CEO of Diversity Best Practices (DBP), a member
service for diversity practitioners. Edie established
and chaired the first Public Affairs Section of the
Public Relations Society of America and won 9 Thoth
and Silver Anvil Awards for research, strategy and
execution and measurement of strong programs.
Edie has written or served as publisher of many books,
papers, and articles including the CEO Magazine,
The Diversity Primer and The Diversity Officer. Edie
wrote a book, Do Your Giving While You’re Living,
with co-author Robyn Spizman and another on
Women’s Entrepreneurship. Several of these include
the the current work on 100 CEO Leaders in STEM;
CEO Leadership in Diversity; Best Web Sites from
research of 500 Corporate Web Sites for Diversity
(and applied different criteria to Best STEM Web
Sites; Women Entrepreneurship in America.
She is Vice Chairman of the World Affairs Council
of DC and on the national board of SCORE. She
has been inducted into the Enterprising Women
Hall of Fame and a Founding member of C200.
Edie received the Lifetime Achievement award
from Diversity Woman Magazine and its Mosaic
Award. Edie was on the cover or Women of Wealth
Magazine for her philanthropy and mentoring
and received more than 43 Leadership awards for
women, diversity, STEM and Leadership.
Lorena S. Fimbres
Vice President &
Chief Business
Development Officer
STEMconnector® &
Million Women Mentors
Lorena serves as Vice President and Chief Business
Development Officer for STEMconnector® and
Million Women Mentors. She is responsible for
developing new business and serving members
within her portfolio through customized strategies
and consulting. Lorena developed and oversees the
implementation of the STEMconnector® and Million
Women Mentors brands. Lorena has a track record
of driving projects that involve over a hundred
Fortune executives (and their teams) at a time.
Lorena is the creative and executive publisher
behind the 100 Leaders in STEM series which aims
to recognize top executives across industries that
are committed to a diverse, strong STEM pipeline.
Lorena’s publications include 100 CIO/CTO Leaders
in STEM, 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM
(2014), 100 CEO Leaders in STEM (2013), 100 Women
Leaders in STEM (2012), The American Institute of
Architects´ Small Business Resource Guide: Contacts
to Contracts and the 2011 Women´s Business
Leadership Tribute.
Prior to moving to the United States in 2010, Lorena
held several positions of increasing responsibility
within the government of the State of Sonora, Mexico,
including in the Executive Office of the Governor.
Lorena has a passion for politics and her political
experience includes campaign management
and political marketing. She served as part of the
strategy team that oversaw 101 parallel campaigns
at the local and state levels in Sonora (2009).
Lorena holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration
from the internationally recognized Tecnológico de
Monterrey. A native of Sonora, Mexico, Lorena lives
in Washington, D.C. with her husband Francisco and
their children Lorenza and Augustin.
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 12 Letter from the Publishers
Congratulations! We are thrilled to present the 5th
edition of the 100 Leaders in STEM series and the second iteration of the 100 CEO Leaders in STEM. To all
the Chief Executive Officers profiled in the following
pages, we want to express our deepest gratitude for
being strong advocates for the STEM movement. To
all of those that have been featured before, thank
you for your continued leadership as we work together to develop the best and brightest for the future of our economy and our country.
STEMconnector® has been able to consolidate itself as “the” premier STEM platform bringing together
stakeholders from across the pipeline to build collaboration and partnership to elevate STEM talent.
What each CEO shared reflects the need and urgency to work together to develop and sustain a strong,
diverse STEM pipeline. Companies rely on STEM skills
as they continue to compete in a global market. It is
through collective leadership that we will truly move
the needle.
A couple years ago, when we released the first edition of the 100 CEO Leaders in STEM, common themes
ruled across every submission and one of our strongest members presented A STEM Imperative: Findings and Recommendations from 100 CEO Leaders
in STEM. We are proud to share that Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) will, once again, produce a white paper that will analyze the recommendations and findings of the 100 CEOs featured here. Stay tuned.
We want to recognize sponsors of this particular edition: Sodexo North America, Diversified Search, Tata
Consultancy Services and Walmart. A great recognition to our partners: United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and DiversityComm, through its six
publications.
We couldn't do what we do if it weren’t for exceptional leaders working with us. We want to give huge
recognition to all corporate communications teams
who worked hard to make this publication possible.
Across the following pages, you will read about the
importance of technology and how it is changing
the way we work, live and play. It is truly changing the
way we do business. We will also reflect on how STEM
careers spark innovation and how the STEM skillset
translates into problem-solving capabilities.
A concept that STEMconnector® has been working hard to develop and promote is that of STEM 2.0.
With this, we look into developing workforce ready
talent, which not only includes the STEM skills but also
innovation excellence, digital fluency and employability skills. We validate this as we read from some
many CEOs the role that experiential learning plays
into developing the best talent. It is only through
those learning experiences, and with the best talent,
that we can deliver the best to our customers and
our community.
Since January of 2013, one of STEMconnector’s®
signature programs, Million Women Mentors, has
focused on the impact of mentoring to advance
women in STEM. This was a common theme in almost
every CEO piece. Mentoring drives talent and retention, fosters talent development, and ultimately
forges a strong bond between companies and employees. Many of the CEOs talked about the crucial
importance of a hands-on approach when teaching and learning. Internships and apprenticeships
got special attention.
The overall call to action was for developing and
strengthening partnerships. This is at the core of
STEMconnector® as we continue to bring together
industry, academic institutions, government and nonprofit entities. There is no need to reinvent the wheel,
but an urgency to push the carriage, all together.
About STEMconnector®
STEMconnector® is a consortium of over 150 companies, associations, academic institutions
and government entities actively working to advance STEM education and the future of human
capital. With several products and services, STEMconnector® is both a resource and a service,
designed to link “all things STEM.” STEMconnector’s® network includes organizations at the
global, national, state and local levels. STEMconnector® focuses on the STEM workforce and jobs,
with a particular emphasis on diversity and women. Our work spans the entire pipeline (K-J—
Kindergarten to Jobs) and how STEM education experiences translate into careers. To become
a member of STEMconnector® contact [email protected] / Erika.Hansen@
STEMconnector.org.
Quotes on Leadership
Technology
“Because we live in an Application Economy, we must cultivate the resources to serve the tech-driven world
well into the future.” Mike Gregoire, CA Technologies
“Technological proficiency opens doors. When we equip individuals with the skills they need to succeed in
an increasingly tech-focused world, we are preparing them for long-term success and are investing in the
health of our economy.” Richard D. Fairbank, Capital One Financial Corporation
“Technological breakthroughs and innovations are not to be taken for granted. They require persistence
and hard work, two of the cornerstones of STEM education. That’s why our company and our industry are
focusing on STEM as a competitive discriminator.” Michael T. Strianese, L-3
Innovation
“Innovation is more than coming up with a new idea. Innovation is a process of thinking differently than the
norm. It’s asking yourself WHY? It’s trying to find out the how and the why of things.” Betty Maneta, Argent
Associates
“We need to help students realize that science, technology, engineering, and math are the gateway to
innovation, creating new products and services that make the world a better place.” Sonny Beck, Beck’s
Hybrids
“The reality is that in today’s world we will not make it without innovation and that innovation is dependent
on increasing the number of highly qualified STEM graduates.” David MacLennon, Cargill
“Innovation has become a buzzword over the past decade – we often get so focused on “innovating” as a
concept that we miss the opportunity to innovate in action.” Michele Kang, Cognosante
“Today’s students are that workforce of tomorrow, and to the extent that they learn to develop innovative
ideas to address real-time problems, they will help our company -- and the nation -- keep pace with the
modern world.” Theodore F. Craver Jr., Edison International
“Our world is rapidly changing, and the demand for innovators proficient in the disciplines of science,
technology, engineering and math has never been greater. We have a responsibility to create, foster and
support educational opportunities to help develop such innovators.” Maryrose T. Sylvester, GE Lightning
“Innovation in the workplace begins in the classroom with exposure to STEM focused projects, programs and
curricula. So much of the global economy is driven by the technological workforce of today. If the United
States wants to remain the economic and technological leader in the 21st century global marketplace, it
must invest in STEM education.” Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson
“The country is dependent on a combination of strong talent, training, and passion that is required for our
STEM professionals to succeed. It is also critical that we encourage the young generation to pursue STEM
careers, so that we continue to create a pipeline of future innovators and problem solvers.” Aymar de
Lencquesaing, Lenovo
“We bring creativity and innovation to each STEM task, and we believe the combination is a powerful
one—not just in our field, but in multiple fields critical to our nation’s future. We encourage our designers and
engineers to dream and envision, to think critically, and to always try new things, because history tells us that
many of our nation’s most innovative solutions emerged from repeated experiments.” Leo A Daly III, LEO A
DALY
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 14 Quotes on Leadership
“It was STEM-related fields that drove much of the U.S. excellence and prosperity in the 20th century from the
Model T to building the interstate system to space exploration. And there’s no question, the fields that make
up STEM are even more critical to U.S. success in the 21st century. “ Ajay Banga, Mastercard
“Giving people from different backgrounds and cultures the chance to attack the same problem
leads to innovation. Having this diversity of thought, not just on occasion, but routinely, is where we see—and
hope—the future of STEM lies.” Al Grasso, The MITRE Corporation
“The more STEM graduates there are, the better we are able to fill the labs, data centers and research fields
our company needs to develop the next big innovation in agriculture.” Hugh Grant, Monsanto
“Enhancing STEM is not solely a call for PepsiCo but for all multinationals that streamline innovation through
its human capital.” Pedro Padierna, PepsiCo Mexico
“America was built on innovation and entrepreneurship, and there is nothing more important than a
continued focus on these efforts.” James Heppelmann, PTC
“As the energy industry continues to transform itself in an era of widespread technological innovation
and changing customer expectations, we need to make sure the next generation of employees has the
imagination and skills necessary to thrive in a world of new challenges and opportunities.” Thomas Fanning,
Southern Company
“Our innovation strategy depends, in part, on empowering our colleagues around the world with the tools
and environment to promote the cutting edge thinking that fuels innovation.” Marc Casper, Thermo Fisher
“Innovation is critically dependent on diverse human experiences and a diverse STEM trained work force
can be the significant competitive asset of the corporation.” Sajan Pillai, UST Global
Workforce / Talent / Skills
“An education rich rich in STEM--One that lays the foundation early and builds upon it through the later
years--is about preparing students to succeed in the fast-moving world they will find outside the classroom.”
Inge Thulin, 3M
“The better educated the workforce, the better the product a company can produce.” Dennis Albaugh,
Albaugh LLC
“One vital aspect for any STEM investment is that it provides for broad opportunities that engage both
scientific research and hands-on engineering for multiple industry sectors; thus, offering a wealth of career
avenues from which to choose.” Kate Lindsey, Alpha Corporation
“We need to ensure that our commitment to bridging this talent gap is real, and we must continue to make
STEM education an action item in our collective business plans.” Margery Kraus, APCO
“Our future and current workforce must have high quality technical skills for us to compete globally.” Gary
Mignogna, Areva Inc.
“The formula for innovation and growth in today’s digital economy begins and ends with a workforce that
has the right skills.” Randall L. Stephenson, AT&T
“STEM doesn’t mean preparing students to work only in a laboratory or technical role.” Jeffrey Wadsworth,
Battelle
“To perform the energy jobs of the 2020s, 2030s and beyond — some of which probably do not even exist
today — Americans will need a firm grounding in STEM.” John Minge, BP
“Competitiveness for a nation and organizations starts with having access to an educated and skilled
workforce.” Scott Berkey, Dassault Systèmes
“To help us remain competitive in a time of enormous innovation and technological growth, we should focus
our efforts around a common narrative that grabs the attention of those interested in STEM education and
capabilities.” Cathy Englebert, Deloitte
“A crisis can be a crucible that forges moral leadership. We are looking for leaders for whom crisis and
challenge create a resilience and strength making one a more principled leader. We are looking for leaders
who can lead for all seasons!” Dale Elton Jones, Diversified Search
“The discipline of science develops knowledge and skills that are critically important to a whole range of
roles in today’s world.” John Lechleiter, Lilly
“At EY, we invest in our communities through skills-based volunteering. We also invest in education to ensure
that future generations have the skills required for societies to thrive. And to foster innovation, we invest
in small- to medium-size businesses, social enterprises and entrepreneurs, particularly women and youth.”
Stephen Howe Jr., EY
“Education is the fundamental building block for individual opportunity, economic growth and long-term
competitiveness. if the next generation of U.S. workers lacks the skills to solve the problems of the future, it is
not just U.S. leadership in energy that is at risk – it is also our leadership in medicine, research, technology and
other pillars of the American economy.” Rex W. Tillerson, ExxonMobil
“An increase in the availability of highly-skilled candidates post-graduation will increase the United States’
ability to develop innovative new technologies, as well as economic, political and medical advancements
moving forward.” Abdol Moabery, GA Telesis
“The implementation of experiential learning programs for our interns and associates is a testament to our
commitment to learning and development. These programs not only immerse our early career professionals
into a function but give them exposure to other facets of the business as well. We provide them with direct
access to leaders of business lines and not only accept, but encourage, feedback.” Gordon B. Fowler Jr.,
Glenmede
“Expanding STEM education into the workplace through professional and technical development is essential
to ensure the current workforce is equipped to handle changing technology” Mark Sutton, International
Paper
“This hands-on, inter-disciplinary approach gives students the skills and knowledge they need to become
lifelong learners who can solve problems, think critically, work collaboratively and adapt to change in
today’s technologically evolving world.” Michael Araten, K’NEX
“Completing hands-on, technology-assisted, exploratory projects—“doing engineering”—gives every
student practice solving problems while connecting theories to real-world concepts.” Dr. James Truchard,
National Instruments
“Long-term economic growth relies on the preparation of workers with demonstrable capabilities in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).” Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health System
“At Qualcomm, we know that STEM education is essential for the future of innovation, and that it is critical to
dedicate resources to nurture STEM education at all levels.” Steve Mollenkopf, Qualcomm Incorporated
“Getting students excited about math and science today will help grow the STEM talent pipeline of tomorrow.”
Dr. Thomas Kennedy, Raytheon
“Workforce development programs that feature collaboration between industry and education can help
prepare participants for these vital, in-demand jobs by helping develop gateways to STEM careers, promoting
the availability of STEM pathways to young people of all backgrounds and ethnic groups, and working to
ensure that STEM programs focus on specific job skill development.” Timmothy Boettcher, Realityworks
“We need to help students understand the value of a STEM degree and the tremendous career opportunities
it provides.” Jim Goodnight, SAS
“We must characterize STEM-related technical careers as what they have always been – the building blocks
of American prosperity.” Nick Pinchuk, Snap-on Incorporated
“Given the forces at play, the 21st century worker needs to have a transdisciplinary set of skills and a
foundational knowledge of STEM disciplines, combined with an artistic and creative mind.” Natarajan
Chandrasekar, Tata Consultancy Services
“A collaboration between research, education, and industry can drive economic development in local
communities and create a workforce prepared to address the challenges we face today.” Peter J. Davoren,
Turner Construction
“There may be a shortage of talent, but there is not a shortage of people to fill these gaps. We have to help
bridge the gap that currently exists.” David Abney, UPS
“Our goal is to create cost-effective and secure learning environments and systems that empower educators
and students to achieve more.” Henry Fleches, United Data Technologies
“As manufacturing and the world around us become more and more dependent on technology, a STEMskilled workforce quickly becomes a priority.” Jason Andringa, Vermeer Corporation
Women / Minorities / Diversity
“STEM leadership with a focus on diversity helps nearly any company compete and attract the best and
brightest talent.” Carlos Rodriguez, ADP
“It’s more likely that girls and minority students will pursue STEM careers if they have the opportunity to meet
and interact with professionals who look like them and come from similar backgrounds.” Bill Dudley, Bechtel
Group Inc.
“Diversity is the foundation for creativity and innovation, and is critically important as we build a successful
roadmap for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.” Warren Baxter, Ameren Corporation
“Compelling global studies show that when one-third or more of a leadership team is female, innovation
and problem-solving are significantly enhanced; resulting in better financial results and shareholder value.”
Tom Linebarger, Cummins
“Given the existing shortage and the insatiable need for STEM talent, particularly in information technology
and security, we can’t afford to leave anyone out of the conversation.” Mary Frantz, EKP
“All the millions of dollars being spent by private and government institutions to encourage girls to consider
STEM careers will be for naught if we cannot create family-friendly STEM workplace environments.” Ron
Mobed, Elsevier
“I have long believed that one of the key benefits of a heterogeneous workforce is that it brings about
diversity of thought. We need people from diverse backgrounds, because they bring a different view to a
problem, which might well have been missed in a more homogenous environment.” Phebe N. Novakovic,
General Dynamics
“Our goal is to continue building on our strong foundation to create diversity supplied software and
technology services function that other competitors could not easily imitate and our customers can benefit
from, due to our depth of experience and our commitment to excellence.” Sylvana Coche, Gravity Pro
Consulting
“I am entirely confident that fielding a more balanced gender workforce—not to mention a more ethnically
diverse one—will positively change the game. And not just for my company, but for all companies, for
medicine, for education, for humanitarian efforts, for the advancement of the human race.” Ilene S. Gordon,
Ingredion
“At a time when the U.S. and global economies are shifting forcefully into an era where future growth
and job gains will be STEM-related, we can’t leave any exceptional people sitting on the sidelines.” Lynne
Doughtie, KPMG
“Businesses need to act now to partner with education and encourage more women and girls into the STEM
fields from the earliest ages, before stereotypes risk kicking in.” Jonas Prising, ManpowerGroup
“In an economy where there are more jobs than qualified applicants, increasing the number of women
and minorities in STEM would not only increase the size of the available talent pool, it would also bring a
diverse set of minds and experiences to bear on our nation’s most challenging issues!” Anthony R. Jimenez,
MicroTech
“The mixing of cultures, ideas and creative approaches between America and Europe has resulted in
uncontained innovation. We celebrate diversity in our team as much as business and technical achievements
and it is a major component of our success.” Warren M. Boley, Jr., Norsk Titanium
“A critical step in building a diverse, STEM student pipeline is making science and math fascinating and
applicable for students. We must particularly reach out to women and minority students, where the lack of
STEM involvement is detrimental to our society.” Wes Bush, Northrop Gunman Corporation
“Peabody’s global inclusion and diversity vision is to maintain a global workforce comprised of varied
backgrounds, while promoting the power of inclusion and diversity as a competitive advantage to deliver
exceptional results.” Glenn Kellow, Peabody Energy
“In these United States and as individuals, our preeminence in STEM must be established. There is a widening
gap between the STEM job demand and future skilled employees, especially amongst under represented
women and minorities.” Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn, Peritus Partners
“Companies effectively benefiting from a diverse workforce understand and adjust how they present
themselves to all employees and reflect a commitment from senior leadership to embody a nonbiased
environment.” Linda Galipeau, Randstad
“Everyone benefits when our girls and young women can make full use of their abilities and supporting STEM
mentoring is a clear win-win.” Lorna C. Donatone, Sodexo
Mentoring
“Introducing young students to STEM-related careers is a critical responsibility of business such as ours that
rely on a steady stream of engineering talent. One important way to build the pipeline is to start mentoring
students earlier.” Ajita Rejendra, AO Smith Corporation
“The key to unlocking student success in STEM is early exposure, guidance and support whether it’s at home,
in school or from the community.” Nicholas K. Akins, American Electric Power
“Students won’t learn or be interested in science because it’s a good career path or because some business
leader tells them to. They will learn about science by doing it—and they’ll do science because it is fun!”
Philip Blake, Bayer AG
“Corporations can play a critical role to extend learning in the classroom by partnering with schools to offer
mentorships and/or internships.” George S. Barrett, Cardinal Health
“Understanding the way students learn is crucial and through the power of technology, we can design
and customize educational approaches to help students achieve their full potential.” Michael E. Hansen,
Cengage Learning
“By focusing on the impact that STEM professionals make in our world, rather than on what skills must be
acquired or prerequisite classes to take, we can inspire students—particularly young women—to explore
these career paths.” Jacqueline Hinman, CH2M
“The potential benefits of improved STEM education extend far beyond the workplace.” Michael J. Ward,
CSX Corporation
“Young people have the power to change the world through engineering. We must ignite their natural
curiosity, and fan the flames of ingenuity.” James Dyson, Dyson
“Our youth are truly special and we are letting them down. We need to be better mentors and role models
who show the way to a future that provides opportunities like we have enjoyed in our lives. And that’s a
shared responsibility.” David T. Seaton, Fluor Corporation
“Good mentors not only give needed advice and guidance, but will also be there to back up your credentials,
and help you reach out to the right people as you move ahead in your career.” Shellye Archambeau,
MetricStream
“Personal mentorship is an effective way to help STEM related professionals reach their full potential. An
alternative corporate model has been ERGs.” Nina Vaca, Pinnacle Group
“Another area where we all can improve is mentoring and developing talent, and creating opportunities for
this talent within organizations.” Robert E. Moritz, PwC
“When young girls and women work closely with supportive, successful role models, they unlock opportunity
otherwise thought off limits.” Carmen Castillo, SDI International Corp.
“Mentoring isn’t a job title, it’s a lifestyle. It is something you practice every day by living a life of imparting
your knowledge and leveraging your platform to benefit another.” Alka Dhillon, Technalink
Global Economy
“Developing STEM educational activities relatable to these age groups is critical for not only the children,
but also to global companies that will need employees who studied subjects in the hard sciences related to
STEM.” Bradley Feldman, Cubic Corporation
“In today’s competitive global economy, it is critical for America’s future that we as a nation focus on
improving STEM education.” Bill Goodwyn, Discovery Education
“A well-STEM-educated population will also help the nation’s economy compete globally, and achieve the
levels of economic growth needed to stay competitive in a vastly growing global marketplace.” Richard C.
Adkerson, Freeport-McMoRan
“Young people in the U.S. face significant barriers to education and employment and are struggling to
compete with their international peers.” David Etzwiler, Siemens Foundation
“The dynamics of the global economy are evolving and to achieve sustained economic growth, business
and education must place a stronger emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and math fields.”
Michael Norris, Sodexo North America
“By addressing key barriers at the network, platform, and application levels, our mission is to make IoT more
accessible to consumers and public sector organizations while allowing businesses, and developers of all
sizes to compete in new markets globally.” Marni Walden, Verizon
Partnership
“In order to enjoy community prosperity and a strong talent pipeline, businesses need to recognize that it is
in everyone’s best interest to support educators and engage them in meaningful, strategic, and sustainable
ways, such as teacher externships – another key component of Ford NGL. By forming partnerships that
support one another and push each other to go further, we all end up in a better place. That is the true
power of public-private partnership.” Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company
“There is a growing consensus in the business, scientific and education communities that we must work
together and renew our commitment to strengthen American innovation and competitiveness through
basic research in the physical sciences and math education.” Dave Cote, Honeywell
“To support and advance STEM education, corporate leaders should be working inside and outside their
organizations to foster the right conditions for innovative problem solving, discussion and debate.” Bernard
J. Tyson, Kaiser Permanente
“There is a critical connection between our company’s diversity initiatives and our STEM initiatives, which is
an intentional component of our overall strategy. We see great value in aligning these initiatives and seek
non-profit partnerships that successfully support women and underrepresented minorities pursuing STEM
fields.” Marillyn A. Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation
“A collaborative effort is required for systemic change. It’s the responsibility of business to join other key
education stakeholders – school districts, higher education, non-profits, city governments, and others –to
work together with a shared agenda for collective impact.” Rich Templeton, Texas Instruments
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 20 recognizes the
100 CEO Leaders in STEM’s
commitment to building a strong,
diverse STEM pipeline.
Join 655,998+ that have
pledged to mentor!
Million Women Mentors supports the engagement of one million science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM) mentors (male and female) to
increase the interest and confidence of girls and women in these fields.
MWM is an initiative of STEMconnector® in collaboration with over 67
nonprofit partners and 35 state leadership teams.
To learn more visit:
www.MillionWomenMentors.org
For sponsorship and partnership information contact
[email protected] / [email protected]
Join major corporations, partners, city and state leadership
teams for a day of learning and sharing.
Be a part of the discussion around mentoring as the key to
advancing women and girls in STEM careers.
October 4-5, 2016
Omni Shoreham Hotel
Washington D.C.
For sponsorship and branding opportunities contact
[email protected] / [email protected]
Foreword
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 22 DiversityComm congratulates
the 100 CEO Leaders in STEM
and their commitment to a diverse,
strong STEM pipeline.
Download your FREE issues today!
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Inspiring Latino Success
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MIMICKING
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COULD LEAD
TO BETTER
ROBOTS
OF THE
Mompreneurs:
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and Diverse
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Women is Good
for Business
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Williams
Benefits of
Employing
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at all Levels
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Hayek
WOMAN OF THE YEAR
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Adventures of
an Astrophysicist
A Model Mentor
U.S.
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Providing Business, DVBE & Employment Opportunities
SPRING 2015
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Letter from Diversified Search
Dale E. Jones, Chief Executive Officer
For more than 40 years,
the partners of Diversified
Search have worked quietly and in a highly confidential manner to bring
innovation, diversity and
transformational
senior
management talent to
discerning clients craving game-changers for
their businesses. This is our
mission, and our work includes identifying, assessing and recruiting CEOs,
Board Directors and senior leaders who create value, transform companies
and inspire cultures.
Put simply, at Diversified Search, we believe that
great leadership transforms people, organizations
and the world. We actively seek diverse perspectives
and challenge conventional thinking to uncover the
purpose, passion and potential of our clients and
candidates. We identify, assess, and place the highest
impact leaders for organizations and boards. Our
mission is to deliver innovative, impactful leadership
solutions that increase value for our client organizations.
Our vision is to be a preeminent partner in serving and
advising leaders, leveraging our exceptional culture
and process to deliver extraordinary results.
Our reach and capabilities are worldwide, serving
clients ranging from venture-backed startups to
multinationals facing exponential growth, as well as
turnaround challenges. Diversified offers these advisory
services via our extensive global network. And since
our clients typically hand their most critical executive
and board assignments to us, we require all partners
to manage and execute those assignments directly.
Diversified was founded by Judith von Seldeneck,
who is our Chairman today. Judee made diversity—
of gender, race, ideas and capabilities—the heart
and soul of our firm and innovation our engine. That
overwhelming sense of mission and purpose is what
many of us share today, and speaks to our collective
"calling" as social citizens who want to make the world
a better place. In all industries and sectors, we look
for the exceptional leader who brings both skill and
passion to the mantle of leadership. At Diversified no
idea is dismissed, especially if it has the potential to
improve our clients’ performance.
Also at Diversified Search, we intimately understand
that leaders have to be prepared to lead themselves,
their families and the organizations which they have
been entrusted to serve. However, growth for a leader
often occurs during challenging times, whether
personal or professional. Regardless of the crisis, our
job is to assess how leaders weather the difficult
seasons of life and determine how those experiences
have shaped and prepared them for the next mantle
of leadership. Most importantly, we understand that a
good leader embraces change when it comes and
seeks change when it becomes necessary.
A crisis can be a crucible that forges moral leadership.
We are looking for leaders for whom crisis and
challenge create a resilience and strength making
one a more principled leader. We are looking for
leaders who can lead for all seasons!
About Dale Elton Jones
Dale Elton Jones is President and Chief Executive Officer of Diversified Search, a key global partner
of AltoPartners Worldwide. His responsibilities include management of the firm and its global
CEO Advisory Services. Before joining Diversified, Dale served as Vice Chairman and partner
of the CEO and Board Practice at Heidrick & Struggles International, where he consulted with
CEOs and Corporate Boards on human capital issues including recruiting, retention, succession
planning, and corporate governance. He also served as one of the firm’s leaders in the Global
Telecommunications and the Global Consumer Practices. Dale concurrently served as Managing
Partner of the Atlanta Office from 1999 to 2007. He was later asked to oversee the CEO and
Board Practice in the Americas. Dale originally joined Heidrick & Struggles in 1999 following a
four year tenure with another leading search firm. Prior to entering search, Dale held a series of
positions in business with increasing responsibility. He has also taken on special strategic roles to
serve Steve and Jean Case, founders of AOL, as CEO of Revolution Ventures. Dale brings many
years of longstanding relationships to his clients from his involvement with YPO, the CEO Forum and
the National Association of Corporate Directors. He is an experienced and sought after advisor on
leadership issues for Fortune 500 companies. ©2016 STEMconnector® All Rights Reser ved
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 24 WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
We believe that great leadership transforms people, organizations, and the
world.
At Diversified Search, we are one of the top ten retained executive
search firms in the United States. With nine offices in the US and global
search capabilities in 30 countries through our strategic alliance with
AltoPartners, an international alliance of independent executive search
firms, we can deliver outstanding leadership talent to our clients no
matter where they might be.
We employ a highly collaborative approach to each search assignment.
Our experienced consultants are always asking, listening, and opening
up new angles to uncover the right solution for your organization.
We approach search differently than others. Throughout our history, we have
always sought leaders that not only have strong character and credentials,
but also those with different perspectives and views.
We use the power of this perspective to help guide your company beyond
the expected. We believe in viewing each search through a broad lens.
We consider all issues - including generational, cultural, ethnic, industry,
gender and functional - to bring your organization fresh, high-potential
candidates.
We help our clients create a leadership road
map for finding the best available talent.
Dale E. Jones
President and CEO
Judith M. von Seldeneck
Founder and Chairman
Discover how our firm can influence leadership and growth at your organization
25 | 1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M by visiting us online diversifiedsearch.com
CONGRATUL ATIONS TO EACH OF THE 2016
100 CEO LEADERS IN STEM FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE
OUR EXPERTISE
Our firm provides high-level recruitment services for leading organizations in a wide
range of industries. Our senior-level, industry-focused consultants have in-depth
knowledge of their markets and strong relationships in their fields:
INDUSTRY PRACTICES
• Consumer & Retail
• Education & Non-Profit
• Financial Services
• Healthcare Services
• Industrial
• Life Sciences
• Sports, Media & Entertainment
• Technology & Telecommunications
FUNCTIONAL PRACTICES
• Board of Directors
• Chief Information Officers | IT
• Development & Philanthropy
• Financial Officers
• Human Resources
• Supply Chain
• STEMconnector®
LEADERSHIP ADVISORY
With Diversified Search, our expertise expands beyond traditional recruitment
strategies to include thoughtful insights into executive experience, leadership
capabilities, culture and team dynamics across all industries. Through our
ancillary services, we are able to provide a holistic evaluation of your needs
and deliver customized solutions for your biggest challenges as well as
proactively prepare you for the future.
Advisory Services provided to our clients include Leadership Assessment,
Executive Advisory, and Physician Consultancy by renowned experts.
Exclusive U.S. Partner
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 26 27 | 1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M ©2016 STEMconnector® All Rights Reser ved
100
CEO
Leaders
in STEM
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 28 Inge Thulin
Chairman of the Board, President
and Chief Executive Officer
3M
3M applies science to life to generate thousands of new and
innovative products. Our culture of creative collaboration
inspires a never-ending stream of powerful technologies that
make life better. 3M is a science-based diversified technology
company that never stops inventing. With $30 billion in sales,
3M employs almost 90,000 people around the world, including
8300 researchers and has operations in more than 70 countries.
3M is not just a company that creates, it is also a company that
cares. Through its philanthropic arm, 3Mgives, the company
develops and invests in innovative community programs that
make a difference. Since 1953, 3M and the 3M Foundation
have invested $1.45 billion in cash and products in education
and charitable organizations. These donations were bolstered
by thousands of employee and retiree volunteers. 3M has
earned the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Best Commitment
to Education Award and the Excellence in Mentoring
Award for Corporate Leadership. For more information, visit
www.3Mgives.com .
Inge Thulin, Chairman of the Board, President
and Chief Executive Officer of 3M began
his career with 3M Europe in 1979, and
assumed key roles in marketing, sales and
management throughout his career. In 2003,
he was appointed executive vice president
for international operations and, in 2011, was
named executive vice president and chief
operating officer. In less than a year, Inge was
appointed president and chief executive
officer, with the subsequent addition of
chairman to his duties.
3M is a science company, and Inge recognizes
the importance of investing in research and
development. This extends to the elevation of
the company’s brand: 3M Science. Applied
to Life.™ 3M applies science to improve lives
and solve global problems. With $30 billion
in sales, its 90,000 employees connect with
customers around the world.
3M consistently ranks among the world’s most
admired, respected and ethical companies.
3M has been included on Ethisphere’s list
29
1 0 29
0 W|O1M0 E0 NCLEEOA D
RD
S EI N
E M L EEA
R SS ITN
S T E M of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for
three consecutive years, and been listed
on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for
sixteen consecutive years. Inge also invests
significantly in leadership development,
and 3M was included on Chief Executive
magazine’s 2016 list of the Best Companies
for Leaders.
Inge serves on the board of Chevron and the
World Childhood Foundation, and is a member
of the Business Council, Council on Foreign
Relations,Business Roundtable and Committee
Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. He
served as chairman of the Greater Twin Cities
United Way Campaign in 2015.
A native of Sweden, Inge earned degrees in
economics and marketing from the University
of Gothenburg.
Inge recently received the Peter G. Peterson
Business Statesmanship Award from the
Committee for Economic Development (2015)
and the Lucia Trade Award from the SwedishAmerican Chamber of Commerce (2015).
© 2©021061S2T ES M
T EcMocnonnencet c
o tr ®
o rA
™l lARl li gRhi gt sh tRseRs e rs veer vde d
Supporting these technologies are our people, including
our 8,500 scientists. As a science company, we are only
as good as the work they do. And as an enterprise
that continues to thrive more than a century after
our founding, we understand well the importance of
inspiring the next generation of scientists and inventors.
Science is the key to solving many of the world’s toughest
challenges, whether they be air pollution, food safety or
clean water. That means everyone has a role to play in
strengthening STEM education, including governments,
the nonprofit sector and – of course – the private sector,
which must invest in its own future workforce.
At 3M, we take this responsibility seriously, and have
for decades. For more than 40 years, our company
has partnered with the Saint Paul Public Schools to
strengthen their STEM curriculum. We invite science and
technology teachers into our laboratories for hands-on
experience in an industrial setting. Our scientists are
also passionate about volunteering in the communities
where we do business. In our Visiting Wizards program,
for example, 3M scientists visit classrooms and perform
experiments for some of our youngest learners.
We are especially committed to encouraging
minorities, women and other underrepresented
communities to achieve an education rich in STEM.
For example, consider the fact that if people of color
were fully represented in the engineering workforce,
we would have roughly 460,000 more engineers in
the United States alone helping solve challenges in
infrastructure, communication, energy and more.
To that end, our STEP (Science Training Encouragement
Program) initiative provides high school students of
diverse backgrounds the opportunity to participate
in the process of scientific discovery at 3M. Through
mentoring by our scientists and summer employment
in our laboratories, STEP students gain invaluable job
skills and insights into science careers. We are proud
that many of these students go on to pursue advanced
training in science-related fields; some eventually
come back to work with us at 3M, and even end up
volunteering as part of the same STEP program that
helped them.
the winner – created a lightweight, reusable sandbag
after seeing his hometown devastated by a hurricane.
These are just a few examples of how we are inspiring
young people to apply science to real-world problems,
and we need to inspire more young people to think
like that.
While the Young Scientist Challenge is U.S.-based, our
reach spans the globe. With operations in 70 countries,
we strive to make a difference in every community
where we live and work around the world.
In 2014 we launched an annual 3M Global Volunteer
Day to better mobilize our tens of thousands of global
volunteers, and 15 international locations participated.
By 2015, participation soared to 80 locations. As part
of last year’s event, 40 3M volunteers in Thailand set
up science experiment stations for 100 students. The
projects helped develop the children’s resourcefulness,
particularly their skills at goal-setting, planning and
problem-solving. They also sparked intellectual
curiosity, helping children acquire new ways of asking
questions and understanding the world – which is vital
to scientific discovery.
In Taiwan, we hosted a science carnival that was visited
by more than 5,000 people; our team also hosted
a science camp for 100 students from 30 schools. In
total, more than 100 3M volunteers participated in the
two events. And in West Europe, volunteers from three
of our locations visited schools to kick off a science
challenge that encourages young people to develop
a passion for STEM.
Of course, STEM education is about more than what
happens inside the classroom. An education rich in
STEM – one that lays the foundation early and builds
upon it through the later years – is about preparing
students to succeed in the fast-moving world they will
find outside the classroom.
In today’s economy, more high-quality, well-paying
jobs require STEM skills. Walk through one of our
manufacturing plants, for example, and you will see
cutting-edge technologies like 3D printers, robotics
and laser cutters. These are highly complex machines
that require highly-skilled people to operate and
analyze them.
Ultimately, strengthening STEM education is a critical
opportunity: to both equip young people with the
necessary skills to build a successful career, and to
advance scientific discoveries that will make the world
safer, healthier and more prosperous. At 3M, we will
continue to do our part to make this opportunity a reality.■
On a national scale, 3M works with Discovery Education
to host the Young Scientist Challenge, an annual
competition that matches young scientists with 3M
mentors as they bring their best ideas to life. Last
year’s winner, 15-year-old Hannah Herbst, developed
a method for delivering low-cost, reliable electricity to
places that need it most. The previous year’s winner
invented a unique way to convert carbon dioxide into
electricity, after being inspired by the 1.5 billion people
who lack access to electricity. The year before that,
America’s Top Young Scientist – the title bestowed upon
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Last year 3M introduced a new brand platform: 3M
Science. Applied to Life. It tells the story of who we
are and what we do. Every day we use science to
improve lives and solve problems, whether it is our
nonwoven technology that keeps your car quieter
and jacket warmer, filtration technology that enables
you to breathe cleaner air and drink cleaner water, or
adhesive technology that holds your airplane, hotel
and smartphone together.
Ajita Rajendra
Chairman and
A.O. Smith Corporation
A. O. Smith Corporation, with headquarters in Milwaukee,
Wis., is a global leader applying innovative technology and
energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and
marketed worldwide. The company is one of the world’s
leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water
heating equipment, as well as a manufacturer of water
treatment products. A. O. Smith has operations in eight
countries; the company’s plants feature a balanced blend
of automation and experienced well-trained employees.
The company has invested in 10 product engineering
facilities worldwide employing more than 500 product
engineers and technicians. These facilities are charged with
designing, developing, and testing new water heating and
water treatment technologies. In addition, the researchers
and engineers at the company’s Corporate Technology
Center in Milwaukee, WI, are focused on next-generation
water heating and water treatment technologies as well as
electronics, material science, and combustion.
Ajita Rajendra was named Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of A. O. Smith
Corporation in April 2014. Prior to becoming
CEO, he was President and Chief Operating
Officer, responsible for the company’s
global water heater and water purification
businesses. During this time, he also oversaw
the company’s global product engineering
and global information technology functions.
Ajita was elected to the A. O. Smith Board of
Directors in December 2011.
Ajita joined A. O. Smith as President of its Water
Products Company in January 2005 and was
named an Executive Vice President of the
Corporation in 2006. Prior to joining A. O. Smith,
he was Senior Vice President of the Industrial
Products Group of Kennametal Inc., Latrobe,
Pa., a manufacturer of cutting tools used in
aerospace, automotive, and other industrial
applications.
Ajita began his career with Corning Incorporated, Corning, N.Y., holding a wide range of
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Retail Operations, Business Director of the
Corning Cookware division, and President of
the Revere Ware Corporation.
Ajita earned a Bachelor of Science degree
in chemical engineering from the Indian
Institute of Technology, Chennai, India, and
an MBA from Carnegie-Mellon University,
Pittsburgh, Pa. Ajita is a director of Donaldson
Company Inc. and The Timken Company,
a member of the Business Roundtable, a
member of the Board of Trustees of the
Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and
Innovation, and sits on the Board of Directors
of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association
of Commerce. He is a former chairman of
the Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration
Institute and currently serves as a director of
the organization. In April 2015, he received
the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the
Indian Institute of Technology.
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The program involves one semester of full-time work
at A. O. Smith, starting after the student’s sophomore
year in college, alternated with one semester of fulltime classroom work. Each student is assigned an
experienced engineer as a mentor; with each successive semester, the student works more independently. There is a formal evaluation process involving
the company, the partner university, and the student.
The goal is to make each of the co-op students
“employer ready” by the end of their assignment.
We encourage the co-op students to interview
with our operating units as their co-op assignments
draw to a close and help them identify entry-level
engineering opportunities that match their education and experience. Through the years, we have
hired a number of students to full-time positions with
the company, and several of them have been promoted into more senior roles within the organization.
Based on the success of this program, we are looking into introducing it at our engineering facilities in
Tennessee and South Carolina.
While there are established programs at the
university level, we also have identified a growing
need for qualified candidates for positions such as
lab technicians and lab assistants. To address this
emerging requirement, we recently expanded the
Milwaukee program to include students from local
technical schools who intern in a number of fields
such as water treatment technology. Last spring,
one of the interns joined our water treatment group
as a technician; she is now looking at continuing her
studies under our education assistance program.
Introducing younger students to STEM related
careers is a critical responsibility of businesses such
as ours that rely on a steady stream of engineering
talent. One important way to build the pipeline is to
start mentoring students earlier. We have partnered
with two organizations, “Learn to Succeed” and
“Project Lead the Way,” to introduce STEM topics
to high school students. Both of these programs
focus on inner city students who may not have the
exposure to STEM subjects and careers in technical
fields. The students have an opportunity to visit
our product engineering labs and learn about the
work and career opportunities from experienced
engineers and technicians. In some instances, they
also can job shadow an engineer and observe the
types of projects he or she engages in. We also
have been exploring developing a lab technician
apprentice program with the Milwaukee Area
Technical College and hope to launch the program
within the next year.
Beyond the existing co-op and high school mentoring programs, we have a number of unique partnerships that help promote STEM. As a founding
member of the Milwaukee Water Council, we participate in a program called “curriculum matching.” It is a cooperative effort between business
and educational institutions, such as the University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, to identify and map “business friendly” career
opportunities for students. We also have established
a strong working relationship with technical colleges, such as Tennessee Technological University in
Cookeville, TN, in which students are given a special
project to work on in our plant in Cookeville. It gives
the students hands-on experience in a manufacturing facility and exposes our team to fresh thinking
and new ideas.
In conclusion, my advice to young people just
beginning their careers is to seize every opportunity
you can and try to think ahead to the next
opportunity. If there are special projects or initiatives
in your company, volunteer to take part. It’s not just a
chance to gain experience, you also will meet other
people from different parts of the organization and
learn from their experience. Depending upon the
project, you may also expand your horizons and gain
exposure to new disciplines or different functions within
the business. A. O. Smith, like most large companies,
has a formal performance management and career
development process. Young people should use
this process as a way to identify future opportunities
and share their career plans with their supervisor.
A good supervisor will help you map out a career
progression, identify “gaps” in your work experience,
and select assignments that fill those gaps. However,
your supervisor won’t be able to provide that support
unless you make your wishes known.■
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A. O. Smith Corporation has sponsored a number
of programs that encourage young people to
pursue STEM-related careers of provide hands-on
professional opportunities for students already
studying engineers or the sciences. One of our
longest-running and most visible programs to identify
and develop future talent is the engineering co-op
program offered by the company’s Corporate
Technology Center in Milwaukee, WI. The program
began more than 30 years ago and has introduced
dozens of engineering students to A. O. Smith. The
current program, in partnership with Marquette
University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,
is designed to give young engineers an in-depth
experience in their chosen discipline.
Carlos
Rodriguez
President and Chief Executive Officer
ADP
ADP helps organizations of all types and sizes unlock their
business potential. For over 60 years, we’ve led the way in
defining the future of business outsourcing solutions. And we
remain one of the world’s most innovative companies. Today
we serve over 630,000 clients in over 100 countries.
We are a comprehensive global provider of cloud-based
Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions that unite
HR, payroll, talent, time, tax and benefits administration, and
a leader in business outsourcing services, analytics and
compliance expertise. Our unmatched experience, deep
insights, and cutting-edge technology have transformed
human resources from a back-office administrative function
to a strategic business advantage.
Over 80 percent of FORTUNE 500® companies and more than
90 FORTUNE 100 companies use at least one of ADP's services.
Mr. Rodriguez was named President and Chief
Executive Officer in November 2011.
Carlos has been with ADP since 1999, most
recently as President and Chief Operating
Officer since May 2011, and previously as
President of National Account Services and
Employer Services International. He joined
ADP through its acquisition of Vincam,
where he served initially as CFO for a short
period before becoming President of ADP
TotalSource. Under his leadership, TotalSource
became the fastest growing and largest
Professional Employer Organization (PEO) in
the industry.
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of ADP's Small Business Services (SBS), which
included ADP’s small business payroll services,
ADP TotalSource and ADP Retirement
Services. Under his leadership, SBS launched
"RUN Powered by ADP®" payroll management
service, which has become one of ADP’s
fastest growing product platforms.
Carlos holds master of business administration
and bachelor of arts degrees from Harvard
University. In addition to his work at ADP, Carlos
serves on the Boards of ADP, and Hubbell Inc.
He is a member of the Business Roundtable
and the Economic Club of New York.
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At ADP, diversity is at the heart of what we do and
who we are. We are working with several external
diversity partners to help us attract diverse STEM talent
to ADP. Partnerships currently include The Anita Borg
Institute, Women in Technology International (WITI)
and Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT).
Through our partnerships, we have met countless
inspiring young people who are going to drive the
innovations and businesses of tomorrow. Having grown
up in an era in which companies can develop from
concept to success very rapidly, they exude a sense of
empowerment and motivation that is unprecedented.
As part of this, they seem less daunted by traditional
limitations on what technology can do.
We are committed to identifying more partners this year
that we can collaborate with to identify and assist the
STEM leaders of tomorrow, both from a talent acquisition
perspective and to support our existing associates’
talent development and engagement goals.
Through our ADP Foundation, we also sponsor a
number of non-profit organizations that support
STEM education for under-represented students in
elementary, middle and high schools. There’s no
doubt that reaching STEM talent after they graduate
from college is often too late, so we are also
integrating our efforts into a focused college strategy
which includes building relationships with on-campus
diverse student organizations.
How does STEM leadership with a focus on diversity help
your company compete?
The evidence is overwhelming that companies with
diverse teams and diverse leadership outperform
companies with more homogenous workforces. They
are better at examining and solving problems and,
even more important, they are better at understanding
customer needs and addressing them.
technologies that will help ADP sustain its 67-year history
of growth and client satisfaction, drawing on data
science and anthropology as well as software design
and coding. When I visit these locations and meet
these people, I feel very confident about our future.
STEM leadership with a focus on diversity helps nearly
any company compete and attract the best and
brightest talent. People want to work for a company
where they can bring their full selves to work and feel
included. We know that it’s our people who make
the difference.
Why is STEM education/workforce development critical
to the future of our nation?
The U.S. Department of Labor predicts there will be
1.2 million jobs in computing and IT by 2022. However,
the country’s current pipeline will fill only 39 percent
of those jobs with U.S. workers. The balance probably
cannot be addressed through immigration.
The country’s economic health depends on filling
those jobs. The value creation of tomorrow will only
become more reliant on a workforce with a strong
STEM foundation. Already today some manufacturers
find it difficult to fill entry-level jobs because assemblyline work requires technical proficiency, not just elbow
grease. Car mechanics service vehicles that have
more computing power than the Apollo spacecraft.
It is clear that we need to increase the number of STEM
students, and to do that we must also encourage
more young people from diverse backgrounds to
pursue STEM education.
It isn’t just the right thing to do,it’s a business imperative.
That’s why ADP supports non-profit organizations like
NPower, Liberty Science Center, and the New York
Hall of Science. Our Women’s Business Resource
Group also is working with organizations like Girls Who
Code, to expose youth to careers in STEM.■
The most diverse teams at ADP are probably the
teams that work at our Innovation Labs in Manhattan
and Roseland, N.J. They also happen to be locations
with very high percentages of associates with STEM
backgrounds. They’re developing the forward-looking
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How is your company infusing diversity in STEM initiatives?
Dennis Albaugh
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Albaugh LLC
Albaugh LLC is recognized as the largest wholly owned,
independent forumaltor/packager of crop protection
products in the industry. We market our products to distribution
networks located in all 50 states. Albaugh LLC is a privately
owned company founded by Dennis Albaugh in 1979.
The company has recorded spectacular sales growth over
this period assisted by product acquisitions (the Butryac® line
of products, from Rhone Poulenc), a company acquisition
of Atanor SA in Argentina, and a company acquisition of a
Copper Company,Agri-Estrella of Mexico, and the introduction
of Albaugh-Europe.
The principles that have been established for honesty, fairness
and quality in addition to maintaining the ability to quickly
react to changes in the market continue to guide the direction
of the company.
Dennis Albaugh founded Albaugh, Inc. in 1979.
The company has recorded spectacular sales
growth over this period assisted by product
acquisitions. Today, Albaugh LLC is recognized
as the largest wholly owned independent
formulator/packager in the industry.
The ability to understand markets and
future trends, in addition to his dogged
determination that phenoxy herbicides
would survive, brought him the opportunity
to purchase his current formulation plant in
St. Joseph, Missouri. Purchased for cents on
the dollar, Dennis has used this facility to grow
Albaugh LLC into what it is today, the premier
supplier of off-patent chemistry.
Dennis Albaugh determined early on that he
had to broaden his product portfolio to the
marketplace on competitive terms to grow
the company. Albaugh continues to look for
such opportunities to offer products in markets
for which there is no generic competition.
Dennis will continue to challenge his
employees to discover new products, new
customers and more efficient ways to do
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always looking for the next jewel.
Dennis has also held to his belief that his
company must have a basic position in both
supply and cost for all products that it markets.
This is accomplished by a cultured relationship
with suppliers, in which these suppliers must
not only have a competitive price, but also a
secure source of supply, or through acquisition.
It is because of this belief that in 1997 Dennis
acquired controlling interest in an Argentina
based company called Atanor.
Dennis Albaugh was born and raised in Ankeny,
Iowa. He graduated from Ankeny High School
in 1968. After high school, he attended Des
Moines Area Community College where he
received an agricultural business degree.
Dennis also served his country in the National
Guard until 1976.
Dennis has been married to his wife, Susan, since
1970. Together they have two daughters and
four granddaughters. Dennis definitely spends
most of his time striking a balance between
spending time at work and with his family.
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The better educated the workforce, the better the
product a company can produce. We want to hire
people who do their job and do their job well. To
operate successfully with that philosophy, you have to
hire people who can hit the ground running. People
who come from a STEM education have a specific
style of thought process.
“We don’t always hire people who have an exact
skill set, but they have the ability to apply their talents
and drive. When you hire an employee with a STEM
education, you are hiring people who have potential.
These are people with an inquisitive mind. They cannot
be held hostage to antiquated concepts, because
we are always looking for a better way. No matter
the job title, employees are expected to contribute
thoughtful solutions that continually challenge how
we can improve a process, a product or a concept.
How has your corporation coordinated investments in
education with future workforce needs?
One of the jewels resulting from Albaugh’s business
acumen and hometown pride is Prairie Trail, a 1,000+
acre planned urban development in Ankeny, Iowa.
Prairie Trail is truly a private-public partnership,designed
as a sustainable community where people can live
and work and play. It’s part of a comprehensive
conservation design approach that makes the best
use of existing topography and natural waterways
while also adding stunning views. The site for Prairie Trail
was formerly the Iowa State University Dairy Research
Farm. Mr. Albaugh was chosen as the developer
in 2005, because of his commitment to business
and education, fully integrated into the residential
community. Today, more than 400 residents live in the
Prairie Trail development and enjoy the amenities of
this walkable community. They are attracted to living
a healthy lifestyle with more than 13 miles of trails and
200 acres of parks, including a state-of-the-art public
aquatic center within walking distance. Residents
choose Ankeny and Prairie Trail because of the
outstanding education offered here. There are three
Ankeny public schools, newly built in Prairie Trail to
serve elementary to high school students and there
are higher education opportunities with Simpson
College Ankeny campus located in The District at
Prairie Trail and Des Moines Area Community College
bordering Prairie Trail on the east. Residents are thrilled
that more and more local businesses call Prairie Trail
home, too. The District at Prairie Trail is becoming an
entertainment destination as new restaurants, bars,
boutiques and more have opened in 2015. Prairie
Trail is a tapestry of diverse and distinctive homes,
neighborhood stores, nearby offices, schools and
parks. And, there is much more to come. It is estimated
that when Prairie Trail is complete, the population
will be nearly 10,000 residents, ranking in the top ten
percent of Iowa towns as measured by population.
“My interest in Prairie Trail was generated by my love for
Ankeny, Iowa. Ankeny has always been my hometown
– I grew up here. I raised my family here, and now my
daughters are raising their families in Ankeny. My vision
for Prairie Trail is to create a lifestyle that all of Ankeny
can enjoy and be proud of.
Prairie Trail is built upon the tradition of Iowa’s great
neighborhoods. Creating a great community requires
involvement and investment in the future. The Prairie
Trail Scholarship Fund was established in 2008 to support
and enrich the endeavors of the students and families
who make this their community. It’s one of the many
reasons why Prairie Trail is more than just a place to live.
Dennis chose DMACC and majored in agri-business
because he was offered a scholarship to college. He
believes success in education is not about the most
accomplished academic students, but about those
with drive. Therefore, the Prairie Trail Scholarship is not
awarded on need or academic standing but on the
students’ ability to demonstrate their drive and desire
and to define how the scholarship -- if awarded -- can
help them pursue their dreams to create their future.
The scholarship applicants are eligible for $2,500 per
year up to a maximum lifetime award of $10,000.
Preference is given to students who reside in the
Prairie Trail Development and to those who choose an
institution based in Iowa. By 2016, more than $160,000
will have been awarded. Mr. Albaugh believes so
strongly in education and his commitment to Ankeny,
that he made two significant donations in 2015 to
benefit the local community. DMACC’s Culinary Arts
program, which trains outstanding chefs who work
around the world and the Ankeny High School Football
Stadium project, each received a $1million donation.
What is the STEM initiative that your company has supported are you most proud?
We are extremely proud of Prairie Trail, the publicprivate partnership and the very positive impact on
an already outstanding Ankeny school system, which
boasts one of the highest graduation rates in the
nation at 92.75%. Ankeny is one of the fastest growing
cities in Iowa, averaging five new residents per day in
2015 with no signs of slowing. As early as 2006, plans
were underway for new schools to be strategically
located in Prairie Trail to accommodate the rapid
growth.
What is your advice on using private-public partnerships
to tackle our most pressing education challenges in STEM?
Education is an important part of every person’s life. I
am a firm believer in giving Ankeny’s children support
as they go on to pursue their dreams. The Prairie Trail
Scholarship Program is designed to accomplish just
that.
What counsel would you provide around "collaboration
to achieve success" in STEM workforce development?
It is important that public and private entities
collaborate to help our children achieve success as
the next generation workforce. Any circumstance on
a personal level or a national economic level, can
strip people of their job and status, but an education
can never be taken away. Hard work does have
a reward. The effort to gain knowledge is not just a
personal exercise or a coming of age milestone, it is a
purposeful endeavor that spreads benefits throughout
our communities.■
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Why do you believe STEM education and workforce development are critical to our nation's future?
Kate Lindsey
Alpha Corporation
Alpha Corporation provides civil/structural engineering,
program/construction management, project controls, and
technology services for various building types and heavy
infrastructure projects. Clients encompass all government
agency levels, P3s, Fortune 500/Global 1000 companies,
institutions of learning, commercial developers, energy
companies, contractors, architects, and more. The overall
project portfolio exceeds $50B in program constructed value
for the past 35 years. The firm comprises engineers, program/
construction managers, schedulers, estimators, risk managers,
and inspectors. Their range of skillsets and technical expertise
supports efforts throughout the project development
lifecycle—from planning through design and construction—
by blending knowledge in state-of-the-art engineering and
best management practices/tools with hands-on construction
and operations background. This foundation enables tailored
solutions that optimize constructability, control construction
cost/time, and manage project risk, ultimately ensuring
cost savings, quality, functionality, and sustainability. Alpha
Corporation is recognized by ACEC for engineering excellence
and nationally ranked as a Top 50 PM/Top 100 CM firm by ENR.
Kate Curtin Lindsey is CEO of Alpha
Corporation, a company established in 1979.
In 2013, Kate took its helm from her husband
after his death to oversee the firm's strategic
direction/growth and hold majority ownership.
Kate’s management of Alpha Corporation
draws upon her vast experience totaling more
than 35 years and a solid base in corporate
finance, mergers and acquisitions, inclusive of
commercial property assets and not-for-profit
educational institutions.
Initially working at Morgan Stanley & Co.,
Kate collaborated with a team of Managing
Directors who developed a long-range vision
that resulted in the firm’s 20-year growth from
750 employees nationally to more than 40,000
worldwide. Moving onto American Security
Bank, NA, Kate was appointed as Assistant
Vice President in the Treasury Division. There,
she managed, among other efforts, nearly
500 clients ranging in size from individual
investors to large construction/real estate
development firms. Kate then transitioned her
career to serve as CFO for Georgetown Day
School, The Hewitt School, and now presently,
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Friends School. For these, Kate has overseen
annual budgets that average $35 million and
been instrumental in focusing master plan
programs on ensuring these schools have
facilities/systems that support rigorous, stateof-the-art curriculums.
Kate has served on numerous association
boards and been a thought leader/speaker
at select conferences. These include: the
STEMconnector/Million
Women
Mentors
Advisory and Entrepreneurship committees,
NYSAIS, NAIS, NBOA, Diversity Institute, ABOIS,
AISGW, and AIMS. In 2005, she received NBOA’s
“Ken White Distinguished Business Officer”
award, and more recently, Enterprising
Women magazine’s “Enterprising Woman
of the Year” award. Kate holds a Bachelor
of Arts, History/Political Science, from Rollins
College and is a recent participant in Harvard
University joint School of Design and School of
Education LEFT Graduate program and New
York Times International Schools for Tomorrow
symposium.
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For one example, we often see in the news the dire
condition of our nation’s infrastructure and other
assets along with the need to invest in their repairs and
upgrades.Whilst earmarking appropriate funding is key
in tackling these challenges, so too, and in fact even
more critical, is having the right resources in human
capital that can bring forward innovative solutions
that are cost-effectively sustainable and long-lasting.
This is where STEM education and mentoring come
into play. Namely, by investing in today’s developing
workforce for near-term science and engineering
opportunities, we will enable employees to become
tomorrow’s leaders who steer forward long-term sustainability programs associated with preserving and
developing landmark scientific and physical assets of
our nation. Organic development of this future generation of scientists and engineers will allow our nation
to impart invaluable technical knowledge from recognized experts to the young minds of school-age
children, inspiring their creative spirits and ambition to
be part of dynamic programs that will sustain far into
the future. One vital aspect for any STEM investment is
that it provides for broad opportunities that engage
both scientific research and hands-on engineering
for multiple industry sectors; thus, offering a wealth of
career avenues from which to choose. Early engagement with STEM education allows us to instill curiosity
about the world around us in the minds of students.
Then, through engagements in STEM fairs, project
tours, industry mentoring events, et al, it will develop
students’ ambitions to engage and embrace both
the challenge to solve problems and opportunity to
have a rewarding professional career. This STEM-generated workforce will ultimately become the foundation upon which to build the ever-growing community
of scientists and engineers who will possess the institutional knowledge to lead with foresight and resolve to
further perpetuate the continued talent growth of our
science and engineering communities.
What STEM initiative that your company has supported
are you most proud of?
We are most proud of extending our passion for STEM
learning directly to the students within our own communities. Alpha Corporation works with area high
schools to provide engineering mentors for students
enrolled in a school’s gifted independent study program. “Learning by doing” is the program’s hallmark
to provide students, eligible for gifted academic
services, with opportunities to assess career choices
through mentorship experiences. Engineering professionals serve as mentors for these students to complete an in-depth study of the engineering field,
shadowing their mentors and developing a project/
professional presentation to illustrate the skills they’ve
learned through the program. Our engineers provide students with realistic insights into the academic
professional aspects of engineering. As a mentor, it
is rewarding to assist students in not only increasing
their knowledge of engineering skills and the career
field, but also development of their talents and
enhancement of their self-esteem and self-confidence as they develop their professional skills. One of
our mentors described the mentoring experience as,
“a refreshing opportunity to directly make an impact
on someone’s life through engineering while renewing my own passion for the career path I have chosen and reminding me of how far I have come in my
own personal growth and development.”
How should thos working to improve the STEM workforce
measure success?
Success should be measured by the rate of job creation and demand for STEM positions. More specifically, the key benchmark would be uniform job
creation across all market sectors in STEM industries,
not just higher profile industries such as technology,
healthcare, and fuel. Even though mainstream media
highlights these industries often, our job as STEM companies is to make sure that institutions are aware and
teaching to all potential STEM employment opportunities. To that end, businesses and professional organizations must be more proactive in reaching out to
the broader public to educate them on the importance of STEM education. In addition, we need to
expand upon the diversity of work within each industry. Students need to know that just because they are
studying civil engineering, for example, they will not
be limited into doing site development for their entire
career. They must appreciate that as civil engineers
they can move into water/waste water design, airport development, environmental management, and
many other outlets. It is through an understanding of
all employment opportunities that we can entice students into STEM programs and achieve measurable
growth in job creation.
What advice do you have for minorities and women coming “up” in the system?
As industries evolve, minorities and women will
face having to adapt in order to succeed. In our
workspaces for infrastructure/transportation and
vertical development, teamwork is paramount
for completing everyday tasks and deadlines. This
requires us to be flexible when working with different
personalities and skillsets. Plus, we must possess the
ability to nimbly pivot, whenever and however
needed, to ensure we hold to budget and schedule
parameters all while providing unique solutions to
meet project challenges. Unfortunately, there are still
stereotypes associated with this demographic among
STEM professionals. To break barriers, resilience is
needed to overcome assumptions and flourish in any
STEM industry. Our employees recognize that whilst
being a minority or woman may make one unique
in the STEM community, it does not mean any of us is
alone in the system. There are countless professionals
who were once in the same position as students/
interns and graduates with new careers. Together, we
must support the STEM community in its growth and
improvement of education along with the multitude
of ever-evolving career pathways. This is especially
true for minorities and women, who in setting their
own career goals, should maintain the perseverance
to see them through while holding onto their unique
perspectives as individual professionals.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 38 Alpha Corporation
Warner L. Baxter
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer Ameren Corporation
Ameren Corporation, a Fortune 500 energy company headquartered in St. Louis, powers the quality of life for 2.4 million
customers across 64,000 square miles in Missouri and Illinois.
The service territory includes a diverse base of residential,
commercial and large industrial customers in both urban and
rural areas. Of Ameren’s 8,500 employee base, 55 percent are
engineers, technicians and information technology specialists. These employees’ STEM skills are essential to maintaining
10,200 megawatts of net generation capacity, 87,000 electric
circuit miles of transmission and distribution lines, and 21,000
miles of natural gas transmission and distribution, as well as
providing safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy to Ameren customers.
Warner L. Baxter has been serving as chairman,
president and chief executive officer of
Ameren Corporation, a Fortune 500 energy
company serving 2.4 million electric and
900,000 natural gas customers with revenues
in excess of $6 billion, since 2014.
39
functions of the entire enterprise. In 2007, he
assumed additional duties as president and
CEO of Ameren Services and, from 2009 to
2014, president and CEO of Ameren Missouri,
the largest energy provider in the state.
Baxter launched his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in 1983, where he provided
auditing and consulting services to clients in a
variety of industries in the firm’s St. Louis office.
Ten years later, he assumed the role of senior
manager with the firm’s national office in New
York City serving as one of its liaisons. In 1995,
Baxter joined Union Electric as assistant controller before moving into the role of controller
in 1996 and then vice president and controller in 1997. In 2001, he became the senior vice
president of finance.
Baxter earned a bachelor of science degree
in accounting from the University of Missouri–
St. Louis. He is a member of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants
and the Missouri Society of Certified Public
Accountants. Baxter has made meaningful
and long-lasting contributions to higher
education through his involvement at the
University of Missouri and the University of
Missouri–St. Louis. He is a past member and
president of the University of Missouri–St.
Louis Chancellors Council and serves on the
University of Missouri 100 Board.
Baxter was named executive vice president
and chief financial officer of Ameren Corporation in 2003, where he led the finance, strategic planning and business risk management
Baxter currently serves on several boards,
including U.S. Bancorp, the Edison Electric
Institute, and the Electric Power Research
Institute.
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Whether identifying new technologies that help
produce energy, automate the electric grid, or even
deliver more efficient customer tools, our ability to
stay on the cusp of innovation is critical to our success.
And that boils down to a diverse team with the right
skills offering new perspectives and approaches to
our business.
With a significant amount of our workforce nearing
retirement age – particularly in skilled craft and
engineering positions – we have never been more
focused on applicants with STEM experience than
we are today. Our employees must be able to
deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs
and expectations of our customers today as well as
tomorrow.
That’s why our leadership team is deeply involved in
STEM-related initiatives throughout our communities
such as Project Lead the Way and STEMpact. These
programs reinforce the importance of a STEM
education and offer resources for teachers, parents
and students to promote STEM education throughout
our service areas.
In addition, we are working to build relationships
and develop curriculum at colleges, trade schools
and high schools in our region and actively support
educational initiatives that encourage high school
and college students to pursue future STEM careers.
Ameren participates in the Explore Energy program,
which engages and educates local diverse high
school students on careers in the utility industry.
Ameren also offers financial support and guidance
to high school engineering summer camps at local
colleges. Several high schools have toured Ameren
facilities to learn more about job opportunities and
potential career paths and, each year, we bring
more than 100 interns on board in key areas such as
engineering, finance and information technology.
Ameren also supports institutions of higher learning with
special interests in science, engineering and business
curricula by providing scholarships to students at Missouri
University of Science and Technology, Lincoln University
and Webster University. Over the next five years, we are
working with the University of Missouri-St. Louis to help
students transition to post-secondary institutions and
provide scholarships to underrepresented students
who want to pursue STEM careers.
We also collaborate with universities on research
projects. For example, last year Ameren became the
first major energy company to open an Innovation
Center on campus at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Research Park. There, undergraduate
and graduate students across STEM disciplines work
on a part-time basis on projects ranging from data
analytics and mobile applications to those that focus
on the needs of the utility of the future.
Not only do we expect the Ameren Innovation
Center to build a pipeline for employing some of the
brightest young engineering and IT talent available
in the U.S. – but it will give us a unique opportunity to
learn best practices from other leading companies in
an environment that fosters networking and sharing.
While a STEM-educated employee base will help
ensure a strong workforce in the long-run, Ameren
also places a high value on employees with a diverse
range of experience and perspectives. Diversity is
the foundation for creativity and innovation, and is
critically important as we build a successful roadmap
for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
To advance diversity in our workforce, we sponsor six
employee resource groups. These groups of Ameren
employees reflect the diverse population we serve
and employ, and provide invaluable insight when
challenges or opportunities arise.
We are constantly striving to make our business better,
and our efforts have not gone unnoticed. Ameren has
been named a top workplace by Forbes, DiversityInc
and GI Jobs Magazine.
At Ameren, we are committed to the future – to
creating innovative programs that help develop
young minds, to supporting innovative ways to
improve educational opportunities throughout the
region, and to developing innovative solutions that
power the quality of life for our customers – all of which
will lead to a stronger, more diverse company for us,
a solid base of future leaders for the communities in
which we live, and a brighter tomorrow for all.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 40 Ameren Corporation
As one of the nation’s largest and oldest energy
providers, Ameren has a tremendous responsibility
to our customers and the communities we serve in
Missouri and Illinois. To maintain our position in a world
of rapidly evolving technology, we are constantly
evaluating innovative solutions that will best meet the
energy needs of our customers today and in the future.
Nicholas K.
Akins
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
American Electric Power
At American Electric Power (AEP), more than 17,500 people
work night and day to deliver energy to nearly 5.4 million customers from Lake Michigan to the Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Based in Columbus, Ohio, AEP is one of the largest electric
utilities in the United States and ranks among the nation's largest generators of electricity, owning nearly 32,000 megawatts
of generating capacity. AEP also owns the nation's largest
electricity transmission system, an approximately 40,000-mile
network that includes more 765 kilovolt extra-high voltage
transmission lines than all other U.S. transmission systems combined. Our people are engineers, customer service representatives, information technologists, line mechanics, chemists,
biologists, economists, meter readers, marketers, lawyers,
power plant operators, accountants, statisticians, and even
meteorologists. These people are the heart and soul of AEP.
They drive new ideas and discover better ways to serve customers and communities.
Nick Akins rose through the ranks at both
American Electric Power and the former
Central and South West Corporation. (CSW),
which merged with AEP in 2000. Akins began
his career in 1982 as an electrical engineer
in system operations, with succeeding
assignments in planning, fuels acquisition,
mergers and acquisitions,industry restructuring
and transmission business development
before assuming the role of president and
chief operating officer for Southwestern
Electric Power Company, serving nearly
439,000 customers in Louisiana, Arkansas and
northeast Texas.
In 2006, Akins was named executive vice
president-Generation, with responsibility for all
generation-related operations, maintenance,
construction and technology development.
Akins became president of AEP in 2011.
A native of Louisiana, Akins received his
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical
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in Ruston. He completed additional training
in executive management programs at
Louisiana State University, the University of
Idaho and the Reactor Technology Course
for Utility Executives at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. He is a registered
professional engineer in Texas.
Akins currently serves as Chairman of the
Board of Directors of the Edison Electric
Institute and is former chairman of the Electric
Power Research Institute. He is a member
of the Executive Committee of the Business
Roundtable (BRT) and was appointed
chair of the BRT’s Energy and Environment
Committee. Additionally, he is a member of
the boards of the Nuclear Energy Institute,
Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership,
Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited, Fifth Third
Bancorp, OhioHealth, and the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame and Museum.
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As I’ve looked around the electric utility industry and
discussed with educators and community leaders,
there is a common choir of concern for the lack of
high school and college graduates prepared to
address business challenges over the next 10, 20 or
even 30 years. Far too many students lack analytical
and critical thinking skills to help businesses solve
complicated issues to meet a competitive future.
Although I grew up in a lower middle-income home,
my parents understood that higher education
could change my life and instilled in me the value
of education. And it was an electronics teacher who
introduced me to a lifetime career in the energy
field. We have an obligation not only to encourage
young people, but also to present opportunities that
can change their lives and ultimately serve industry
with a strong, diverse workforce to meet this century’s
business complexities.
Simple science exploration
In the early 2000s, childhood brain development
research showed that educating children earlier
sparked their natural curiosity for scientific inquiry.
As a result, AEP created the Bright Start Right Start
program to introduce teachers to simple physical
science exploration through a teach-the-teacher
model. Bright Start equips educators to return to the
classroom with knowledge and a toolkit to share
simple experiments and science concepts with preKindergarten learners. Through AEP and the AEP
Foundation, nearly $1.2 million has been invested to
train teachers and reach students who will join the
workforce in the years ahead.
Investing in vision
AEP has invited pre-Kindergarten through high school
teachers to apply for mini grants up to $500 to fund
small, visionary classroom projects. These competitive
grants are invaluable in allowing teachers to
support a creative idea in the classroom. For more
than a decade, AEP’s Teacher Vision Grants have
supported 1,800 projects totaling nearly $850,000 to
develop ideas that enhance children’s educational
achievement.
Experimenting with robots
Through robotic competitions, AEP has spurred
students to creatively analyze information, situations
and technological challenges around AEP’s service
area for the past twenty years. More than 770 grants
have been awarded totaling nearly $2.6 million to
support FIRST (For Inspiration & Recognition of Science
& Technology) through the FIRST Robotics Challenge,
FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST LEGO League and Junior
FIRST LEGO League.
In my current role as chairman of the Edison Electric
Institute, AEP is doing even more to support FIRST
through Get Into Energy, Get Into STEM. This initiative
will help nearly 1,200 FIRST Tech Challenge teams
afford technology transfer fees to pursue a new
platform for the FIRST Tech Robotics Challenge.
Embracing STEM
Many economically-disadvantaged students are
unaware of STEM careers, or courses are unavailable
to them, or they believe that they are unable to
excel in science and math. The key to unlocking
student success in STEM is early exposure, guidance
and support whether it’s at home, in school or from
the community. Companies also are working to
shape students for the workforce. In 2013, the AEP
Foundation created Credits Count SM. The program
encourages middle school students to explore STEMrelated fields through hands-on experiences, and
offers high school students an opportunity to enroll
in dual-credit programs at community colleges while
still in high school.
Credits Count assesses college readiness; offers ongoing
tutoring; covers tuition, labs, and materials for dual
enrollment classes; sponsors a summer bridge program;
presents degree and non-degree educational tracks,
and awards scholarships to students who pursue an
associate’s degree following high school graduation.
Equally important, Credits Count makes college
education possible for economically-disadvantaged
families who cannot afford the costs of a two-year or
four-year college education.
The five-year grants are made to community colleges
in partnership with public school districts. Through
the program, students are able to earn at least 12
college credit hours toward a career certification or
a two-year associate’s degree in a STEM-related field.
The AEP Foundation has provided more than $11
million in Credits Count grants to five community
colleges: Columbus State Community College in
Ohio; Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier
City, Louisiana, near Shreveport; Tulsa Community
College in Oklahoma; Ashland Community College in
Kentucky; and Ivy Tech Community College in Marion,
Indiana. We expect to expand the program within
each of our operating company areas. Companies
can no longer hope that workers arrive ready to
meet industry’s needs. Business plays a pivotal role
in inspiring the next generation. We must reach into
our communities to nurture young lives and help
develop technical knowledge and skills to overcome
economic obstacles. If we invest in helping young
people to achieve, industries and communities are
sure to share the dividends of success.
These young people will be the new force of
engineers, information technologists, software
developers, business analysts and scientists who will
be the backbone of business in the decades ahead.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 42 American Electric Power
Chances are that most of us have heard alarming
statistics about the future direction of our youth in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). As of
2014,the U.S.Department of Education reported that only
16 percent of students who are proficient in mathematics
wanted to earn a degree in STEM. This statistic is deeply
troubling for American Electric Power. We depend on
thousands of talented employees steeped in STEMrelated and other fields to ensure a reliable product
for customers. More broadly, this statistic is troubling
for any U.S. company that looks to today’s high
school or college graduates to fill tens of thousands
of jobs that steadily are becoming available as Baby
Boomers dial down careers or retire altogether.
Margery Kraus
Founder and Executive Chairman
APCO Worldwide
APCO Worldwide is one of the largest privately owned communication, stakeholder engagement and business strategy
firms in the world and has the distinction of being both majority employee-owned and certified by the Women’s Business
Enterprise National Council, in partnership with the Women
Presidents’ Educational Organization, as a women-owned
business. We believe this designation also creates a special
obligation to serve the interests of our employee owners and
the communities in which they live and work. Founded in 1984,
APCO is the only major consultancy of its kind headquartered
in Washington, D.C. We have offices in 33 major business, government and media capitals around the world. Our 600+ permanent employees comprise more than 40 nationalities and
come from diverse backgrounds, including former elected
leaders; ambassadors; journalists; business and nonprofit executives; government officials; market researchers; and communication, corporate affairs and online experts.
Margery Kraus, executive chairman, founded
APCO in 1984 and transformed it from a
company with one small Washington office to
a multinational consulting firm in major cities
throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle
East, Africa and Asia. In September 2004, Ms.
Kraus led a management buy-out of her firm,
making APCO one of the largest privately
owned communication and public affairs
firms in the world. Throughout the years, her
approach has been to fuse the best local
experience with a global perspective, resulting
in an international agency with a unique
culture based on seamless teamwork. Ms.
Kraus’ achievements have been recognized
over the years through a number of prestigious
awards,including the PR News’PR People Hall of
Fame (2015); C200 Foundation Entrepreneurial
Champion Award (2015); PRWeek Hall of Fame
(2014); U.S. Association of Former Members of
Congress Corporate Statesmanship Award
(2013); Volunteers of America (Greater New
York) Spirit of the Founders (2012); the Plank
Center for Leadership in Public Relations’
Agency Mentorship (2012); Global Thinkers
Forum Excellence in Leadership (2012); Arthur
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S T E M W. Page Society’s Hall of Fame (2011); Institute
for Public Relations’ Alexander Hamilton
Medal for lifetime contributions to professional
public relations (2010); Washington Business
Hall of Fame (2009); Enterprising Women Hall
of Fame (2009); Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of
The Year in the services category in Greater
Washington (2006); Washington PR Woman
of the Year (2006); and PR News Lifetime
Achievement (2005). Ms. Kraus specializes in
providing strategic counsel on issue-based
communication, crisis management, market
entry and corporate reputation across diverse
industry groups. The range of her experience
is reflected in APCO’s industry practice
groups. In addition, she pioneered one of
the industry’s earliest practices in corporate
responsibility and the development of public/
private partnerships. Ms. Kraus is active on
other institutional and corporate boards and
committees.She is chairman of the board of the
Women Presidents’ Organization and a trustee
of Northwestern Mutual Life, the Arthur W. Page
ociety, the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation
and the Institute for Public Relations.
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A report issued by the World Economic Forum at its
annual meeting in Davos this year predicted that
65 percent of children currently in primary school
will hold jobs that don’t exist today, so in five years
over half of the of the most needed skills required to
compete in the job market still reside in our collective
imagination.
In terms of raw data, according to the National
Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), by the year 2018,
92 percent of traditional STEM jobs will be for those
with at least some post-secondary education and
training. They estimate that the United States may be
short by as many as three million high-skilled workers.
These figures illustrate the enormous opportunity that
exists, and the urgent need to turn the best of our
ideas and shared knowledge into action. We need
to ensure that our commitment to bridging this talent
gap is real, and we must continue to make STEM
education an action item in our collective business
plans. As the launch pad to a three-year strategic
roadmap envisioned by STEMconnector and
agreed to by our partners, we must drive sustainable
impact and deliver tangible solutions that raise STEM
awareness and lessen the STEM talent gap.
One recent example of APCO’s involvement
with STEM is its recent work for NMSI, a nonprofit
organization committed to helping address the STEM
crisis in the United States. Amid a crowded field of
corporate initiatives and similarly focused nonprofit
organizations, APCO is helping NSMI distinguish itself
as a national leader in STEM education.
APCO worked with NMSI to develop a compelling
narrative that captured the impact of its teacher
training and college prep programs on student
populations. This exercise involved the development
of key STEM messages and timely news hooks
linking NMSI programs to broader national priorities
including education policy, economic development
and workforce readiness.
By developing unique story angles that positioned
NMSI at the center of national debate on diverse
issues, APCO helped garner greater media
coverage of NMSI’s programs on the national,
state and local levels, improving the organization’s
profile with government officials and prospective
regional funders. APCO also helped leverage NMSI’s
connections to the U.S. Department of Education and
the White House Office of Science and Technology
Policy to draw interest from national media outlets
such as Scientific American, The Wall Street Journal
and USA Today among others. Leveraging NMSI’s
presence on social media also helped create a strong
following of nearly 8,500 education stakeholders on
Twitter including reporters, teachers enrolled in NMSI
programs and government officials.
Efforts to position the NMSI CEO as a leader in STEM
education led to her participation in high-profile
keynote panels as well as a profile in Education Week
and one-on-one interviews with Politico, The Chicago
Tribune and The New York Times.
Additionally, the gender gap in STEM fields has
garnered significant attention, prompting the private
sector, governments and NGOs to engage more
women and girls in these areas where they have
been chronically underrepresented. Using the US
Census Bureau’s statistic that only 24 percent of STEMrelated jobs are held by women, top tier outlets like
The New York Times and The Washington Post have
brought attention to this issue.
Another example of APCO’s work was to address the
gender gap in STEM through its work for BlackBerry.
A major initiative that APCO introduced was the
BlackBerry Scholars Program; a four-year, full-ride
scholarship program for women studying STEM
fields. APCO helped shape the Scholars Program,
developing the structure and messaging and
working to identify ways to leverage the program
internally and externally. APCO conducted media
outreach announcing the program as well as the
winners, garnering more than 190 articles and, most
importantly, providing increased access for women
interested in STEM education.
Speaking in March 2015, U.S. President Barack Obama
remarked that, “Science is more than a school
subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of
waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to
understand and explore and engage with the world,
and then have the capacity to change that world.”
Increasingly our world will only survive if we have
a shared purpose with society, and we must
always remember that there will be no successful
organization in a failed world. In this spirit, let us all
endeavor to help build our capacity to change the
world for the better.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 44 APCO Worldwide
APCO’s commitment to education in science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM) is very
personal to our founder and executive chairman,
Margery Kraus. Margery began her career as a
12th grade civics teacher, so the vital importance
of quality education and access to education is
truly woven into the fabric of APCO. Finding ways to
support and promote STEM education is a priority for
APCO and our clients. In this relentlessly changing
world, if we are not working to eliminate boundaries,
we will be left behind.
Gary Mignogna
AREVA Inc.
AREVA Inc. combines U.S. and Canadian leaderships to supply
high addedvalue products and services to support the operation of the commercial nuclear fleet. Globally, AREVA
is present throughout the entire nuclear cycle, from uranium
mining to used fuel recycling, including nuclear reactor primary circuit design and fabrication, and operating fleet engineering and services. AREVA is recognized by utilities around
the world for its expertise, its skills in cuttingedge technologies, and its dedication to the highest level of safety. AREVA’s
4,100 North America employees are helping build tomorrow’s
energy model: supplying ever safer, cleaner and more economical energy to the greatest number of people.
Gary Mignogna is the President and Chief
Executive Officer of AREVA Inc., the U.S.based subsidiary of global energy company
AREVA Group. Mignogna’s career with AREVA
began as a student working through his
university’s co-op program. During his years at
the company, he built technical experience
in engineering design and analyses,
services tooling and equipment design, and
component and welding engineering. To
this foundation, Mignogna added project
engineering, product line management, and
business development. As he demonstrated
and honed his leadership skills, Mignogna
advanced to executive positions of
greater responsibility and was selected to
lead AREVA Inc. in June 2014. Mignogna
demonstrated his strong commitment to
Operational Excellence through initiatives
launched under his leadership, including the
U.S. implementation of AREVA’s certification
program for Engineering Qualification –
modeled after the Institute of Nuclear Power
Operations (INPO) program. As the first to
implement this program, he drove a shared
delivery and performance for AREVA’s
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sponsor of the AREVA Voyager program
to develop up-and-coming leaders in
engineering. Mignogna has been a member
of the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) Nuclear
Strategic Issues Advisory Committee since
2007, and is also a member of NEI’s Board
of Directors, Executive Committee, and
Nominating Committee. He is currently the
Chairman of INPO’s Supplier Participant
Advisory Committee. Mignogna has also held
numerous positions on non-profit boards and
the University of North Carolina Charlotte’s
Lee College of Engineering Leadership
Academy Advisory Board. He strongly
supports community education outreach
initiatives in science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) near AREVA’s U.S. locations,
including sponsorship of STEM academies
and engineering summer camps for high
school girls. Mignogna earned bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering
from Drexel University, and received a Master
of Business Administration from Lynchburg
College.
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If we want to continue to grow our Gross Domestic
Product (GDP), it has to be done through innovation.
Most innovations come from our STEM workforce.
Many of the innovations we strive for are productivity
improvements, which include advancements in
technologies, systems and processes.
Our future and current workforce must have high
quality technical skills for us to compete globally. The
United States is losing its global technical edge, and
we have to regain it. At AREVA, we start by fostering a
culture of Operational Excellence. Certain industries
are very unforgiving when it comes to making errors
– the medical, aerospace and nuclear industries in
particular demand exceptional levels of safety,quality,
performance and project delivery. It’s especially
critical to high-tech industries, like the energy industry,
that we hire the best and brightest candidates that
can achieve this culture of excellence. And it doesn’t
stop once we hire the best STEM candidates.
At AREVA, Operational Excellence also means
continuous improvement. To that end, we continue
to improve competence through our engineering
qualification program and pay for employees to
pursue advanced degrees so they remain globally
competitive. The more educated our workforce is,
the more innovative we will be.
Beyond standards, what are the first steps that we should
take to curb the STEM education crisis?
I think, first, we need to put even more focus on early
childhood development. We have to get students
interested in STEM subjects in elementary school because by the time they are in high school, it’s too late.
Students who want a STEM career need to be in
advanced placement or dual enrollment programs
during high school. And the foundation for the high
school STEM programs must be laid in middle school, so
students have the math and science basics mastered
to qualify for the advanced programs. A high school
graduate without these advanced programs often
needs remedial classes to be eligible for entry into
STEM programs in college. Remedial classes add time
and additional tuition expenses, so many students
stop pursuing STEM in higher education at this point.
How do we encourage students to continue their study
of STEM subjects, particularly women and underrepresented minorities?
Students must have a strong support network to
navigate the college application and financial aid
processes. Students from underprivileged families
can get help applying for college and financial
assistance through regional programs, some of which
we are also a proud supporter.
and parents can achieve this by providing STEM
educational toys to both their daughters and sons.
The key to smart STEM investments is to pick a few
programs that are sustainable and focus efforts locally
to develop an unrestricted pipeline for candidates’
early career success.
We partnered with Central Virginia Community
College to offer the CVCC Technical Program, a twoyear technical education in Nuclear Technologies,
including machining and welding degrees. Students
completing the program and hired into these
technical positions have enjoyed great success in
their careers at AREVA. These STEM trade positions are
critical to our workforce in the energy industry. Not
everyone has to have a four-year degree to have a
well-paid career.
How can we leverage mentorships and apprenticeships
to build and strengthen the STEM pipeline?
We need to partner with educators on initiatives and
programs that facilitate mentorship relationships and
create opportunities for apprenticing. For example,
the CVCC Technical Program and a program called
“Produced in Virginia” are both apprenticeship
programs supported by AREVA. The “Produced in
Virginia” program is a partnership between CVCC
and the University of Virginia (UVA) that enables
students to earn an associate degree at CVCC in
Engineering and then transfer to earn a bachelor’s
degree in Mechanical Engineering at UVA. AREVA
pays 100 percent of the tuition for these students,
provides internships while they take classes, and hires
qualified students when they graduate.
We also hire technical interns and co-operative
education students for three- to six-month rotations.
If these students become AREVA employees, they
already understand our values and culture and know
the importance of delivering on our commitment to
operational excellence. In all of these initiatives, we
ensure there is a great deal of intentional interaction
between experienced employees and those
employees new to the industry.
Another example is in North Carolina, where we
partnered with other industry leaders and the
University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC) to
develop the Energy Production and Infrastructure
Center (EPIC) to promote studies in the energy
industry. We hire many UNCC interns and graduates.
Being engaged with the local educators, colleges,
and universities is the key.■
Additionally, gender expectations start early with
the purchase of toys that are gender-specific. Boys
and girls need to be introduced to STEM early on,
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 46 AREVA Inc.
Betty Manetta
Argent Associates Inc. / Asociar
Argent Associates, Inc. is an award-winning national techcentric systems integrator and technology innovator. It develops and delivers an ecosystem of solutions across a number
of technologies and at various stages of the lifecycle. This includes new product development, distribution of multi-vendor
solutions, engineering, installing and optimizing technology
systems and supplying environmentally responsible end-oflifecycle solutions. With over 18 years of service to Fortune 100
companies, Argent continues on the leading edge of solutions for distribution services, manufacturing, products, Internet of Things (IoT), wireless provisioning, distributed antenna
systems and more.
Founded in 2012, Asociar is an international technology system integration company that provides complete end-toend supply chain optimization services and solutions which
includes total equipment acquisition, rack & cabinet integration, data center efficiency and network modernization for
telecom, utilities, and government and enterprise customers.
Beatriz (Betty) Manetta is CEO of Argent
Associates Inc., a tech-centric systems
integration firm with offices in Edison NJ
and Plano TX, and Asociar, a global firm
delivering complete end-to-end supply
chain optimization services and solutions.
Ms. Manetta emigrated from Argentina as
a young girl and grew up in Elizabeth NJ.
Her parents instilled in her a desire to learn
and work ethic to succeed. She holds a
Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting
and Marketing from Rutgers University and
a Masters of International Studies from Seton
Hall University. She was the recipient of the
Beta Gamma Sigma Award from Seton Hall
for her significant contributions to the strength
and vitality of the economy combined with
her business service achievement to humanity.
Ms.Manetta spent 20 years in Corporate America,
primarily in the telecommunications industry,
before leaving to launch Argent Associates
Inc. in 1998. During her corporate career, she
held national and international assignments in
technical support, sales, human resources and
quality management and control.
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S T E M She believes true business success is
interdependent upon the success of the
community. She takes her commitment to
continuous learning and social responsibility
seriously. Ms. Manetta is a champion of
ethnic minority, women and small businesses.
She served on President George W. Bush’s
President’s Export Council, where she advised
on international trade matters and its impact
on small, women and minority businesses.
“Education and economic prosperity go
hand-in-hand as part of the American
Dream,” says Ms. Manetta. “STEM education
and innovation are the cornerstones for
building a stronger, more diverse economic
base in our country.
Ms. Manetta serves on several boards including
Tech Titans, TIA, Seton Hall University Board of
Regents, QuEST Forum and the U.S. Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce. She has received
numerous awards locally and nationally for her
leadership and commitment to excellence.
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and the why of things. For example, interstellar travel
will require innovation on energy production that
increases flight speeds exponentially. Innovation is
allowing our innovators to fail. Thomas Edison once
said, “I have not failed 10,000 times—I’ve successfully
found 10,000 ways that will not work.” With today’s
“right now” focus, research and development teams
need willing financing and support behind ideas
that may not even work. However, these ideas may
provide the groundwork for concept that do work.
Young people must be given the latitude to innovate
with limited consequences.
ENGAGING A DIVERSE STEM POOL. Young people
respond to what they see. If you have never seen
an engineer and what they do, it’s hard to imagine
being one. Further, if you have never seen a scientist,
mathematician or computer scientist that looks like
you, it is hard to imagine you can attain those heights.
We believe that educational programs, mentorships,
internships and seminars must be inclusive of
minority and women leaders, business owners and
representatives. While some young people will excel
no matter the odds against them, we must engage
successful women and people of color into the
programs that do exist. We must create programs
that target inner city schools to help young people
dream BIG.
PROVIDING REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE. The business
world is the most equipped to provide real world
experience in the STEM fields. Internships must be
more than making copies or running errands. We must
allow interns to handle a project and understand the
ups and downs of managing innovation. Real world
experience also enhances our overall workforce.
Everyone wants experienced labor, but we must all
be willing to introduce, train and utilize the neophytes
of today in order to create the giants of tomorrow.
MEET STUDENTS AT THEIR VIEWPOINT. Finding new
avenues to reach young people at their level can
be helpful. Young people love video games, fashion,
music, mobile apps, social media, etc. Our programs
must seek to connect to areas of interest with STEM.
We recently participated in a presentation to young
high school women who participated in a STEM
curriculum. We brought along one of our robots which
rolled around the room talking to the young ladies.
Not only did the young ladies get engaged with the
robot, they became very interested in how it worked.
The robot might have been more of a hit at the session
than the actual panelist of women-business owners,
who conveyed how STEM impacted their businesses.
Everything we touch today has an element of STEM
in it – genetically engineered food products, fashion
purchase tracking (InternetofThings), mobile apps,
game development, phones, computers, healthcare,
etc. How we introduce the possibilities to young people
is central to their developing an interest in what STEM
can do and does do now and into the future.
At Argent Associates and Asociar, we acknowledge
that technology is a crucial component of what we do
and who we are. We encourage diverse participation
in the field of technology. For us, it is a competitive
advantage that keeps us on the leading edge. We
develop, innovate, evaluate and continually utilize
new technologies to help our companies and our
clients operate more efficiently, more cost effectively
and more environmentally responsibly. Continuous
research and learning have enabled us to stay
ahead of our competition. We have grown one of the
largest women-owned technology companies in the
country. We hire diverse employees because we are
diverse. We hire women because we are a womanowned company. We believe in our company’s
demographics reflecting the communities in which
we live and work. Sometimes that means we hire and
train people, too.
STEM is crucial to who we are. We believe it’s crucial to
our nation, our world economy and what we want to
be. As Peter Drucker, organization management guru
says, “the best way to predict the future is to create
it.” We want to create a future filled with STEM-centric
individuals converting innovative ideas into worldchanging products and services. Together we can!■
ENCOURAGING INNOVATION. Innovation is more
than coming up with a new idea. Innovation is a
process of thinking differently than the norm. It’s
asking yourself WHY? It’s trying to find out the how
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 48 Argent Associates Inc. / Asociar
The future of our economic success and the
continuance of innovative concepts requires
a concentration by business, academia and
government working together to instill targeted
attention to creating a more STEM-directed workforce.
This cannot happen effectively without a collaborative
effort between various groups to move in a common
direction.There are a number of successful programs at
all levels around the country initiating STEM education,
internships, competition and hiring. We suggest that
the following be included in these efforts to obtain the
highest rewards for the efforts.
Randall L.
Stephenson
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
AT&T Inc.
AT&T Inc. helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, mobile, high-speed Internet and voice services. We’re the world’s largest provider of pay TV. We have
TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We
offer the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider. In
addition, we help businesses worldwide serve their customers
better with our mobility and highly secure cloud solutions.
Randall L. Stephenson Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer Randall Stephenson
became chairman and chief executive
officer of AT&T Inc in 2007. The company
is a global leader in providing integrated
communications services to businesses and
consumers, from video entertainment, highspeed Internet and mobility, to IP network
services and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Today, AT&T offers video entertainment to
more than 26 million customers in the United
States and more than 19 million customers
in Latin America, including Mexico and the
Caribbean. It also provides 4G LTE mobile
connectivity to 355 million people, high-speed
fiber connections to more than 1 million U.S.
business locations, global IP network services
that connect 3.5 million businesses on six
continents representing 99 percent of the
world’s economy, and high-speed Internet
connections to 57 million U.S. customer
locations. More than 26 million IoT devices
and sensors are connected to its network.
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S T E M AT&Tisoneoftheworld’slargestcommunications
companies, with more than $147 billion in
2015 revenues and 32 consecutive years of
dividend growth. The company launched
AT&T Aspire in 2008, a philanthropic program
to improve college and career readiness for
students at risk of dropping out of high school.
With a financial commitment of more than
$350 million, AT&T Aspire marks the largest
education initiative in the company’s history.
Randall also has led AT&T’s breakthrough "It
Can Wait" campaign – an education and
awareness program encouraging drivers to
keep their eyes on the road, not on their phone.
Randall began his career with Southwestern
Bell Telephone in 1982 in Oklahoma. He served
as the company’s senior executive vice
president and chief financial officer from 2001
to 2004, and from 2004 to 2007 he served as
the company’s chief operating officer. He was
appointed to AT&T’s board of directors in 2005.
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Unfortunately, America’s educational system is not
producing enough graduates with the technical skills
needed for an increasingly complex, software-based
business environment.
Overcoming this mismatch is hard enough for a
company with a few hundred employees. Imagine
one with 281,000 employees like AT&T.
We’ve embraced this challenge head-on. Our
workforce transformation initiative is built on three
pillars. It starts with an end-to-end skills assessment for
our employees. This helps them identify strengths and
areas for development. Next, is an honest look at the
kinds of jobs we’ll need in the future, so employees
can see how their new skills will fit into their career
paths. Finally, we offer an array of online classes to
help them develop those skills – ranging from online
classes (that we’ve developed with Udacity called
nanodegrees) in data analytics and Web designing
to Champlain College certification in cyber tech to a
Georgia Tech Master’s Degree in computer science.
We understand that employees have to balance
their regular jobs with their online coursework, so we
designed the program to be fast, flexible, and mobile.
And, to make it affordable we increased our tuition
aid program so employees can improve their skills at
little or no cost to themselves.
This kind of massive reskilling effort takes a real
commitment from employees and management to
make it work. And so far, results indicate that we’re on
the right track. Close to half of our employees have
completed a total of 1.7 million online courses. Clearly,
our employees understand why this important and
are willing to put in the time and effort to get ready
for their future with AT&T.
But this is one just part of our strategy to make sure
we have the talent we need. We’re also ramping up
our talent acquisition efforts, with an emphasis on
seeking out diverse candidates. Every year, we recruit
on-site at historically black colleges and universities,
searching for students with strong STEM skills.
In 2007, we launched AT&T Aspire, which focuses on
high school success and career readiness. To date,
we have invested more than $250 million of our
$350 million commitment to improve educational
outcomes. And through the Aspire Mentoring
Academy, AT&T employees have spent 1 million hours
over the past 4 years mentoring more than 160,000
students in 336 U.S. cities. This helps them connect the
dots between what they learn in school and the skills
they will need in their careers.
We’re also leveraging the energy and passion of the
120,000 members of our employee resource groups
(ERGs). Our top ERG awards over the past few years
have highlighted STEM-related efforts, including a
nationwide rollout of Girls in Future Technologies days
and a contest for middle- and high-school students
to develop mobile apps.
Together with our partners, we’re making serious
headway, providing people with the skills they need.
In doing so, we are:
Removing barriers to academic success and career
growth and helping all students, regardless of age,
gender, income or ZIP code, make their biggest
dreams a reality.
Sparking innovation and empowering students,
educators and caregivers to use new technologies
for personal, career and community growth.
Connecting with communities to make sure the
products and services we create work for them.
Building a creative and adaptable workforce that is
prepared for the changing needs of employers and
customers.
Technology is transforming every industry, and
businesses that fail to invest the time and resources
to train, attract and retain the best talent will be
left behind. By helping our employees learn new
skills, searching for the best diverse STEM talent and
investing in our nation’s education system, AT&T is
working toward a better future for our customers,
shareowners, partners and employees.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 50 AT&T Inc.
The formula for innovation and growth in today’s
digital economy begins and ends with a workforce
that has the right skills.
Jeffrey
Wadsworth
Battelle
Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers
and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts
research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle
is the world’s largest nonprofit research and development organization, with over 22,000 employees at more than 60 locations
globally. A 501(c)(3) charitable trust, Battelle was founded on
industrialist Gordon Battelle’s vision that business and scientific
interests can go hand-in-hand as forces for positive change.
Today, Battelle manages the world’s leading national laboratories and maintains a robust and diverse contract research
portfolio. Battelle’s mission includes a strong charitable commitment to community development and education. That’s
why we support staff volunteer efforts; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education programs; and
philanthropic projects in the communities we serve.
Jeffrey Wadsworth has been President and
CEO of Battelle since January 2009. He
has worked at Stanford University, Lockheed
Missiles and Space Company and Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory.
In 2002, he joined Battelle and served as a
member of the White House Transition Planning
Office for the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security. He also has served as director of Oak
Ridge National Laboratory, the Department
of Energy’s largest multipurpose science
laboratory.
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S T E M Wadsworth studied metallurgy at Sheffield
University in England, where he earned a
bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. He was
also awarded a Doctor of Metallurgy
and the highest recognition conferred
by the university, an honorary Doctor of
Engineering degree. In 2012, Wadsworth,
a member of the National Academy of
Engineering, was elected to its Chinese
Academy of Engineering.
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Any support that Battelle offers is meant to provide
opportunity for students of every background. The
STEM schools we support are inclusive, no test scores
are needed for admission. Most of them use a
mastery system, where students must show complete
command of a subject before moving to the next
level. We believe this is a key way of helping students
persist. Show them, with their own work, that they
can perform and excel in STEM. We also encourage
schools and our own employees to serve as role
models to students. This paired approach, better
teaching and community involvement, is our strategy.
How has your company coordinated investments in education with future workforce needs?
As a research & development company, we have
a keen interest in preparing the next generation
workforce. STEM doesn’t mean preparing students
to work only in a laboratory or technical role. Every
success we have at Battelle takes a team of scientists
lawyers, administrators and marketers. For us, STEM
must be about preparing all students. That means
college and career, but not a specific list of fields.
What is the key to smart STEM investments?
I don’t think there is any one silver bullet, but we have
found at Battelle that a focus on scale is incredibly
important. We know there are hundreds and even
thousands of high-quality STEM programs and projects
occurring across the country. If they reach only a
handful of students, they won’t have the broadbased impact we need to create lasting change.
We work to identify scalable STEM opportunities,
initiatives that are already working across regions
or states, and we invest in them. My advice is to be
deliberate and thoughtful at the outset. It may take
more time initially but the result will be well-worth it.
If I had to pick just one thing it would have to be
the place where Battelle’s STEM education work
began, Metro Early College High School. Metro calls
itself a small school with a big footprint and it has
more than lived up to its billing. It's an Ohio public
STEM school where students of every background
receive an education that allows them to excel.
Metro has a 100% graduation rate and 100%
college admission. Every year the school hosts
hundreds of visitors looking to replicate or learn
from the Metro model – that is truly a mark of just
how well Metro executes its wonderful mission.
Moreover, the school is growing. Just last year we
expanded the school by opening the Metro Institute
of Technology under a new partnership with Franklin
University and EDUCAUSE. This new school provides a
second high school in the Metro network, reaching
even more students.
to tackle our most pressing education challenges in
STEM?
Our greatest successes in STEM are the result of
public-private partnerships. Metro Early College High
School began as a partnership between Battelle,
The Ohio State University, and local school districts.
Thanks to this model, Metro has continued to grow.
That partnership, Metro's board, and the leadership
of Meka Pace, set the stage for Metro Institute of
Technology. But opening the new school meant
seeking new partners. So we grew the fold to include
Franklin University and EDUCAUSE.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 52 Battelle
How do we encourage students, particularly women and
underrepresented minorities, to continue their study of
STEM subjects?
Philip Blake
Senior Representative, U.S.
Bayer
As a science and innovation company, Bayer has a strong
stake in helping to improve education and to ensure that all
individuals are scientifically literate.
Bayer demonstrates this commitment through Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS), its Presidential award-winning,
company-wide initiative that advances science literacy
across the United States through hands-on, inquiry-based science learning, employee volunteerism and public education.
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in
the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its
products and services are designed to benefit people and
improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims
to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable
development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a
corporate citizen. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.
Philip Blake was appointed Senior Bayer
Representative, U.S. in July 2012. He is
responsible for all U.S. activities of the
worldwide Bayer Group.
In addition, Mr. Blake serves as Regional Head
of Bayer Pharmaceuticals for the Americas, a
role he assumed in October 2015. In this role, he
leads the pharmaceuticals division of Bayer for
Canada, the United States and Latin America.
Since 2012, Mr. Blake has been a strong
advocate for Bayer’s U.S. science literacy
program, Making Science Make Sense®.
Making Science Make Sense is a presidentialaward winning, company-wide initiative that
advances science literacy through hands-on,
inquiry-based science learning.Not only has Mr.
Blake been a staunch supporter of employee
involvement in MSMS, he has advocated
for increased STEM-education awareness
on a national level. Mr. Blake has engaged
with U.S. Senators and Congressmen, the U.S.
Department of Education and other state
and local political leaders on the importance
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S T E M of science literacy to our schools and to our
future workforce. In October of 2015,
Mr. Blake was invited to the White House
to meet with President Barack Obama as
part of a discussion on the role of science
literacy in America’s schools.
Previously, Mr. Blake served as President
& CEO, Bayer Inc. and Head of Bayer
HealthCare in Canada. In his 30 plus year
career with Bayer,Mr.Blake has held leadership
positions around the world focusing on
global strategic product marketing, business
development, clinical planning, product
development and sales management.
Philip Blake obtained his degree at Bristol
University and undertook further executive
training at The Open University, INSEAD
(Institut européen d'administration des
affaires) and Wharton Business School. He
is a Chartered Corporate Director – earning
this designation in 2006 from the Directors
College at the DeGroote School of Business,
McMaster University.
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This realization that a group of 1-year-olds weren’t
captivated by long-term career insights and national
education policies isn’t exactly breaking news. The
teenage version of me was more concerned about
what time soccer practice started than how many
engineers our workforce would need 10 years from now.
Workforce? You mean, like a job? Jobs are for
adults. And 10 years? Well, that might as well be a
lifetime. Such abstract or theoretical concepts just
simply didn’t register on my radar. To me, abstract
concepts sounded like something out of a textbook,
and textbooks were boring. This doesn’t mean I
was completely science-averse growing up. Like
these 50 New Jersey students, I too was fascinated
by stories of space exploration and (though I did not
know it at the time) other STEM-related activities.
As a boy, one of my best scholastic memories
was peering through a microscope at the cellular
workings and functionality of a common snowberry.
Slicing open the berry, identifying which cells did
which actions—I wasn’t reading about science, I
was doing science.
For those of us invested in promoting STEM-education,
we must meet students at their level in ways that will
resonate with them. Individuals who will be society’s
scientists, engineers and mathematicians twenty
years from now most likely don’t even know
that yet. We have the opportunity to shape their
curiosity, to foster their interest in these fields now.
That means engaging with them hands-on. Students
won’t learn or be interested in science because it’s a
good career path or because some business leader
tells them to. They will learn about science by doing
it—and they’ll do science because it is fun!
Just to recap so far: Space exploration and dissecting
snowberries = fun. Abstract concepts and textbooks
= not fun.
At Bayer, we’ve spent the last twenty-one years
advancing this idea that a student’s true interest
in science can only be achieved through handson, inquiry-based learning. Through our Presidential
award-winning initiative, Making Science Make
Sense®, Bayer has helped hundreds of teachers
and tens of thousands of students develop science
literacy through experimentation and hands-on
learning. An integral part of the Making Science
Make Sense initiative has been Bayer’s work to
forge long-standing, deep-rooted partnerships and
spearhead important curriculum change. Together
with our partners, Bayer is working to implement
standards-based,
inquiry-centered
curricula
and provide teachers with ongoing professional
development in science content and pedagogy.
At the heart of Making Science Make Sense is the
commitment of Bayer volunteers. Our employees
provide hands-on science learning experiences
through STEM-focused activities, classroom visits,
teacher workshops and community events near Bayer
site locations nationwide. Bayer’s MSMS volunteers
let students experience the fun of science through
various experiments with vividly descriptive names
such as Balloon Skewers, Sticky Icky and AlkaRockets. It is only after the laughs and gasps subside,
and the experiment is complete that the instructors
delve into the “science” behind the activity. In this
way, we help demonstrate to students that science
is the reason behind the fun experiment. Once they
make this connection that science is the reason for
this fun activity, science suddenly becomes much
more interesting. Back to my story about the senator,
astronaut and 50 8th graders—it didn’t take long for
me to realize that my prepared speech about career
paths and education policies wasn’t going to gain
any traction with this audience, especially given my
on-stage competition. Fortunately, I had one last trick
up my sleeve. I signaled across the room to one of
my staffers who promptly tossed me a replica soccer
ball used during the most recent 2014 World Cup.
“Who here plays soccer,” I asked the students.
Soccer? I play soccer! Six or seven hands went
skyward. Finally I had their attention.
I tossed the ball to a boy in the front row who had
raised his hand.
“Did you know a Bayer scientist created the materials
in this ball” I asked.
It’s true—Bayer did make the materials in the World
Cup ball. In 2014 Bayer still had a division dedicated
to plastics and polymers. That division has since been
spun-off.
“How the ball moves when you kick it. How it rolls on
the turf. All of these factors are based in science,” I
continued. “And if you can start to understand the
science behind the ball, you can predict what the
ball will do. And if you can do that, you can really
improve as a player.”
I had made the connection. I had reached these
students on their level, in a way that they understood
and more importantly, in a way that they cared
about. Maybe they didn’t quite grasp the long-term
impact an interest in science would have on
their lives that day, and that’s ok, because some
day they would. What mattered that day was that
someone showed them science isn’t just some faroff abstract concept—science can be fun. And that
someone wasn’t even a senator or astronaut.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 54 Bayer
In my role as President of Bayer in the U.S., I’ve
become quite accustomed to public speaking in
many settings—it comes with the territory. However,
eighteen months ago, I stood on a stage between
a popular U.S. Senator and a NASA astronaut
attempting to speak to about 50 local New Jersey
students on the import role of STEM-education in our
schools, jobs and society. I say “attempting” because
it was clear that these 8 tales of space exploration
and political theatre from my fellow speakers than
they were in hearing from some corporate executive
with a funny British accent. Didn’t they understand
I was explaining how vital STEM-careers will be
to their generation? Didn’t they understand the
importance of corporations like Bayer investing in
STEM education nationwide? Didn’t they care? In
short—not really.
Bill Dudley
Chief Executive Officer Bechtel Group, Inc
Bechtel is among the most respected global engineering,
project management, and construction companies, and a
cornerstone of innovation in the industry. Together with our
customers, we deliver landmark projects—the modern marvels
of the world—that foster sustainable progress and grow
economies. Corporate Social Responsibility or Stewardship,
is Bechtel’s commitment to harness our human capital and
resources to promote science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) education and to help improve the quality of
life in communities where we live and work. Bechtel and its
employees play an important role in developing the next
generation of engineers, scientists and technologists in our
country, and we recognize that future leaders will need
strong math and science backgrounds to solve the complex
problems we face. Bechtel is a signature sponsor of five key
programs: DiscoverE; Engineers Without Borders; FIRST®; Junior
Achievement Worldwide®; and Ocean Exploration Trust. Since
2011, our STEM investments totaled nearly $10 million.
Bill Dudley is chief executive officer of Bechtel
Group, Inc., and has served as a member of
the company’s board of directors since 2000.
general manager for Southeast Asia, country
manager for Thailand, and general manager
of Bechtel’s pipeline business in Asia.
Since joining Bechtel in 1981, Mr. Dudley has
served in a variety of engineering, project
management, and executive management
positions globally. He became president of
the Oil, Gas & Chemicals business unit in 2001,
assumed leadership of the Mining & Metals
business unit’s Latin America and Oceania
regions in 2003 and Asia in 2004.
Mr. Dudley was elected a senior vice president
in 1997 and became Bechtel’s president and
chief operating officer in 2008. He was elected
chief executive officer in 2014.
Prior to these assignments, Mr. Dudley
was located in London, where he served
as president of Bechtel’s Europe, Africa,
Middle East, Southwest Asia organization,
responsible for all Bechtel business lines in the
region. Mr. Dudley also served as Bechtel’s
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degree in civil engineering from Purdue
University and a master’s degree in business
administration from the University of Houston.
He currently serves on the board of the
Engineering Advisory Council at Purdue. Mr.
Dudley is a Business Roundtable member, and
actively participates in numerous charitable
organizations.
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Similarly, it’s more likely that girls and minority students
will pursue STEM careers if they have the opportunity to
meet and interact with professionals who look like them
and come from similar backgrounds. At Bechtel, we
prioritize efforts that promote minorities and women in
engineering, including leadership in the National Action
Council for Minorities in Engineering and the National
Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women
Engineers and Women in Nuclear. In 2013, we launched
Women@Bechtel, a new employee resource group for
women and men who support gender inclusiveness at
Bechtel. We encourage our colleagues to dedicate
time to visiting local schools and volunteering with
students to give back to their communities. Often, the
simple act of talking with these young people, asking
them about their goals, and helping them learn about
what it’s like to be an engineer is a pivotal conversation.
It’s a truly empowering experience for these volunteers
when they realize the potential impact they can have
on the direction their students’ lives may take.
It’s especially important in the conversations we have
with young people to make sure we are sending out
the right message. Young people are curious by their
very nature, and so are the best engineers. So we
have to capitalize on that curiosity by showing them
that engineering and STEM subjects in the professional
world are an opportunity to help solve the world’s
greatest puzzles, such as resource scarcity, urban
growth, and the need for sustainable sources of power.
Bechtel colleagues work on these problems every
day, and so their stories and experiences are the best
source of inspiration for young people. Last year, a
Bechtel-sponsored FIRST® LEGO League team from
Chile was recognized among hundreds of others for
its innovative solution for helping people prepare for,
stay safe during, and recover from natural disasters.
The experience of living in a part of the world where
flooding, earthquakes, wildfires and other natural
disasters are all too common has inspired these young
people to be part of the solution. They developed
a low-cost plan of embedding retroreflectors and
LED lighting in roads to guide people in a tsunami
evacuation. It’s experiences like these where we can
truly see the value of engaging with young people
about engineering – we have the opportunity to
help light the spark of some truly remarkable future
engineers.
At Bechtel, we build projects that transform lives and
communities, and we make it a point to share this bigger
picture with students we mentor, with interns, college
hires, and in our approach to the work we do. Our work
with Engineers Without Borders; DiscoverE; and FIRST®
is a perfect fit, because these partnerships depend on
dedicated, passionate employee volunteers who go
the extra mile to spark passion in students.
I am most proud of the fact that for 25 years, Bechtel
has played a key role in creating and growing
DiscoverE, which was previously known as Engineers
Week. In 1990, CEO and Chairman Steve Bechtel, Jr.
chaired the first US-wide Engineers Week, and since
then, the organization has supported 5 million students
and teachers through the participation of more
than 50,000 engineers. During Engineers Week this
year, Bechtel colleagues reached out to over 5,500
students through classroom presentations and other
events featuring hands-on engineering activities and
mentoring.
One of the things I love most about DiscoverE is that
it empowers anyone with a love of STEM to get out
there and engage students. You don’t have to be
an engineer or a scientist – all that’s needed is the
desire to introduce children to STEM subjects in a way
that leaves them wanting more. DiscoverE provides
all the information and resources needed, including
engineering activities that ignite students’ creativity
and critical thinking, and the ability to talk to kids
about engineering in a way that sparks their curiosity
and inspires them to learn more.
DiscoverE initiatives such as Introduce a Girl to
Engineering Day and the Global Marathon For, By,
and About Women in Engineering & Technology in
particular are outstanding involvement opportunities
for our colleagues and leadership. These initiatives are
designed to encourage girls and young women to
enter the STEM field, and also ensure that they have
ample opportunities for growth and continued success
once they enter the field.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 56 Bechtel Group, Inc
Studies suggest that students’ interest in STEM subjects
tends to weaken when they reach middle school, so the
challenge is to work even harder to gain their interest
early. One of the most successful programs we’ve seen
to achieve this has been through our partnership with
FIRST®, which uses the excitement of building a robot
to engage kids from elementary through high school.
FIRST programs have volunteer mentors who work with
local robotics teams weekly, which allow students
to really get to know their mentors. Frequently we
host FIRST workshops in Bechtel facilities because we
know students value seeing what a professional work
environment looks like.
Sonny Beck
Chief Executive Officer Beck's Hybrids
Founded in 1937, Beck’s Hybrids is the largest family-owned,
retail seed company in the United States, currently serving
farmers in nine states. Its mission is to help farmers succeed.
Beck’s Hybrids has experienced a 10-20 percent increase
in sales each year for the last 20 years, and the company
doubles in size every five years. Beck's Hybrids is dedicated
to providing farmers with the tools they need to be successful
by accessing the best genetics and technologies from
suppliers worldwide. Additionally, Beck’s Hybrids houses an
extensive STEM-based research department that is utilizing
advanced techniques and a state-of-the-art molecular
marker laboratory to quickly incorporate the latest traits into
products that U.S. farmers need to be competitive and supply
the safest food for U.S. consumers. Beck’s Hybrids supports
STEM initiatives to remain on the cutting edge of the rapidly
changing field of agriculture in production, processing, and
research.
Lawrence “Sonny” Beck is CEO of Beck’s
Hybrids in Atlanta, Indiana, where his business
philosophy emphasizes quality, service, and
the importance of agronomic research
to the future well-being of the American
farmer. Under his leadership, Beck’s Hybrids
has become the largest family-owned retail
seed company in the United States. Sonny
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
Agronomy and Plant Breeding and a Master
of Arts degree in Agricultural Economics, both
from Purdue University. When he graduated
in 1962, he became the first College of
Agriculture student to receive Purdue's G.
A. Ross Award, presented annually to the
overall outstanding graduating senior man.
In 2014, Sonny was named the National AgriMarketing Association’s Agribusiness Leader
of the Year, as well as a FarmHouse Master
Builder of Men. In 2013, Sonny was appointed
to Purdue University’s Board of Trustees
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currently serves on the Indiana Chamber of
Commerce Board of Directors and is vice
president of the Purdue Ag Alumni Seed
Improvement Association. Sonny has held a
variety of other leadership positions within
the agriculture industry, including president
of the American Seed Trade Association;
president of the Indiana Crop Improvement
Association; a charter member of the Indiana
State Department of Agriculture Advisory
Board; a charter member of the Purdue
Foundation Development Council; member
of the Board of Directors for the Purdue
Research Foundation; member of the Board
of Governors for the U.S. Grains Council; and
a member of the Purdue Agriculture Dean’s
Advisory Council. Sonny and his wife, Glendia,
enjoy spending time with their three children
and fourteen grandchildren.
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If we want our companies and our nation to be great,
I believe we must reach out and motivate our young
people early and continue educational programs
throughout their lives. STEM programs help students
make the connection between academic studies
and the real world opportunities that are waiting for
them. We need to help students realize that science,
technology, engineering, and math are the gateway
to innovation, creating new products and services
that make the world a better place. Our world is
increasingly dependent on technology and we must
do everything we can to equip the next generation
with the tools they need to go beyond where we
are today. We need more students who see science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics as their
opportunity for their future.
Some would argue that the agriculture of old was
not very scientific, and perhaps they are right. But I
guarantee you that agriculture- and specifically for
Beck’s Hybrids, seed production- has most jobs now
requiring a knowledge of at least three out of the four
STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering,
and math). Without this STEM foundation, employees
will struggle to be successful.
Science, and chemistry in particular, is required
in the agricultural industry as it provides the basic
understanding of plants and animals and how we can
improve them. Technology, specifically computers, is
required in every function we do from driving a basic
tractor to our most complicated experiment in our
genetic marker laboratory. Engineering knowledge is
a necessity in all of our architectural and construction
projects. Math and basic mathematical formulas help
us solve simple day to day tasks in our head, and we
don’t realize that we actually learned that skill as an
algebraic function.
truly feel that no matter their role, they are key to our
company’s growth, our unique spot in the industry, and
our success. They understand that by helping each
other, they can accomplish their goals and make our
customers successful.We truly value our employees and
consider them part of our family. Therefore, employee
recruitment and development has been crucial to our
company’s achievements.
In addition to a strong STEM education, I feel mentoring
is next on my list of what it takes to have successful
employees get better. Until recently, we would tend
to ask a more experienced employee to mentor the
younger employee. Quite often, the more experienced
employee would not make time to do this or it just
wasn’t a good fit personality wise.
Our new way of thinking shifts the responsibility and
encourages (and even requires) the new in role
employee to seek out a more experienced employee
to ask them questions and for advice. The benefit of
this way of thinking is two-fold: The more experienced
employee takes this as a compliment because
someone recognizes them as knowledgeable and
worth talking to. The new employee gains valuable
information and insight for their newly attained role.
And so it has become a very effective practice.
Next on my list of developing employees is education
on the job, which is important in not only the STEMrelated jobs but in all areas. We accomplish this partly
by bringing experts in for skill development, and
also by sending employees off campus for in-depth
training. Beck’s Hybrids has developed an extensive
leadership development program which offers
courses at the company headquarters and at various
regional locations. Employees can either elect or are
nominated to attend classes covering subjects such
as strategic decision making, conflict management,
motivating others, and increasing productivity. Beck’s
Hybrids believes in recruiting strong employees, but
also in continuing to develop talent through ongoing
education in various STEM programs.
Lastly,I would like to discuss how we interview employees,
hire employees, and evaluate employees to continue
employment. Although we still have the required
policy books on the shelf, we require all managers and
employees to make their daily decisions based on our
“Attitudes and Actions” philosophy. (See chart below.)
This, we believe, sets the tone for the entire company
culture. As Beck’s Hybrids continues to expand and
prosper, these basic values will allow us to be a large
company that still feels small. ■
As the CEO of Beck’s Hybrids, I think I am most proud of
the teamwork I see in our employees and the culture
they have developed and exude in their work. They
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 58 Beck's Hybrids
Serving on the STEMconnector board the past two
years has allowed me to see the importance of the
work our industry has been doing over the years to
encourage students that they must first obtain their
basic STEM education if they want to be in agriculture
or agricultural research. Then we, in our company, can
teach them the specific jobs that are required to be
performed today. As those specific “jobs of today”
change over time, their basic STEM education will have
taught them how to critically think and figure out the
answers to tomorrow’s problems. But- at Beck’s Hybrids,
we don’t have problems in our company. I have always
referred to them as “challenges.” Challenges that
allow employees to utilize their basic STEM education
skills and then their experiences over time to solve.
John Mingé
Chairman and President
BP America Inc.
BP is a leading producer of oil and gas, providing fuel for
transportation, energy for heat and light, lubricants to keep
engines moving, and the petrochemicals used to make
many everyday items. With global energy demand projected
to increase by almost 35 percent over the next 20 years,
investing in STEM education is necessary for BP’s growth and
to foster the talent needed to advance innovation in the
industry.
BP America has supported STEM initiatives for more than six
decades. Since 2012, the company has invested around
$65 million in STEM education, focusing on teacher training
and development, student programs that nurture learning,
and encouraging employees to volunteer as mentors.For
the second consecutive year, BP ranked No. 1 on the list of
STEM Jobs Approved Employers (2015-2016). The list rates
companies on their efforts to promote STEM careers through
diversity programs, employee development, strategic
partnerships, and community outreach initiatives.
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John Mingé is the Chairman and President of
BP America Inc., where he is responsible for
providing leadership and oversight to BP’s
U.S. businesses, which are involved in oil and
gas exploration and production, refining,
chemicals, supply and trading, pipeline
operations, shipping, and alternative energy.
Prior to assuming this role, John was the
Regional President of BP Exploration (Alaska)
Inc., where he was responsible for BP's oil
and gas exploration, development, and
production activities in Alaska, as well as its
interests in the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.
John started his BP career in the Gulf of Mexico
as a drilling engineer. He holds a Bachelor of
Science degree in mechanical engineering
from Washington State University.
During his 32-year career with BP, John has
held various executive and engineering posts
around the globe. He has served as President
of BP Indonesia, as Head of BP’s Asia Pacific
Unit, and as President of exploration and
production for Vietnam and China. For
the past six years, he has served on the BP
America Board of Directors.
He is married to Jackie and has two children,
David and Emma.
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Executive Committee, a member of the
National Petroleum Council, and a Director
of the National Association of Manufacturers.
He is also heavily involved with his alma
mater, WSU, where he serves on the Board of
Governors and on the College of Engineering
and Architecture Executive Leadership Board.
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The son of Nicaraguan immigrants, Eduardo attends
Houston’s Paul Revere Middle School — a STEM
magnet school — where BP employees work with
students to help bring to life all the possibilities that
science, technology, engineering and math have to
offer. During a school science competition last year,
he unveiled his project on static electricity, and it
blew everyone away, winning first prize overall. In fact,
my colleagues were so impressed that they brought
the project to Washington, D.C., and shared it with
members of Congress at a STEM fair.
As I was preparing for the Chamber event, I thought
about Eduardo and what his story represents. When we
told his family and school that I would be mentioning
him in my remarks, they were beyond proud. He came
to the event along with his mother, his principal and his
robotics teacher Alyssa Cannon-Banks, which meant
a lot to me. After I brought him on stage, he spoke of
his enthusiasm for science and his desire someday to
work at BP.
Students like Eduardo epitomize what our commitment
to STEM is all about. We want to inspire and support
the next generation of American innovators: the men
and women who will help our industry harness the
technologies of the future to create the jobs of the
future. The goal is to increase opportunity — for the
schoolchildren of today, for the workers of tomorrow,
for people everywhere.
I know from firsthand experience that the STEM fields
can serve as a powerful vehicle for upward mobility.
When I was a kid, my parents taught me the virtues of
education, discipline and a strong work ethic. In school
I discovered a passion for science, and I became the
first person in my family to graduate from college. I
joined BP as a drilling engineer, which set me off on a
career path I never could have imagined.
One of the many great things about the company is
our commitment to training STEM teachers, promoting
STEM learning and mobilizing our employees to make
a difference through STEM mentorship. In Houston, for
example, we sponsor work-study internships with Cristo
Rey Jesuit College Prep, a school that provides highquality education for economically disadvantaged
students. The BP internship allows Cristo Rey students to
pay for their schooling and gain real-world experience
in the energy business. We also support the National
Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, the Million
Women Mentors project and other programs designed
to help underrepresented groups play a bigger role in
the STEM fields.
All told, BP has donated around $65 million to U.S.
STEM initiatives since 2012 alone. By investing in these
programs, we are helping build a STEM workforce that
reflects the full diversity of our great country. We also
are helping fulfill the promise of opportunity for those
less fortunate, especially underserved minorities. In that
sense, we are helping affirm the true meaning of the
American Dream.
In the process, we are cultivating the talent necessary
to meet global energy demand in the decades ahead.
And make no mistake: While demand growth may be
sluggish right now, worldwide energy consumption will
increase dramatically over the next 20 years. Indeed,
BP projects that, under the most likely scenario, it will
increase by 34 percent between 2014 and 2035, with
fossil fuels remaining the dominant source of total
energy supplies.
To perform the energy jobs of the 2020s, 2030s and
beyond — some of which probably do not even exist
today — Americans will need a firm grounding in STEM.
These are subjects that transcend linguistic, cultural
and gender barriers, both across our country and
across the world. BP is committed to expanding STEM
opportunities for people of all backgrounds, and we
are honored to be a member of STEMconnector. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 60 BP America Inc.
This past September, I attended the U.S. Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce’s annual convention in
Houston, where I had the privilege of participating in a
Q&A session with Chamber President and CEO Javier
Palomarez. At one point in our discussion, Javier asked
me why BP has devoted so much time and effort to
STEM education. I looked out into the audience and
asked a young man named Eduardo Corazon to join
us on the stage.
Mike Gregoire
CA Technologies
CA Technologies (NASDAQ:CA) creates software that fuels
transformation for businesses and enables them to seize the
opportunities of the application economy. The company
works to improve the quality of life in communities where its
employees live and work worldwide and is fully committed
to advancing social, environmental and economic
sustainability. CA Together, the company’s Corporate Social
Responsibility program, is driven by the core philanthropic
focus of improving the lives of underserved children and
communities around the world. CA Technologies does this
by supporting organizations, programs and initiatives that
enrich the lives and well-being of others with a primary
focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
education. CA Together activities encompass employee
volunteerism and matching gifts; in-kind donations of CA
Technologies products and services; and wide-ranging
partnerships and philanthropic support to community
organizations worldwide. Learn more at ca.com/csr.
Mike Gregoire is Chief Executive Officer of CA
Technologies, a $4.5 billion global software
company. CA Technologies is helping companies seize the opportunities of the application
economy – a world where software is crucial
to global business and application development is the engine of innovation.
Before Taleo, Mike spent five years at
PeopleSoft as executive vice president of
its Global Services Group, with responsibility
for consulting, education, hosting and
maintenance worldwide. Mike started his
career at as an architect and technical
project leader at EDS, and rose to run a
number of its operations and businesses,
including its Global Financial Markets Group.
Mike is widely recognized as a strategic
thinker in the information technology industry.
He is a member of the World Economic
Forum’s IT Governors Steering Committee,
the Business Roundtable’s Information and
Technology Committee, and the Wall Street
Journal’s CEO Council. He also serves on the
Executive Council of TechNet, an organization
of CEOs that represents the technology
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innovation and economic competitiveness.
In addition, he sits on the Board of Directors
of ADP, one of the world’s largest providers
of human resources business processing
and cloud-based solutions. Mike exemplifies
CA’s commitment to being a responsible
corporate citizen. During his tenure, CA
has strengthened its engagement with the
communities where its employees live and
work, with an emphasis on advancing STEM
(science, technology, engineering and math)
learning for underserved youth. Mike is on the
Board of NPower, a nonprofit that enlists and
trains low-income young adults and veterans
to become IT professionals. He also serves on
the Board of Change the Equation, a coalition
of CEOs committed to improving STEM
education. An avid cyclist, he also manages
to compete in several races a year, many of
which are fundraisers he rides in wearing the
CA jersey. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in Physics and Computing from Wilfrid
Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, and
a Master of Business Administration degree
from California Coast University.
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CA Technologies provides software solutions to our
customers every day, all over the world. We invest
in many different locations, and in myriad ways –
from increasing supplier diversity to reducing energy
consumption.
• We invest in our communities to build their local
economic impact and further development
opportunities.
• We invest in our employees so they can grow and
flourish while at CA.
• We invest in sustainable operations to ensure we
have a minimal effect on the environment.
While each of these tenets of investment are
important, we are obligated to invest for the longterm to counter the potential issues we face – our
critical business issues.
Because we live in an Application Economy, we
must cultivate the resources to serve the tech-driven
world well into the future. Educated and motivated
people are crucial to our ability to operate, and as
the global economy becomes more dependent
on STEM experts and the economic impact and
adoption rate of tech continues to increase, we
must ensure the next generation is well prepared.
However, we are facing a global shortage of
STEM-facile workers. Students are behind in their
understanding of STEM.
Small investment in short-term programming has not
worked. To address this issue, we have concentrated
our efforts on improving STEM education across the
globe with a focus on long-term investment at every
stage of child- and professional-development. This is
how we empower the next generation to understand,
appreciate and embrace the technology that
powers and affects their lives every day.
Solving the STEM Problem by Focusing on Girls and Women
When you dig deeper into the issue of STEM-capacity,
there is a more disconcerting part of the story; a
profound gender gap becomes quite clear. We have
seen no significant improvement in the number of
women entering STEM fields since 2000.
In the United States, 74 percent of teen girls reported
(in 2012) they were interested in STEM; but, only 13%
said pursuing a major in that field is their number one
choice. This conversation is unsustainable. For every
eight boys that plan to pursue a career in a STEM
field, only one girl does.
After college, only 26% of women with a STEM college
degree actually start a STEM career. This is not just a
U.S. problem. In areas across the globe – from Europe
to India to Middle Eastern nations and beyond – we
see a shortage of women entering college to study
a STEM field and an even greater gap for those who
go on to find a STEM career.
We believe many these challenges start early:
girls often report they don’t feel welcome in STEM
classrooms, and they don’t see the connection
between STEM and careers. Girls need mentors to
look up to in these fields, and need their abilities
nurtured.
This is why CA Technologies is committed to empowering all children and youth – especially girls - with
the tools, knowledge and resources to be successful
in STEM-related fields.
We begin by reaching kids at the youngest age,
nurturing them as youth, engaging them as young
adults, mentoring them as professionals and empowering them for the future.
We don’t do “quick fix” solutions; there is no “one size
fits all.” We know when we unlock opportunities for all
people, regardless of gender, race or socioeconomic
status, we secure the future of our business, building
a smarter, safer and more connected App Economy.
A few years ago, we took a major step to help
eradicate the gender gap in STEM education when
we launched Tech Girls Rock, a Clinton Global
Initiative Commitment to Action. In partnership
with Boys & Girls Clubs of America we have held
workshops for more than 2,000 young women,
where CA volunteers encourage participants to
explore educational opportunities and careers in
STEM fields. We are seeing results from our workshops,
with 84% of participants saying they would consider
a tech-related educational opportunity, and 69%
saying they have interest in a tech-related career.
To really solve this problem, we must be diligent in
evolving and promoting the work we do, and we
must all be a part of the solution.
At CA we believe in the power of our employees to
make a difference in their communities – whether
that means volunteering with their favorite charitable
organization or offering to judge a science fair at a
local elementary school, we give them opportunities
and resources to support what is important to them.
I take this culture of service to heart as I sit on the
board of directors for Change the Equation and
NPower – CA nonprofit partners who advocate for
STEM education. This has created new opportunities
and encouraged engagement from employees at
all levels as we learn from other leaders in the space,
collaborating to make a real difference in the future
of our workforce. We feel confident, with continued
mentoring and engagement, that many of the
young people we reach today will be tomorrow’s
engineering and computer science majors. That is
why, in everything we do, we strengthen and support
their entire journey of STEM education. This type of
pipeline protection is what we need to solidify the
future of STEM focused industries and keep moving
forward into the App Economy. ■
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CA Technologies' Commitment to Investment
Richard D.
Fairbank
Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Capital One Financial Corporation
Capital One is a Fortune 200 company that offers a broad
spectrum of financial products and services for consumers,
small businesses and commercial clients. The success of our
business relies on a healthy economy with a skilled 21st century workforce. In 2015, Capital One announced it will focus
$150 million in community grants and initiatives over five years
to help empower more Americans to succeed in an everchanging digitally-driven economy. With its new Future Edge
initiative, Capital One will collaborate with leading organizations across the country to address areas of critical need that
impact the nation’s ability to grow and prosper in the digital
age. We support STEM programs and partnerships that span
K-12 education to workforce development through partners
such as the National Academy Foundation, colleges and universities across the country, and workforce skills training organizations. We also work to incorporate the development of
STEM skills into our other philanthropic programs.
Richard D. Fairbank is founder, Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer of Capital
One Financial Corporation, a diversified
financial services company ranked 124th
on the Fortune 500. Mr. Fairbank founded
Capital One in 1988 based on his belief that
the power of information, technology and
testing could be harnessed to bring highly
customized financial products directly to
consumers. Capital One is the nation’s 8th
largest bank, offering a broad spectrum of
financial products and services to consumers,
small businesses, and commercial clients,
with more than 900 branch locations in New
York, New Jersey, Louisiana, Texas, Maryland,
Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Capital One has been widely recognized
for its entrepreneurial culture, progressive
work place, and community engagement.
Capital One made FORTUNE magazine’s
list of 25 “Blue Ribbon” companies that
were recognized on four or more FORTUNE
lists, including the Fortune Global 500®, the
Fortune 500®, and the World’s Most Admired
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S T E M Companies. Capital One was also named
one of FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to
Work For,” one of only 11 large companies
to make the list. Capital One was named to
Fortune Magazine’s list of “Top Companies for
Leaders,” ranking second in North America
and fifth globally. In addition, Capital One
has been named to: Fortune’s “20 Great
Employers for New Grads,” BusinessWeek’s
“Best Places to Launch a Career,” one of the
National Association for Female Executives’
“Top 50 Companies for Executive Women,” the
Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s “Best
Places to Work for LGBT Equality,” Working
Mother’s “100 Best Companies” Diversity
Inc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity," and
named to the 2013 "Top 100 Military Friendly
Employers" by G.I. Jobs. Capital One was
one of 15 recipients of the 2014 Secretary of
Defense Employer Support Freedom Award,
the highest recognition given to employers by
the Department of Defense for exceptional
support of Guard and Reserve employees.
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To understand the importance of STEM, just look at
the world around us, and think about the mobile
computing power we hold in the palm of our
hand. All roads lead to harnessing the power of
science, technology, engineering, and math across
virtually every industry—from financial services, to
manufacturing, to health care, to technology.
Banking is ripe for transformation, and we're focused
on positioning Capital One at the forefront of where
banking is going. STEM is at the heart of everything we
do. Making sound investments to ensure a pipeline
of future STEM leaders is critical.
The impact of STEM is on display every day as
we watch industries being disrupted by digital
businesses, the use of data and analytics, and new
technologies. Almost a quarter of a century ago,
I believed that financial services would begin to
consolidate nationally one product at time and that
the combination of data, technology, and testing
would change the game in banking. Our company
was founded on these fundamental beliefs, and
we remain relentlessly focused on STEM to run our
business and create a competitive advantage.
As the rate of technological change accelerates,
there is an insatiable demand for skilled technology
talent and helping more Americans become digitally
fluent is essential. Technological proficiency opens
doors. When we equip individuals with the skills they
need to succeed in an increasingly tech-focused
world, we are preparing them for long-term success
and are investing in the health of our economy.
STEM programs must help students make the
connection between academic study and real-world
opportunities. We need to help students see that
science, technology engineering and math are the
gateway to new, breakthrough ideas. We also need
to have diverse beacons in STEM who can serve as
mentors and champions to excite as many students
as possible to pursue STEM-related education.
We also need to ensure that STEM programs are
interesting, relevant and accessible. We support a
wide range of partnerships and programs to help
bring STEM classes to students during critical time
periods in their education. For example, we created
a special coding curriculum to give middle and high
school students personal finance tools and digital
skills to help them succeed in today’s technologydriven economy through our Junior Achievement/
Capital One Finance Park program.We sponsored the
Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
conference – the epicenter of women in technology.
More than 150 Capital One associates joined 12,000
attendees in supporting women in technology and
sharing the latest developments in engineering. We
also sponsor Women Who Code, Black Girls Code,
and many other organizations.
For more than 15 years, we have made STEM
investments across a broad range of programs to help
people at each stage of their lives—from elementary
school through adulthood. Capital One is dedicated
to providing opportunities and resources that will
enable more people to succeed in an ever-changing
digital economy. In 2015, Capital One announced
that we will focus $150 million in community grants
and initiatives over the next five years to help
empower more Americans to succeed in an everchanging digitally-driven economy. Through our
new Future Edge initiative, we will collaborate with
leading educational and community organizations
across the country to address areas of critical need
that impact the nation’s current and future ability to
grow and prosper in the digital age.
We also work with colleges and universities to help
students develop skills in statistical analysis that
are critical needs in today’s world of big data and
rapidly advancing technology. For example, we
led a data competition with more than a half a
dozen schools for student in statistics, economics,
computer science and life sciences, challenging
students to create real-world solutions using STEMbased principles and practices, innovative thinking
and entrepreneurial skills. These programs serve as
a launching pad for their STEM- and finance-based
professional opportunities. We also launch outreach
efforts through our Digital Labs in Arlington, VA, San
Francisco and New York to share information with
those interested in mobile development, technology,
and innovation.
STEM?
Everyone—our communities, our families, our citizens,
our customers, and our businesses—have a huge
stake in STEM education. STEM will be the backbone
for future innovation and economic growth.
Accelerating our journey to improve STEM education
has some big challenges, but also big opportunities.
Private businesses bring incredible know-how to
the table about the application of STEM in the
marketplace. Public institutions are driving policies,
technologies, and research that will shape the
evolution of STEM. Together, we can fashion coherent
frameworks to encourage and reward advances in
STEM education and make STEM a centerpiece of
our agenda.■
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Why do you believe STEM education and workforce development are critical to our nation’s future?
George S.
Barrett
Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health is a global health services and products
company that brings scaled solutions to help its customers
thrive in a changing world. The company improves the costeffectiveness of health care through solutions that improve
the efficiency of the supply chain; optimize the process and
performance of healthcare; provide clinically proven, daily
use medical products and pharmaceuticals; and connect
patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers
for seamless care coordination and better patient management. A Fortune 50 company, Cardinal Health employs more
than 36,000 people in 60 countries worldwide.
George S. Barrett is chairman and chief
executive officer of Cardinal Health, a
Fortune 50 global health services and
products company that provides scaled
solutions to help those tasked with navigating
the complexities of healthcare thrive in a
changing world. Barrett has focused Cardinal
Health on its essential role to support hospitals,
pharmacies and alternative sites of care in
their efforts to improve the quality and safety
of patient care, while reducing costs and
improving efficiency. The tagline – Essential
to care – embodies the company's strategy
and the culture, which views its position in
the evolving healthcare system as both a
privilege and a responsibility.
Barrett joined Cardinal Health in 2008 as
vice chairman and CEO of the company's
Healthcare Supply Chain Services segment,
where he was responsible for all of the
company's supply chain businesses, including
pharmaceutical distribution, medical/surgical
distribution, nuclear pharmacy services,
Presource® surgical kitting services and the
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pharmacy franchise operations.
From 2005 through 2007, Barrett served as
president and CEO of Teva Pharmaceutical
Industries in North America and as corporate
executive vice president for Global
Pharmaceutical Markets.
He held the
position of president of Teva USA from 1999
to 2004. Prior to joining Teva, Barrett held
various positions with Alpharma Inc., serving
as president of US Pharmaceuticals from 1994
to 1997, and president of NMC Laboratories,
prior to its acquisition by Alpharma in 1990.
Barrett serves on the board of directors of
the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland,
Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the
board of trustees of the Corporation of Brown
University. He is a member of the Healthcare
Leadership Council and The Conference
Board. He is also a member of the Business
Roundtable, The Business Council and The
Columbus Partnership. Barrett also serves on
the board of directors of the Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame.
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This is truly a global market in a technologicallydriven world that is changing at light speed – the
likes of which has never been seen before. And, the
competition is getting tougher by the day. Countries
are vying for the most talented people who can help
them be competitive not only in the work place, but
to contribute to the broader economy and their
communities, as well. To compete successfully, our
country must provide a well-rounded education
that is deep-seated in STEM, yes, but also includes
language arts, history, athletics and the arts.
It all begins with family. Our children need our support
and encouragement every step of the way, helping
them to reach their potential and achieve their
dreams. It also takes highly skilled, dedicated and
inspirational teachers of STEM subjects to continually
encourage and motivate our children. In our notso-distant past, STEM subjects were typically geared
toward boys – not anymore. We need to assure all
students can contribute in a meaningful way, which
means women and minorities must have an equal
opportunity to learn, grow and succeed in these
high-demand areas. They just need the resources,
encouragement and vision to see them through.
At Cardinal Health, we do many things to encourage
women and minorities, including our Employee
Resource Groups (ERGs) that are focused on
workforce development. Some of these groups
include the African American ERG, Hispanic
Americans, Disability Advocates, Veterans and a
Women’s Initiative Network.
What do corporations need to do to create more STEM
careers and fill existing jobs?
Corporations can play a critical role to extend
learning in the classroom by partnering with schools
to offer mentorships and/or internships. At Cardinal
Health, we offer mentorships, internships in functional
areas (including IT, finance, accounting and treasury),
leadership development programs and a Women in
Pharmacy initiative.
While women make up two-thirds of applicants
to pharmacy schools and more than 60 percent
of graduates, they represent only a fraction of
community pharmacy owners in the U.S. Meanwhile, a
growing population of male independent pharmacy
owners is reaching retirement age. The goal of the
Women in Pharmacy initiative is to engage and
educate women on the benefits of ownership in the
retail independent space.
Of course, learning is a lifelong process. At Cardinal
Health, we offer Continuing Education (CE) classes
for pharmacists and other health professionals
through conferences and workshops at regional and
national meetings.
What do we need in the U.S. to continue to be at the top
of global innovation?
To be at the top of global innovation, we need to
start early in our children’s lives by assuring highquality early learning experiences are available for
all, by supporting parents in their critical role as the
child’s first teacher, and by providing life experiences
for students through mentoring and internships.
In addition, corporations can do their part by
inspiring innovation in their employees. We do that in
many different ways at Cardinal Health, but one new
initiative offers cash prizes for the top five innovative
ideas presented to our leaders. Not only is this a fun
experience for all involved, but selected employees
gain recognition for their ideas, earn cash, and one
grand prize winner sees his/her idea become a
reality for Cardinal Health – ultimately benefitting our
bottom line, helping us become more competitive in
the marketplace and making us more attractive to
potential recruits.
STEM?
There is an extremely pressing challenge in STEM
education and education in general in Columbus –
the home of Cardinal Health corporate headquarters.
Because many of our children are not acquiring
the skills they need to succeed in school, in college
or work, George Barrett is co-leading the mayor’s
Columbus Education Commission’s efforts to help
Columbus City school children succeed. The goal
of this new public-private partnership is to ensure
Columbus City Schools provide the best education
from preschool through career and
1. Enable all of our children to succeed in the city’s
vibrant, growing economy.
2. Make Columbus a global leader in developing
the highly-skilled, creative, entrepreneurial workforce
that will propel economic growth in the 21st Century.
3. Leverage the resourcefulness of our entire
community to meet these goals.
By bringing together educators, government,
corporations, parents and the community to look
at all aspects of education, together we will assure
better student outcomes.■
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How do you believe STEM education can improve a nation's competitiveness?
David
MacLennan
Cargill
Cargill is a privately held, family-owned company providing
food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and
services to the world. Its 143,000 global employees are
committed to feeding people in a responsible way, and
helping its customers thrive. Innovation and STEM talent
play a big part in this. Whether it is developing healthier and
better-for-you ingredients, tailoring foods for local tastes, using
starches and other foodstuffs as petrochemical replacements
in packaging and industrial materials, using data to better
understand crop management and markets, managing
its worldwide supply chains responsibly and sustainably, or
developing processes that reduce costs and create value,
talented science, IT and engineering professionals are
essential to Cargill’s success. Cargill is committed to operating
responsibly as it pursues its goal of being the global leader
in nourishing people, and in 2013 contributed $69 million
to combat world hunger, promote sustainable agricultural
practices, and support STEM education.
David W. MacLennan became president and
chief executive officer of Cargill in 2013 and
was elected to the Cargill Board of Directors
in 2008. He was chief financial officer from
2008 to 2011 and chief operating officer from
2011 to 2013.
Joining Cargill in 1991, he has held management positions within Cargill’s financial, risk
management, energy, and animal protein
businesses, living in both London and Geneva.
Prior to joining Cargill, he worked in the futures
and securities trading sector in Chicago and
for U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis.
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the boards of C.H. Robinson Worldwide and
the Greater Minneapolis St. Paul Regional
Economic Development Partnership. He is also
the former chair of College Possible, a nonprofit focused on making college admission
and success possible for low-income students.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Amherst
College and an MBA from the University of
Chicago.
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Some years ago, there was a campaign to support
manufacturing and it had the tagline: “America
won’t make it without manufacturing.” The reality
is that in today’s world we will not make it without
innovation and that innovation is dependent on
increasing the number of highly qualified STEM
graduates.
To achieve that aim, we have some ways to go.
The 2013 ACT The Condition College & Career
Readiness report showed that of all ACT-tested
high school graduates only 44% showed readiness
for mathematics at the college level and only 36%
showed readiness for science.
That is why Cargill is committing resources to improve
math and science readiness, and working with
universities to make sure their STEM graduates are
world class. With the aim of feeding 9 billion people
by 2050 with accessible, affordable and nutritious
food and doing so responsibly with as little impact
on the environment as possible, we need people
with technical skills who think creatively and are
exceptional problem solvers.
How has your corporation coordinated investments
in education with future workforce needs?
Cargill is actively involved in efforts with university
systems to better align their programming with
future workforce needs and that encourage
talented students to enter these fields. Cargill has
invested significantly in STEM education through its
philanthropic agenda. The idea is to build a better
workforce pipeline, rather than simply compete for
a diminishing pool of candidates. What is clear to
us is that we need people with superior technical
talent – IT professionals, engineers and research
scientists – to help our customers thrive.
How does STEM leadership and with it Diversity
focus help your company compete?
We believe inclusion and diversity are a source of
great strength for our company and the global
community. Given our operations in 67 countries
and given people’s changing tastes across many
countries and cultures, inclusion and diversity are
absolutely essential to our business success. We
need employees who are sensitive to the world of
our customer’s consumers and we need people
who think in different ways and can easily share
different perspectives. Ultimately this makes us more
innovative and more nimble in adapting to changes
in the marketplace.
What is the STEM initiative that your company has
supported that you are most proud?
Cargill has supported many programs in the K-12
grades to help create the pipeline of students and
workforce in STEM fields. I am most proud of Cargill’s
multiple partnerships to roll out STEM curricula in
those grades. Starting early is important if we are to
inspire and motivate young people to pursue future
study and careers in STEM.
For example, we support of the Engineering is
Elementary (EiE) program created by the Museum
of Science in Boston to introduce engineering
and technological concepts and career paths
to children in grades 1 through 5. The story book
based curriculum covers all facets of engineering
– environmental, mechanical, civil, industrial,
acoustical, agricultural bioengineering, electrical,
chemical, geotechnical aerospace and oceanic –
and the stories are begin with a child faced with
an engineering dilemma. Cargill has contributed
millions to the EiE initiative, which is currently used in
all 50 states and nearly 3,000 schools. A 2010 study of
program showed that EIE students were significantly
more likely to want to be engineers and significantly
more likely to say science and engineering make
“people’s lives better”.
In addition, Cargill partners with Project Lead the
Way (PLTW), which is focused on bringing STEM
education to middle and high school students.
Cargill supports PLTW’s Gateway to Technology©
program, which provides an engineering-focused
curriculum to middle school students, and the
Pathway to Engineering© program, a four-year high
school program taught in conjunction with college
preparatory mathematics and science courses that
gives students hands-on knowledge of engineering
concepts, design and problem-solving. A study of
its program shows that PLTW alumni are: five times
more likely to graduate from college with a STEM
degree than students who do not participate in the
program, have higher GPAs than their peers in their
freshman year of college, and have higher college
retention rates.
Cargill and the National 4-H Council have co-created 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology (SET)
Clubs, a comprehensive science program engaging more than 600 local youth and Cargill employees in Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
In the first year of the partnership, 22 4-H SET clubs
were implemented in the five grantee states. From
summer food science camps in Kansas to robotics
clubs in Missouri and Iowa, these new initiatives have
reached more than 628 youth and 118 volunteers.
Other types of activities in the 4-H SET Clubs include
experiments, hands-on activities, problem-solving
and demonstrations.
These programs and others like them, which bring
the excitement of STEM learning alive and introduce
STEM career possibilities to America’s schoolchildren,
are vital to building the pipeline of our nation’s next
generation of STEM leaders. ■
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Why is STEM Education/workforce development
critical to the future of our Nation?
Michael E.
Hansen
Cengage Learning
Cengage Learning is a global education company that
advances the way students learn through engagement,
empowerment and discovery. With a focus on technology,
the company works to develop new ways to collaborate,
inspire and improve learning through its digital platforms.
Headquartered in Boston, MA with an office hub in San
Francisco, Cengage Learning has 5,000 employees in nearly
forty countries and company sales in more than 125 countries
around the world.
Over the past three years, Cengage has evolved from a
highly regarded education publisher into a leading learning
technology company with an innovative approach to
students and the learning process. The company focuses on
deeply understanding the needs of students – how they work
and learn – to deliver personalized education experiences
that engage and prime them for success.
Michael E. Hansen became Chief Executive
Officer of Cengage Learning in September of
2012 and he oversees all aspects of the global
business. Mr. Hansen is focused on the transition
the publishing industry is making from print to
digital and the development of new learning
tools and programs that use technology to
foster greater student achievement and
success.He has deep experience in equipping
organizations with the structure necessary to
support these transitions. As a thought leader
in the information services sector, Mr. Hansen
has an extensive track record in developing
successful business models and culture.
In the four years prior to joining Cengage
Learning, he served as CEO of Elsevier
Health Sciences, a division of Reed Elsevier.
During his tenure, he developed and
implemented a successful print-to-digital
transition and accelerated new electronic
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Sciences, Mr. Hansen served as President and
CEO of Harcourt Assessment which was then
the education arm of Reed Elsevier.
Early in his career, Mr. Hansen was Executive
Vice President of Operational Excellence at
Bertelsmann, a $20B global media company.
Mr. Hansen spent the first 11 years of his
career with the Boston Consulting Group in
New York, ultimately becoming Partner and
Co-Chairman of the e-Business and Media
Practice.
In addition, Mr. Hansen is currently a Board
Member of the American Institute for
Contemporary German Studies (AICGS). Mr.
Hansen holds a Master of Law degree from
the University of Bonn in Germany and an
MBA from Columbia University in New York.
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college readiness in the US, MindTap Math Foundations
is a new approach to developmental math that was
designed with input from nearly 1,000 students.
We spend a lot of time with students – to understand
how they live and how they like to learn. Similarly,
we work closely with instructors to incorporate their
valuable feedback in our products. Specific to areas
of STEM, we’ve learned some interesting things. For
instance, when asked, 76% of students told us that they
find math difficult. 86% of instructors believe students
struggle with critical-thinking skills and study habits,
areas that are so important in STEM fields. The good
news is, 96% of students also want good grades and
want to be well-prepared. We can help with this.
While foundational math skills are especially important
to successful career paths in STEM, a staggering
number of students who enroll in remedial math do not
complete the course. MindTap Math Foundations was
designed to help increase student success by guiding
students through the curriculum in a way that easily
fits into their daily lives. Unique features within MindTap
Math Foundations draw students into the content
with problem solving activities and critical thinking
opportunities – skills necessary for careers in STEM. The
product’s mobile design meets students where they
are making learning more manageable for students’
hectic schedules. The solution includes new ways of
learning, including short, 15-minute learning bursts to
take advantage of downtime and gaming activity that
helps students strengthen their critical thinking skills.
We are very excited about the launch MindTap Math
Foundations and believe it will be a game-changing
approach to developmental education.
Innovation and Technology
Technology is not the answer to all education
challenges, but rather, I look at technology as an
enabler for innovation. Technology, for the first time,
makes the learning experience truly transparent so we
can actually see how students learn. Understanding
the way students learn is crucial and through the
power of technology, we can design and customize
educational approaches to help students achieve
their full potential.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that STEM
employment will increase by more than one million
jobs between 2012 and 2022. As a result of this job
growth, Cengage Learning is working to ensure
student access to the right skills and training so they
can be competitive in these fields. MindTap, Cengage
Learning’s flagship digital learning solution, serves as
one of our greatest examples of the positive impact
customizable, student-centric learning tools can have
on student success.
Offered in more than 650 courses including those
spanning STEM disciplines, MindTap, provides students
with access to a combination of reading, multimedia,
activities and assessments, in ways designed to
increase engagement and maximize understanding
and retention. Through a customizable learning path,
students in the fields of STEM benefit from MindTap’s
flexibility which allows instructors to apply a realworld context to coursework and content. Integrating
reading, homework, quizzing, and multi-media assets,
MindTap increases student comprehension and
retention while analytics and time management tools
keep students engaged and motivated.
Ongoing Investment in STEM-Related Education Solutions
Building on the proven success of MindTap, this
spring Cengage Learning is rolling out MindTap Math
Foundations, one of our largest efforts to-date for closing
the gap in STEM education. The first in a new product
suite designed to tackle the ongoing challenge of
Throughout the product development process,
we have been working directly with students and
instructors to understand firsthand the greatest
impediments to student success in the fields of STEM.
Through this research, we made some surprising
discoveries about students’ pain points, including the
disconnect between instructors’ expectations and
students’ experiences.
In addition to new product development and
investments in STEM-related solutions, Cengage
Learning is forging partnerships to expand on our
capabilities to support STEM fields. For example, we
recently announced a partnership with San Franciscobased edtech company Codevolve to provide
students with hands-on practice writing and running
code. This collaboration brings computer science and
programming instruction to students that is designed to
prepare them for success in the workplace. Moreover,
Codevolve seamlessly integrates into MindTap
providing students with a tailored learning experience
that features hands-on practice and troubleshooting
support to maximize engagement.
For the computing space, we are working closely with
Microsoft to integrate live Office products into our
MindTap solution – which has not been done before
in traditional higher education courses. This ensures
that students entering the workforce in fields using
Office products are adequately prepared, having
experience using the exact programs that they will use
in their jobs.
Our culture at Cengage Learning promotes the values
of engagement, empowerment and discovery both
within and outside our company walls – all values that
are echoed throughout STEM fields. We are committed
to supporting the growth of STEM here in the United
States through our work with today’s students. We will
continue our focus on innovation to ready the next
generation of the workforce to excel in STEM fields
using the highest quality learning materials.■
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Cengage Learning is a global education technology
company with a mission to develop new ways to
collaborate, inspire and improve learning. Over the past
few years, Cengage Learning has been undergoing
a transformation moving us from a highly regarded
education publisher to a leading learning technology
company with a focus on the student. Putting students
at the center of learning, we focus on providing bestin-class digital products that align with what students
and faculty customers want and believe will best
enable success.
Jacqueline
Hinman
President and Chief Executive Officer CH2M
CH2M is the leading professional services firm delivering
sustainable solutions for the world’s most complex challenges.
With revenues of more than US$5 billion and 25,000 employees,
CH2M people make a positive difference in the world, providing
consulting, design, engineering, project management and
delivery of vital infrastructure and resources to public- and
private-sector clients across diverse industries. The firm and its
foundation provide professional expertise, volunteerism and
financial resources supporting STEM education and development
at elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels to
equip current and future leaders to address global resource
challenges. CH2M consistently ranks among Ethisphere’s World’s
Most Ethical Companies; among Engineering News-Record
top-ranked firms in engineering, environmental consulting
and program management; and among Verdantix leaders in
sustainable engineering. In 2015, the firm received the Stockholm
International Water Institute’s highest Industry Water Award for
pioneering water conservation and reuse technologies.
With more than 30 years of experience in the
engineering and construction industry, Jacqueline Hinman serves as President and Chief
Executive Officer of CH2M, a Fortune 500
company recognized as a global leader in
consulting, full-service engineering, construction, procurement, program management
and operations for public and private clients.
Ms. Hinman’s goals for the firm are market
leadership, balanced growth and client stewardship. To achieve these goals, she has prioritized safety, quality, sustainability, technology,
diversity, positive employee engagement and
the highest standards of ethical behavior as
drivers for CH2M’s success.
Prior to assuming the role of CEO, Ms. Hinman
led the firm’s international division and major
programs group, which included the delivery of
large engineering,construction and operations
programs worldwide,including the London 2012
Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Panama
Canal Expansion and the MASDAR sustainable
city in Abu Dhabi. During this time, Ms. Hinman
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acquisitive growth strategies worldwide and
for completing the acquisition of Halcrow
Group, a UK-headquartered engineering firm
with US$1 billion in annual revenue.
Ms. Hinman has lent her expertise to the
Advisory Board of Catalyst Europe and the
Metro Denver Sports Commission. She is an
active member of the World Economic Forum
Global Advisory Council on Infrastructure.
She was the first recipient of the Women Leading
Change award from WorldDenver and in 2014
participated in a Clinton Global Initiative panel
discussion on America’s competiveness. She
is a strong advocate for advancing the STEM
pipeline and infrastructure development.
Ms. Hinman has a bachelor's degree in
civil engineering from Pennsylvania State
University. She is a registered professional
engineer and is accredited under the U.S.
Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
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Allowing students to apply the theories and principles
learned in the classroom on practical tasks and
real-world projects while working alongside the
professionals they aspire to become is the best insight
a student can gain as they make choices about their
future. CH2M has a robust internship program and in
the UK, we offer a Civil Engineering apprenticeship
where our apprentices work 4 days a week and
attend college for 1 day a week.
We also believe it is important to showcase the full
breadth of the industry and the skills required to
succeed in the business world, so while project work
is at the nexus of our programs we enhance that by
providing apprentice and interns with opportunities
to hear from senior leaders about their career paths,
develop soft skills through workshops, and expand
their networking, presentation, and goal-setting skills.
They work with a buddy to provide that in-depth look
at their discipline while also working collaboratively
with other young professionals on projects to
encourage team building and problem solving.
By guiding, advising and coaching talent interested
in STEM fields, we have the incredible opportunity to
develop and strengthen the future leaders not only
of our organization but of the larger engineering and
STEM fields.
Are you a mentor, and what is your view of mentorship?
Did someone mentor you?
I am a strong advocate for mentoring. I am the
proud CEO of a FORTUNE 500 company because
differential investment was made in my career, I was
guided by a diverse group of mentors, given stretch
opportunities, and provided forums to strengthen
my skills. Even in my current role I continue to pay
it forward by mentoring women both inside and
outside of my company. I support internal mentoring
programs through our HR department and employee
network groups and encourage my employees’
participation in professional associations. My
approach to mentoring is what I call building my own
personal Board of Directors, seeking mentorship from
a diversity of perspectives and experience levels.
Seek out mentors not just in the position you aspire to
reach but also peers, and those earlier in their career
journeys as well as mentors both inside and outside
your industry.
What is your advice to those involved in promoting STEM
education?
Focus on the big picture, illustrate the opportunity and
impact, and make it fun. By focusing on the impact
that STEM professionals make in our world, rather than
on what skills must be acquired or prerequisite classes
to take, we can inspire students—particularly young
women—to explore these career paths. Engineers
often don’t get the credit for one of the largest
strides in public health but it was the development of
the sewer system that helped to curb the spread of
the bubonic plague while the design of the Federal
Highway system spurred the U.S. economy and
American connectivity in new ways, so put that way
civil engineering is a pretty cool job. Our world is facing
both unprecedented challenges and opportunities,
the students studying STEM today are going to be the
leaders and innovators who turn these challenges
into opportunities laying the foundation for human
progress for generations to come. A career in STEM
can be game-changing, while at the same time
providing variety, fulfillment and a top paycheck.
STEM programs need to provide students with
opportunities to collaborate and implement creative
problem solving,which at the highest level is what STEM
does—it’s not about analyzing formulas, crunching
numbers, or developing complex code, rather those
are the tools that students will utilize to break out of
the box and identify the winning solution.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 72 CH2M
Michele Kang
Cognosante
At Cognosante we are working together to transform the
American healthcare system. We are passionate about this
mission, and we take great pride in the work that we do to
achieve it. We provide technology solutions, Business Process
Outsourcing, and consulting services to federal, state and
local government healthcare agencies. With deep expertise in areas including health insurance marketplaces,
healthcare standards, informatics and Medicaid enterprise systems, we apply an innovative, integrated approach
to solving the challenges of health reform. As an IT solutions
provider, we understand just how critical STEM initiatives
are to ensuring a healthy IT industry now and in the future.
Recognizing that our success as a company begins with and
endures because of the talent of our employees, we work
to foster an environment that embraces diversity, builds camaraderie and rewards curiosity, drive, and expert knowledge
of the leading and latest trends in health IT.
A visionary in the field of health information
technology, Michele Kang founded Cognosante in 2008 to address a critical gap she
had identified in the health IT market—the
need for a smart, nimble company, unencumbered by legacy systems and unafraid
to challenge accepted wisdom. Under her
leadership, Cognosante has emerged as one
of the most trusted partners to Federal and
state health agencies, growing significantly
year over year.
One of the inaugural members of 100 Women
Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math (STEM), Michele was honored
as 2015 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® for
the Washington, DC, region, then went on
to win the national award for the Services
category. Also in November 2015, Michele
was named Executive of the Year among
contracting organizations with revenues of
$75 million to $300 million during the 13th
Annual Greater Washington Government
Contractor Awards™. In 2012, she received
Mosaic Woman Trailblazer Award by Diversity
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S T E M Woman in recognition of her outstanding
accomplishments and leadership in business.
Michele created the Cognosante Foundation
in 2012 to spread the benefits of Cognosante’s
growth and success to a number of deserving
causes. The Foundation’s focus is to help
young people, the underprivileged, and
veterans who have fallen on hard times to
develop critical skills and competencies to
become productive contributors to society
while having fulfilling professional careers for
themselves.
Prior to founding Cognosante, Michele
served as vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman’s Health Solutions, where she built a health business that
provided mission-critical, enterprise-wide
health applications, interoperable architecture, and large-scale systems integration and
engineering to leading health organizations.
Michele received a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Chicago and a
Master's degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management.
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First: Trust your Gut.
Without a doubt, the most important advice I can
offer any professional - female or male - is to trust your
gut and follow your passion and instinct.
Growing up in South Korea, I knew I had a deep
aptitude for math and economics, and I believed I
had the ability to lead. Yet even though I was at the
top of my class, I was told the best I could hope for
was to be hired as the assistant to a CEO. Moving to
the US to pursue my goals was not an easy decision,
but I made it because I trusted my passion and
instincts. It wasn’t just my aptitude for math that drove
me – it was my belief that being a woman wasn’t a
sufficient reason not to put that aptitude to work in
the business world. Trusting that instinct brought me
to the University of Chicago, and later Yale School of
Management – two places where those math skills
came in very handy.
I left Northrup Grumman to start Cognosante in the
summer of 2008. Shortly thereafter, the economic
downturn brought with it tremendous unanticipated
challenges. Yet despite the rapid shift in economic
climate and the associated challenges raising capital,
I persevered because I trusted my vision. I knew I was
making a sound bet – that Medicaid would be the
center of gravity for healthcare transformation – and
as a result, Cognosante was well-positioned to take
advantage of market trends when the Affordable
Care Act passed.
Next: Innovate not just in thought, but in action
Innovation has become a buzzword over the past
decade – we often get so focused on “innovating” as
a concept that we miss the opportunity to innovate
in action. I started Cognosante because I recognized
that doing things “the way they’ve always been done”
wasn’t working – and further, that the market would
eventually demand a solution that did. I knew that the
innovative application of information technology was
the key. Cognosante offers both solutions and services,
but at our core we are an information technology
company – and we are committed to using our
subject matter expertise to drive the way technology
is used in the healthcare system.
To institutionalize our culture of innovation, we
established the Cognosante Solutions Lab in early
2015. The Lab’s charter is to develop new, innovative
approaches that enable public health programs
to economically, efficiently support and manage
the rapidly changing healthcare landscape – both
today and tomorrow. Through relentless, disciplined
experimentation, the Lab rapidly pilots and launches
new solutions.
Complementing our own development efforts,
Cognosante is also committed to building an
“Innovation Ecosystem” consisting of investments in
and partnerships with emerging companies that are
building innovative, promising solutions in health IT.
Then: Institutionalize a STEM ecosystem
As the founder and CEO of a technology-focused
company, I see great opportunity in creating an
environment for our employees that fosters success
and rewards curiosity and innovation. Our employees
know that we are committed to transforming our
nation’s healthcare system, and that they each have
a role in moving us closer to that goal.
We have launched initiatives like a tuition
reimbursement program for furthering education,
the Cognosante Career Model to provide
development and advancement opportunities, and
the Cognosante Academy, which offers thousands
of educational modules for self-directed professional
development. We ask that our employees bring
passion to what they do and take great pride in
how they do it – and in return, we are committed to
providing them with resources and opportunities to
learn, grow, and innovate in a key STEM field.
Finally: Once you succeed, help others do the same
In 2012, I created the Cognosante Foundation to
spread the benefits of Cognosante’s success to a
number of deserving causes. While our focus is not
limited to just STEM initiatives, a very strong, robust
STEM theme runs through our efforts. Our first initiative
was, in fact, to support Million Women Mentors (WMW),
and we initiated a mentorship program, which
encourages Cognosante employee participation in
MWM-related activities for mentoring and tutoring.
Another major Foundation effort is with Young
Invincibles (YI), a national millennial research
and advocacy group. Last summer, YI and the
Foundation jointly launched a fellowship program
to provide primarily first-generation college students
the opportunity to develop leadership skills, explore
public policy issues, and expand professional networks
ahead of graduation. The young women and men
selected for the program joined the Cognosante
team for our leadership summit in Baltimore last spring,
interacting with our executive team and getting a
taste of what it’s like to be involved in an organization
devoted to technology and healthcare. This year,
we’ve expanded the program to an even greater
number of students. Their enthusiasm, intellect, and
curiosity are proof to me that the drive for and desire
for STEM careers exists within the next generation –
but it is up to us as leaders to provide opportunities
like these – and like those above – to truly channel
that drive. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 74 Cognosante
As an entrepreneur and CEO in a STEM field, the most
frequently asked questions I receive tend to revolve
around a few themes: how did you get where you are,
what would you tell other women striving to succeed
in a STEM field, and how are you contributing to the
STEM ecosystem? The questions are different, but the
answers share very common threads.
Brian L. Roberts
Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media
and technology company with two primary businesses,
Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is
one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and
phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY
brand and also provides these services to businesses.
NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and sports cable
networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks,
television production operations, television station groups,
Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit
www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
Brian L. Roberts is Chairman and CEO of
Comcast Corporation. Under his leadership,
Comcast has grown into a global Fortune
50 company uniquely positioned at the
intersection of media and technology with
two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and
NBCUniversal. Brian has worked at Comcast
since graduating from The Wharton School of
the University of Pennsylvania. He was named
President of Comcast Corporation in 1990
when the company had $657 million in annual
revenue. Comcast Corporation’s annual
revenue has since grown to $74.5 billion. Brian
has won numerous business and industry
honors for his leadership. Most recently, he
was recognized by Barron’s as one of the
world’s 30 best CEOs, named “Businessperson
of the Year” by Fortune magazine and named
one of America’s top CEOs by Institutional
Investor magazine for the ninth time. Brian is
the recipient of the Ambassador for Humanity
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S T E M Award from the USC Shoah Foundation Institute
for his visionary leadership and philanthropic
work in education and technology. He also
received the Humanitarian Award from
the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Brian is a
member of the Business Roundtable and
also served on the President’s Council on
Jobs and Competitiveness. He is a member
of the Board of Directors of the National
Cable & Telecommunications Association
(NCTA), where he served as Chairman for
two consecutive terms. Brian is also Director
Emeritus of CableLabs, the research and
development consortium for the cable
industry, where he served three terms as
Chairman. An All-American in squash, Brian
competed five times in the Maccabiah
Games in Israel. He and his wife, Aileen, live in
Philadelphia.
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Math and science are the foundation of innovation,
which is fundamental to the growth of so many
companies, including Comcast. We are innovating
at a pace that is faster than ever before and need
a workforce that can deliver next-generation
technologies. Engaging students in STEM fields has
become a national priority, as forecasts project the
need for millions more workers with STEM skills in the
coming years.
Exposing students from a very young age to the
exciting career opportunities in STEM fields is
crucial. At Comcast, we partner with community
organizations, particularly ones that focus on diverse
populations, to create meaningful opportunities for
students, such as developing technical skills through
hands-on internships, funding for tech programs
in the community, and mentorship programs with
our engineers, software developers, coders, and
technologists. This is a long-term investment that can
start as early as elementary school and encourage
lifelong learning.
What traits do corporate leaders need to effectively support and advance STEM education today?
Many of our STEM leaders had mentors that they credit
for igniting their passion for technology fields. They
are now excited to “pay it forward” and help the next
generation. It all starts with making a commitment to
support education in general, and then making STEM
functions a focal point. It’s really about providing the
resources needed to help create real opportunities
for students to gain valuable hands-on skills that will
help set them apart from their peers as they apply for
college and eventually jobs.
We know that in today’s competitive marketplace,
success comes from making significant investments
in the future, which is why we offer technology
internships where STEM students can work side-byside with our technologists on meaningful projects.
We’ve created a feeder system for STEM talent with
experiences that can start as early as high school
and continue through graduate school with the
potential for employment after graduation.
Comcast is currently expanding its vertical campus at
our global headquarters in Philadelphia and building
the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center.
The Center will be filled with approximately 4,000
employees, including many technologists, engineers,
software architects and others who will help shape
the future of media and technology. We also have
technology centers in Northern Virginia, Denver,
Silicon Valley and through acquisition, internationally
as well. I hope that many of the students we work
with through our partnerships across the country will
one day work with us to help drive our industry and
the economy forward.
Because we believe it is so important to build the
technology workforce of tomorrow, and to ensure that
kids have the tools to take advantage of the amazing
high-tech careers that our industry is creating, STEM
has been a key focus of our community investment.
Key examples of that investment are reflected in our
longstanding relationship with FIRST Robotics, and
our national partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of
America to create My.Future, a technology initiative
designed to teach Club members about our digital
world and ignite their passion for technology.
What area of STEM are you most passionate about?
Engineering lies at the heart of so much of what
Comcast does as a media and technology
company, that it’s a tremendous focus for us. The
products that our customers love, whether that’s our
X1 Entertainment Operating System or our super-fast
home Internet and WiFi, or new features on X1 like
our integrated sports app or Kids Zone, have all been
created by the innovative work on the part of our
technologists. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 76 Comcast
Why do you believe STEM education and workforce development is critical to our nation's future?
Michael J. Ward
CSX Corporation
CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation's leading transportation suppliers. The company’s rail and intermodal businesses provide
rail-based transportation services including traditional rail service and the transport of intermodal containers and trailers.
Overall, the CSX Transportation network encompasses about
21,000 route miles of track in 23 states, the District of Columbia and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Our
transportation network serves some of the largest population
centers in the nation. Nearly two-thirds of Americans live within
CSX’s service territory.
CSX serves major markets in the eastern United States and has
access to over 70 ocean, river and lake port terminals along
the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, the Mississippi River, the Great
Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway. CSX moves a broad portfolio of products across the country in a way that minimizes
the effect on the environment, takes traffic off an already
congested highway system, and minimizes fuel consumption
and transportation costs
Michael J. Ward is chairman and chief
executive officer of CSX Corporation,one of the
nation’s premier transportation and logistics
companies. Over his 39-year career, Mr. Ward
has headed CSX’s operations, coal sales and
marketing, and finance departments. Under
Mr. Ward’s leadership, the company continues
to achieve record safety performance while
providing vital services to customers and
posting strong financial results for shareholders.
The company’s commitment to safety and
preparing its network for increasing freight
demand is demonstrated by its planned
2016 capital investment of $2.4 billion and
its long-term plan to invest approximately
16 to 17 percent of its revenues back into
its core business to support growth. A native
of Baltimore, Md., Mr. Ward’s commitment
to personal philanthropy and corporate
citizenship has been recognized with City
Year’s prestigious Lifetime of Idealism Award.
He earned a bachelor’s degree from the
University of Maryland in 1972, and received
a master’s degree in business administration
from the Harvard Business School in 1976. Mr.
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S T E M Ward is a member of the Board of Directors
of the Association of American Railroads, and
also serves on the boards of Ashland Inc.,
City Year, United Way of Northeast Florida,
and Hubbard House. His other business
affiliations include The Florida Council of 100
and The Business Roundtable. CSX, based in
Jacksonville,Florida,is a premier transportation
company. It provides rail, intermodal and railto-truck transload services and solutions to
customers across a broad array of markets,
including energy, industrial, construction,
agricultural, and consumer products. For
nearly 190 years, CSX has played a critical
role in the nation's economic expansion and
industrial development. Its network connects
every major metropolitan area in the eastern
United States, where nearly two-thirds of the
nation's population resides. It also links more
than 240 short-line railroads and more than
70 ocean, river and lake ports with major
population centers and farming towns alike.
More information about CSX Corporation
and its subsidiaries is available at
www.csx.com.
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Yet our heavy and increasing reliance on technology
has not created a commensurate desire among
young people to study the disciplines essential to its
development. As a consequence, our nation is facing
a well-documented shortage of candidates to fill the
growing number of science, technology, engineering
and math (STEM) jobs.
It’s tempting to place responsibility for solving this
challenge on our education system, and, indeed,
our schools and educators are on the front lines
of the solution. But the truth is that all facets of our
society, including corporate America, have a shared
responsibility to close the “STEM gap” between the
skills required in the contemporary workplace and
the candidates who possess them.
CSX has a unique historical perspective on this issue.
From the founding of America’s first railroad, our
industry has been solving major engineering and
technology challenges in every era along the timeline
of industrial development. The game-changing
technologies and engineering breakthroughs of
past generations were often awe-inspiring in scale,
from steam locomotives to feats of infrastructure
engineering.
Today’s technological advances, by contrast, are
often embedded on tiny computer chips and driven
by invisible algorithms. They’re harder to see, and
for most people, harder to comprehend. But that
doesn’t make them any less exciting. Conveying that
excitement to young people lies as much with the
companies who will employ them as with the schools
who will educate them.
At CSX, our technology organization is attracting
the next generation of job candidates by creating
an inclusive work environment and making the
connection between our IT systems and their benefits
to railroad operations. We do that by sending our
technology teams into the field to meet, observe
and interact with the people using their systems. This
practice, along with our company’s strong diversity
programs, has contributed to CSX being named to
IDG Computerworld’s list of the “100 Best Places to
Work in IT” for the past three years.
Taking that approach a step further, we can change
the perceptions of our nation’s young people and
excite their imagination by inspiring, engaging and
demonstrating the tremendous value and potential
of STEM careers. Business leaders have an obligation
to provide clear and meaningful support of initiatives
that introduce STEM subjects earlier and more
prominently in general curricula. We need to make
STEM subjects — and creative ways of teaching
them — as essential to a well-rounded education as
English or history, rather than a specialized discipline
available only to those who have innate abilities.
We must also communicate more effectively that not
every student needs to pursue a STEM-related field to
benefit from a better understanding of STEM subjects.
A good example at CSX is our employees who
operate some of the most technologically advanced
locomotives in the world. Our engineers don’t write
the algorithms that instantaneously process terrain,
speed, train length and weight data to reduce
fuel consumption and support safe operations. But
a basic understanding of such a system enables
them to work effectively as a partner in the humanmachine interface.
Our instructors at the CSX Railroad Education and
Development Institute have found that applicants for
jobs as train crew members, or for mechanical and rail
maintenance positions, are much better prepared to
succeed when they’re familiar with STEM disciplines.
They may not require the same level of STEM skills as
our analysts who use computer modeling to optimize
network capacity, civil engineers who design tracks,
or mechanical engineers who enhance locomotive
and railcar designs. But by understanding, in a general
way, the technology systems and force dynamics
behind the equipment they operate, repair and
maintain, all front-line employees are able to work
more safely and maximize productivity.
The potential benefits of improved STEM education
extend far beyond the workplace. Improving our
citizens’ familiarity with probabilities and statistics, for
example, would enable us as an informed society
to make better decisions about how to allocate tax
dollars to deliver greater rewards in areas ranging
from transportation safety and homeland security to
healthcare and environmental protection.
We live in an increasingly complex world, and
the amount of data available to us is exploding.
But without providing our young people with an
education that enables them to use data to better
understand their world, our technological advances
cannot deliver their full potential to improve the
health, safety and financial security of our nation and
its people. As we emphasize the need to enhance
STEM education to fill technology jobs in the modern
workforce, we cannot overlook the broader societal
benefits of an increased emphasis on STEM subjects
at all levels of the education system.
Our nation’s STEM challenge, in addition to filling
STEM-related jobs, is to create a STEM-literate society
that is prepared to meet all the challenges of a
technology-driven future. CSX is committed to being
a leading partner in the solutions that will take us
there.■
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The benefits of science and technology have become
so pervasive that we often barely notice them. In our
business of moving freight, computers routinely tell us
the status of shipments, the mechanical condition
of our locomotives and rail cars, and help us move
1,200 trains a day safely and reliably across 21,000
miles of track.
Bradley
Feldmann
Cubic Corporation
Cubic Corporation designs, integrates and operates systems,
products and services focused in the transportation, defense
training and secure communications markets. As the parent
company of two major business units, Cubic’s mission is to increase situational awareness and understanding for customers
worldwide. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services to
create intelligent travel solutions for transportation authorities
and operators. Cubic Global Defense is a leading provider of
realistic combat training systems, secure communications and
networking and highly specialized support services for military
and security forces of the U.S. and allied nations.
Bradley H. Feldmann has served as president
and chief executive officer of Cubic
Corporation since July 2014. Feldmann was
appointed to the board of directors in May
2014.
Previously, he served as the president and
chief operating officer from January 2013
until assuming his current position, and as the
president of the companies comprising the
Cubic Defense Systems segment from 2008
through March 2013.
Prior to re-joining the company in 2008,
Feldmann held senior leadership positions at
OMNIPLEX World Services Corporation and
ManTech International. He previously worked
at Cubic Defense Systems from 1989 to 1999.
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S T E M Feldmann is a graduate of the Stanford
Executive Institute and holds a Master of
Business Administration with honors from San
Diego State University. He is also a distinguished
graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
and a top graduate of the USAF Squadron
Officer School.
Feldmann is a Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors. He is also a
member of the Aerospace Industries Association board of governors, and serves on the
board of several organizations including the
National Defense Industrial Association and
UrbanLife.
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Cubic Corporation, founded and headquartered
in San Diego, CA, is a company well known for its
innovation in the transportation and defense industries.
Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) is a leading
integrator of payment and information technology
and services for intelligent travel solutions; and Cubic
Global Defense (CGD) is a leading provider of realistic
combat training systems, secure communications
and networking and highly specialized support
services for military and security forces of the U.S. and
allied nations. Both businesses are engaged in the
design, development, integration and sustainment of
high-technology systems, products and services for
government and commercial customers worldwide.
We began as an innovation company in 1951 and
we continue to be an innovation company today.
At Cubic we understand the importance of STEM
and recognize the need to promote STEM-based
learning to students at an early stage. To support
these initiatives, Cubic and its subsidiary Intific
developed a multitude of online games related to
STEM to help attract America’s youth to the STEM
subjects. Teaching physics to Kindergartners and
promoting computer programming and robotics to
middle school girls are few successful examples.
Developing STEM educational activities relatable
to these age groups is critical for not only the
children, but also to global companies that will need
employees who studied subjects in the hard sciences
related to STEM. We need to lean forward and be
creative with how we attract the brilliant minds of
tomorrow to STEM disciplines to spark the nation’s
competitiveness.
In order to maintain Cubic’s competitiveness and
to foster leading-edge innovations, we developed
IdeaSpark – an internal innovation social system
where our employees solicit and share ideas across
the company. These ideas include the development
of new products, improvements to current products
or discovering solutions our customers need.
the next ‘make-it-real’ stage. This allows the idea
to be provided with seed funding, researched and
developed into prototype production, solution
or service. Lastly, when all is complete, the idea is
launched into an offered solution.
Since the inception of IdeaSpark in 2014, over 245
ideas have been submitted, 136 catalogued, 106
advanced to the ‘make-it-real’ stage and three
products/solutions launched. We at Cubic believe
creativity and interaction between employees is
important. It’s the reason we leverage 2-3% of our
revenue into research and development. Cubic is
also committed to co-developing with our customers.
We observe for possible pain points and brainstorm
potential solutions cooperatively with customers.
We rank order these projects and make investments
to a portfolio approach for short-term, long-term,
incremental and game-changer products and
services.Today, we have nearly 20 unique projects that
are in the process of working to solve our customers’
pain points. We work on innovation projects using a
phased, incremental approach to co-develop with
our customers to ensure we are developing the most
relevant solutions. Cubic is known for many great
breakthroughs over the years, including inventing
the ‘Top-gun’ training system, implementation of the
first contactless-card ticketing system and the first
‘One-Account’ ticketing system using a smartphone.
We are continuously working to increase the pace
of breakthroughs for our customers through our
innovation social system, IdeaSpark.
Cubic is dedicated to encouraging and cultivating
ideas and innovations, which start from a young age.
It’s why Cubic interacts with hundreds of students,
teachers and administrators who are hungry and
excited for the opportunity to implement STEM
technology and learning paradigms into their
education curriculum. And it’s one of the many ways
Cubic is global, innovative and trusted (our motto).
Similarly, I believe that in order for the U.S. to be a
top producer of innovation, we need to empower
the youth of our country with the STEM sciences and
recognize our workforce for their creativity. By making
such efforts, we can maintain our competitiveness
and provide better products and solutions that help
make the world a better place.■
Employees are encouraged to participate and
every week, a Tech Council reviews submitted ideas
and chooses the best “IdeaSpark” to advance to
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According to statistics from the National Math +
Science Initiative (NMSI), by 2009, over half of U.S.
patents were awarded to non-U.S. companies
because STEM shortcomings are forcing a hold on
innovation. Seeing these kinds of statistics is not good
when you manage a company that relies on cuttingedge products and solutions.
Tom Linebarger
Chairman and
Cummins Inc.
Cummins is a global Fortune 160 company that designs,
manufactures, sells and services diesel engines and related
technology around the world. Cummins serves its customers
through its network of 600 company-owned and independent
distributor facilities and more than 7,200 dealer locations in
over 190 countries and territories.
As a part of Cummins’ commitment to its company core
values, including corporate responsibility, diversity and global
involvement, Cummins invests in education and workforce
development initiatives in communities around the world.
Cummins actively engages engineers to create fun and
meaningful activities to promote STEM initiatives. Cummins
employees work with students as coaches of robotics teams,
as hosts of STEM awareness nights at schools and during
events to assemble engine models from LEGO® bricks.
Cummins engineers use their interests and skills to inspire
young minds to explore the world of STEM.
Tom Linebarger became Chairman and CEO
of Cummins Inc., the largest independent
maker of diesel engines and related products
in the world, on January 1, 2012. Prior to
becoming Chairman and CEO, he served
as President and COO from 2008 to 2011,
Executive Vice President and President,
Power Generation Business from 2003 to 2008,
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
from 2000 to 2003, and Vice President, Supply
Chain Management from 1998 to 2000.
Tom grew up in California and in 1986
received joint undergraduate degrees in
management engineering from Claremont
McKenna
College
and
mechanical
engineering from Stanford University. He later
returned to Stanford University to earn an MS
in manufacturing systems from the School of
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School of Business in 1993.
Prior to joining Cummins, Tom was an
investment analyst and investment manager
at Prudential Investment Corporation where
he lived in both Singapore and Hong Kong.
While at Stanford, he worked at Cummins
as an intern and spent his summer working
on the manufacturing line at the Cummins
Midrange Engine plant in Walesboro, Indiana.
He liked the values, the people and the
business challenges he found at Cummins
and decided to join full time in February 1993.
Tom has been on the board of directors of
Harley Davidson since 2008, and is also a
board member of Energy Systems Network.
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Compelling global studies show that when one-third or
more of a leadership team is female, innovation and
problem-solving are significantly enhanced; resulting
in better financial results and shareholder value. All
leaders at Cummins have improved because of the
influence and perspectives of capable women across
the company; women like our chief technical officer,
our chief administrative officer, our general counsel,
the president of our components business, and the
many women who work in our global engineering
centers in the United States, China, India, Brazil, the
United Kingdom and elsewhere. Our business is better
when we have more gender diversity in all functions,
all regions and all levels of the company.
With nearly 10,000 engineers employed at Cummins,
engineering is the heart of what we do. With a
disproportionate number of men in the engineering
field, we believe the voices and capabilities of
technical women may be underrepresented. Women
are only 20 percent of U.S. engineering undergraduates,
and they account for an even smaller percentage of
engineering students in other parts of the world. In
1991, we opened the Cummins College of Engineering
in India in recognition of this problem, and since
then, thousands of women have earned engineering
degrees from the school, and many of the graduates
now work for us.
Cummins’ efforts to improve gender diversity in the
engineering field through our Technical Women
Initiative are imperative as we work to become the
employer of choice and a leader enabling a diverse
and highly inclusive technical workforce. Our team
works to attract women to careers at Cummins,
develop their skills, fulfill their potential and retain them
in our workforce.
Research indicates that a lack of career and personal
development opportunities is a leading factor of
job dissatisfaction among technical women. In 2007,
women at Cummins started the Cummins Women
in Technology conference to help to address this
concern in our company. Conference attendees learn
about and contribute to new technologies Cummins is
developing,and they further their understanding of how
innovation impacts our business. Based on feedback
from attendees, this conference helps employees,
male and female, technical and nontechnical.
The technical skills gap has created a two-sided
economic problem in many of our communities
around the globe. On one side, employers cannot
find enough qualified people to fill critical technician
roles, and, on the other, many young people cannot
find good paying jobs. By helping people obtain indemand technical skills, we can expand employment
opportunities and improve the quality of life in our
communities.
Our corporate responsibility initiative, Technical
Education for Communities (TEC) is dedicated
to closing the technical skills gap by providing a
standardized platform to help our education partners
develop curriculum, teacher training, career guidance
and practical work experiences that students need.
While TEC helps all people, it is changing the lives of
women in some communities where technical fields
previously have not been open to them.
We currently have 14 TEC sites across Turkey, Morocco,
Nigeria, India, China, Australia, Brazil, Peru and Saudi
Arabia, and we are looking to expand, including our
first site in the United States and projected new sites in
Africa, India and Australia. The students participating
in TEC come from diverse backgrounds and
socioeconomic levels. To many, TEC is the catalyst they
need to succeed in life. And for Cummins and other
industrial partners, it is a source of graduates ready to
enter our technician training programs.
This initiative has made a major impact to the
communities where our campuses are located. One
of our students, Berfu Alev, at Ege University in Izmir,
Turkey told us that she not only had the opportunity
to gain important technical skills; she is also trying to
engage with other students to change perceptions
of what it means to work in a technical career for a
female. Her TEC education experience has taught her
to help other girls in the technical field, removing the
outdated stigmas and stereotypes associated with a
technical career and highlighting the state-of-the-art
equipment, and modern and clean work environments
that today’s professionals use and work in.
Like many global businesses, Cummins understands
that diversity, including gender diversity is critical to
our success. We seek talented men as well as women
in our technical areas. And we believe that the work
we are doing to include more women is benefitting
everyone who works at Cummins. It’s hard to say when
we’ll reach the tipping point of gender balance, but
I am confident that our work and the work of many
others is leading to steady and significant progress in
the right direction.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 82 Cummins Inc.
As a global company leading in the technologies
that drive engine performance, fuel economy and
emissions, we are deeply invested in how our products
and our people power the world. We are committed to
workforce readiness, career development, and how we
can help more talented, energetic people prepare for
engineering and technical careers. The strategies for
engagement that have worked for our company and
for our corporate responsibility programs are promising,
but we have much more work to accomplish.
Scott Berkey
Chief Executive Officer, SIMULIA
Dassault Systèmes
Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides
business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way
products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault
Systèmes’ collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real
world. The group brings value to over 210, 000 customers of all
sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries.
As the CEO for the SIMULIA brand of Dassault
Systèmes, Scott Berkey is responsible for all
aspects of strategy and global business operations. He also serves as a member of Dassault
Systèmes' Global Executive Management
team. Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA develops
and delivers realistic simulation and design
optimization software that is used to perform
virtual tests, which enables leading universities,
research organizations, and manufacturers
to improve the quality, reliability, and safety of
their products.
Prior to becoming CEO, Scott was Vice President of SIMULIA Worldwide Sales Operations.
Previously, he served as CEO of Axentis, Inc.,
which developed software for managing
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Scott served as President and CEO at Proficiency Ltd, a software company for product
data integration and engineering collaboration, and he has also held executive-level positions at SDRC, including responsibilities for the
Asia-Pacific region, Metaphase operations,
and North American sales.
Mr. Berkey has an extensive background
in engineering technology and enterprise
collaboration. He earned a Bachelor of
Science degree in applied science from
Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a MBA
from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Competitiveness for a nation and organizations
starts with having access to an educated and skilled
workforce. By helping young students learn how to
work together in teams, how to develop problemsolving skills, and how to use advanced technology
for research, product design, and manufacturing, we
will be preparing them to develop innovative ideas
that enhance competitiveness.
These educational opportunities are becoming timecritical, as our current baby-boomer workforce is
rapidly entering retirement age. It will take all of us,
working together, to ensure that we are providing
hands-on experience and educational opportunities
for our young people as early in their development
as possible. If we gain the academic edge, we will
achieve stronger competitiveness as a nation.
What steps can be taken to develop the next generation
workforce?
Kids are naturally drawn to things that buzz, beep,
fly, and roll. So we have to start by reaching them as
early as possible. By teaching them ‘how things work,’
during their earliest development phases of curiosity
and learning, we will be able to inspire them to further
their education with STEM-related activities.
We also must break through the traditional barriers
of gender and socio-economics. This means ensuring
that girls are encouraged to get involved with STEM
programs and bringing STEM activities to inner-city
schools. We need mentors who are able to guide and
support these students throughout their academic
careers. In addition, in order to compete with the
entertainment options available, we have to make
these activities fun and rewarding through hands-on
experiences that create that ‘ah-ha’ moment and
helps them visualize how STEM education will create
a better future for themselves and our world.
How does Dassault Systèmes SIMULIA support STEM?
We continue to expand our support of STEM education
through a wide range of community outreach,
grants, and volunteering. We have created a STEM
committee that reviews the opportunities, makes
recommendations, and calls upon the skills and
knowledge of our employees to volunteer their time
in introducing students to STEM concepts and careers.
In 2015, our SIMULIA brand funded and support
five local projects including: Teachers at Dassault
Systèmes, (TADS), Brown University’s SPIRA Engineering
Camp, Inspiring Minds, Save the Bay, and the
Providence after School Alliance. In addition, our
employees volunteered to support an additional 14
STEM-related activities, such as GRRL Tech Workshop,
Hour of Code, and STEM in the Middle. We also
believe parents play a key role and need to be
involved in guiding and supporting their children’s
interests in STEM. To support this idea, we recently held
a workshop in our offices for our employees to bring
their children to participate in STEM learning projects.
The program we are most proud of is “Teachers at
Dassault Systèmes” (TADS). We truly believe that to
make STEM programs successful, we have to help our
teachers be successful. We created TADS as a way
to give teachers the opportunity to learn about new
technologies, use design and engineering software,
and create learning modules for their classroom. This
helps them connect their classroom STEM subjects
with real-world workplace skills.
For example, in 2015 we provided a 6-week internship
for two teachers from Mt. Pleasant High School,
located in Providence, RI. The internship focused on
engineering concepts, problem-solving & critical
thinking skills. During the internship the teachers were
able to develop course materials for their students
that guide them through the process of designing and
building a propeller-powered boat. The students work
in teams and use software from Dassault Systèmes to
design their boat and propeller, simulate its realistic
performance, make changes to their design, build it,
and race their boat against other teams.
According to Donn Chu of the newly formed Cisco
Academy at Mount Pleasant High School,“The value of
using simulation in the classroom is summed up by the
Chinese proverb,‘Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember.
Involve me, I understand.’ Instructional simulations
engage students in ‘deep learning’ that empowers
understanding as opposed to ‘surface learning’ that
requires only memorization. Simulation works!”
education?
It really helps to gain consensus within your
organization on what you want to achieve. Then,
nominate internal STEM leaders to develop and
support your plan. This team can then reach out to
your local community to identify needs and existing
local, state, and federal resources. Once you have
identified which projects you will support, you will
be able to provide volunteer opportunities to your
employees.
I highly recommend providing a budget, no matter
how small, to enable your teams to engage in
supporting local organizations and STEM activities.
Partnering with other local businesses can also amplify
your contributions to reach a higher level of success.
Once you have the basics in place, you can broaden
your support from middle schools and high schools to
primary schools and even look into opportunities to
support undergraduate and graduate programs at
local colleges.
Ultimately, it all starts with motivated and inspirational
leaders within our organizations. These people are not
just top-level executives, but managers and individual
contributors who have the passion to get involved
and stay involved year after year. By empowering
our employees to be STEM leaders, the impact we
can have on building the next-generation, highly
educated workforce will be much greater.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 84 Dassault Systèmes
How do you believe STEM education can improve a nation’s competitiveness?
Cathy
Engelbert
Deloitte LLP
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax, and
advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands,
including 80% of the Fortune 500. Deloitte professionals work
across more than 20 industry sectors with one purpose: to
deliver measurable, lasting results. Deloitte US along with
the network of member firms known as Deloitte Touche
Tohmatsu Limited comprise the largest global professional
services network, serving clients in the markets that are most
important to them.
Cathy Engelbert is CEO of Deloitte LLP, whose
subsidiaries provide audit, tax, consulting, and
advisory services. Cathy leads the largest
professional services firm in the US and is
responsible for over 70,000 professionals
in nearly 90 US cities and India. Deloitte
serves over 80 percent of the FORTUNE 500,
producing measurable and enduring impact
on behalf of our clients, people, communities,
and society. Since 1986, Cathy has had
a distinguished career serving large and
complex global clients. She previously served
as chairman and chief executive officer of
Deloitte LLP’s audit subsidiary. She served on
the Deloitte LLP Board of Directors and was a
member of the Board’s Strategic Investment,
Finance & Audit, Risk, and Regulatory &
Government Relations Committees. She has
also served as National Managing Partner
– Regions for Deloitte & Touche LLP; Deputy
National Professional Practice Director; and
the Financial Accounting and Reporting
Services Quality Risk Manager. Cathy is a
past member of the Deloitte LLP Nominating
Committee and Deloitte’s Board Council.
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of the world’s leading life sciences and
pharmaceutical companies and advises
multinational
companies
on
financial
instrument accounting matters. Cathy
has spoken to influential media including
CNBC, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal,
FOX Business Network and FORTUNE about
key issues including global business trends,
professional services and Deloitte’s growth
strategy.Cathy also frequently discusses how to
advance diversity and inclusion in corporate
America with major news outlets, including
The Washington Post. Cathy is the Chairman
of the Center for Audit Quality Governing
Board and is listed as one of FORTUNE’s 2015
Most Powerful Women and among Crain’s 50
Most Powerful Women in New York for 2015.
She previously served as a member of the
Financial Accounting Standards Advisory
Council and was responsible for advising the
Financial Accounting Standards Board on
strategic issues, project priorities, and other
matters that affect accounting standardsetting.
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At Deloitte, we take this challenge as more than
developing or applying the latest and greatest
technology. Rather, it’s about creativity, and applying
knowledge in new ways. It’s commitment to investing
in the continuous education of our people through
Deloitte University. It’s doubling our investment in
innovation in the next three years so we can help
companies shape next-generation capabilities and
solutions.
Companies today are drowning in data and starving
for insights. As the demand to quickly produce,
analyze, and gain insights from more and more data
rises, we are fundamentally changing the way both
humans and machines work. Klaus Schwab of the
World Economic Forum has dubbed this “The Fourth
Industrial Revolution” in his book released in January
2016. We have a new symbiosis between human
and machine—a world where natural and artificial
intelligence work in tandem.
We know that STEM skills demand our investment and
attention. Fluency in them is a prerequisite for success
in our evolving marketplace. A majority of US high
school students are uninterested or non-proficient in
STEM subjects – 80 percent! And, of those who do
pursue a bachelor’s degree in STEM fields, 48 percent
drop out or switch to a non-STEM major.
In my own field, the world of professional services, we
are already seeing the early effects. As automation
and artificial intelligence reduce the need for manual
data collection and other labor-intensive tasks, our
professionals are asked to more critically evaluate
diverse data and deliver more strategic insights.
New tools help analyze entire populations of data to
detect anomalies and errors. Cognitive technologies
help us extract meaningful insights from unstructured
information. And this is only the beginning.
Over time, these developments will radically disrupt the
how, what, and why of business. This reality is a call to
companies to think boldly and pragmatically to solve
complex problems.
Education is a critical component for helping to
increase students’ interest in STEM. That’s why we
sponsor organizations like Change the Equation,
Reasoning Mind, and the Anita Borg Institute: Grace
Hopper Celebration. They all focus on advancing
STEM efforts. And we will continue to complement
STEM education by investing in training and education
of our people while promoting similar efforts in our
communities.
To help us remain competitive in a time of enormous
innovation and technological growth, we should focus
our efforts around a common narrative that grabs
the attention of those interested in STEM education
and capabilities. Data show that STEM job growth will
continue. Business leaders, who are major beneficiaries
of STEM-skilled workers, must be part of the conversation
to empower the next generation of leaders!■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 86 Deloitte LLP
As CEO of Deloitte, I am privileged to speak with
executives at some of the world’s leading companies
as well as regulators, researchers, academia and
government officials. And one question I hear
repeatedly is: how will we make sure our talent has the
skills and analytical capabilities to help us thrive in a
world that is changing more rapidly than ever before?
At its heart, this question gets at a fundamental need
for STEM competencies in a rapidly changing world.
Bill Goodwyn
Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standardsbased digital content for K-12 classrooms, transforming
teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks,
multimedia content, professional development, and the
largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving
3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery
Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40
percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than
50 countries. Discovery Education partners with districts,
states and like-minded organizations to captivate students,
empower teachers,and transform classrooms with customized
solutions that increase academic achievement. For over a
decade, Discovery Education has provided school systems
worldwide the professional development, digital services,
project-based learning opportunities, and other resources
and initiatives needed to build engaging STEM learning
environments that encourage students to solve real-world
problems while improving academic achievement. For more
information on Discovery Education’s STEM services and
initiatives, visit www.discoveryeducation.com/STEM.
A 27-year veteran of Discovery Communications, Bill Goodwyn is President and CEO of
Discovery Education. As the leading provider
of digital textbooks, curriculum-based digital
content, and professional development, Discovery Education is transforming teaching
and learning worldwide. Serving 3 million educators and over 30 million students, Discovery
Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms, over 40 percent of all primary schools
in the UK, and more than 50 countries.
Under Goodwyn’s leadership, Discovery
Education pioneered the development
and implementation of digital textbooks.
Designed to replace hardcopy textbooks as
the primary resource for classroom instruction,
Discovery Education’s engaging digital ‘Techbooks’ are among the first to be adopted in
multiple U.S. states. Goodwyn also oversaw
the development and launch of new services supporting school systems in building
and sustaining a culture of STEM education
through professional development initiatives,
job-embedded instructional coaching, digital content, and community engagement.
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efforts to forge strategic alliances with corporations, non-profits and foundations to support public education initiatives in the fields
of STEM, sustainability, health, financial literacy,
workforce readiness and more.
Acknowledging his passion and commitment
to excellence in education, EdTech Digest
recognized Goodwyn with their prestigious
Leadership Award. Under his stewardship,
Discovery Education has been recognized
with a number of industry honors, including
awards from the Association of Educational
Publishers, Software & Information Industry
Association, Learning Magazine, and Tech &
Learning Magazine. Discovery Education has
also been named a finalist for the US Chamber
of Commerce Foundation Citizenship Award
for Best Corporate Standard and named
by Fast Company as one of the 10 Most
Innovative Companies in Education.
This year, Goodwyn was honored by the
American Association of Publishers PreK-12
Learning Group with the Visionary Award.
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According to the Business Center for a College and
Career Ready America, almost all of the 30 fastest
growing occupations in the next decade will require
at least some background in STEM. Yet, according to
one report from the Brookings Institution, the number
of U.S. companies reporting difficulty in filling positions
because of a lack of STEM-related skills grew from 14
percent in 2010 to almost 40 percent only three years
later.
These two statistics underscore the importance of
our collective efforts to improve STEM education
across the U.S. We know that in order to compete
in today’s global job market, students need to be
critical thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners
possessing a strong foundational knowledge in STEM.
Specifically, in the K-12 education space, our unique
challenge is to encourage students’ natural curiosity
and creativity while developing the STEM skills they’ll
need for success in the workforce of the future. At
Discovery Education, we believe that when students
are engaged in STEM education with dynamic
digital content and teachers are empowered with
sustained, job-embedded professional development,
an environment ready for STEM teaching and learning
is created. Discovery Education is committed to
helping our school district partners create the
dynamic digital learning environments that promote
and nurture a positive STEM culture, and the critical
thinking skills essential to students’ college, career
and citizenship readiness. Through blended models
of professional development and digital curricular
content, we provide educators strategies and
support as they create positive learning environments
that effectively engage today’s students, foster
academic achievement, and lead to systemic
change throughout the district.
For over a decade, Discovery Education has
provided school systems nationwide the professional
development, digital content, and other dynamic
resources to create the authentic and engaging
learning environments conducive to improving STEM
education across the country.
Within these authentic learning environments, our
Science and Math digital textbooks engage young
men and women in real world projects with a STEM
focus. In addition, within our supplemental service,
our STEM Connect resources make difficult concepts
easy-to-understand and guide student’s interest
in the STEM careers of today. Using these tools,
educators challenge students to explore solutions to
global warming, find alternative energy sources, and
fend off the latest cyber-security threats.
Likewise, digital content can be a potent tool
for sharing potential STEM careers with students.
Through resources like our interactive STEM Camp
curriculum, which is provided at no-cost to summer
camps, after-school learning opportunities and other
educational programs, educators highlight positive
role models making the latest scientific discoveries
or mathematical breakthroughs. These exercises
help breakdown negative stereotypes that exist and
provide young people a first-hand look at some of
the exciting STEM careers to which they can aspire.
Understanding that classroom teachers need
additional professional development to use
these digital resources effectively in a classroom
environment, Discovery Education has also
developed and implemented a variety of professional
development resources for educators. Through
these resources, educators receive the content and
pedagogy professional development needed to
improve their practice in STEM.
Finally, I am proud of Discovery Education’s many
partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits,
and foundations. Through these relationships, we’ve
created additional, no-cost resources that help
improve STEM teaching and learning. For example,
we have partnered with 3M to build a dynamic
project-based learning program to both promote and
highlight STEM for learners. The Discovery Education
3M Young Scientist Challenge selects 10 national
finalists to work with world-renowned 3M scientists in
an exclusive summer mentorship program and go on
to compete for the grand prize of $25,000 and the
title of America’s Top Young Scientist. Finalists from this
program have continued their work in the STEM field
through acquiring patents for their innovations and
pursuing careers in STEM areas.
Together, Discovery Education and our partners in
K-12 education and across the public and private
sectors are working to build a nationwide culture of
STEM that engages learners, supports their academic
development, and meets the needs of the nation
now and in the future. Thanks to the work of great
organizations like STEMConnector, I believe a
positive environment for STEM education is emerging
nationwide. It is our duty collectively to seize this
opportunity, and support educators as they work
to prepare today’s students for the challenges of
tomorrow.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 88 Discovery Education
I am a big believer in the idea that in any endeavor,
a positive environment breeds success. I believe this
concept is particularly applicable to STEM education,
as STEM is not a set of resources or classes, but a
culture of teaching and learning offering students
opportunities to solve real-world problems while
addressing literacy and mathematical standards.
In today’s competitive global economy, it is critical
for America’s future that we as a nation focus on
improving STEM education.
James Dyson
Founder and Chief Engineer
Dyson
Dyson has over 2,000 scientists and engineers specializing in
diverse fields such as fluid, mechanical, electrical and software
engineering, and even including a team of microbiologists.
The company holds over 3,000 patents for more than 500
inventions, and nearly US $2.25 million is invested in R&D at
Dyson each week.
The first stages of R&D still take place, in Malmesbury, where
Dyson’s incredible engineers continuously improve everyday
objects including hand dryers, fans and lighting. In 2014, an
investment plan was announced to inject US $391 million into
a brand new technology campus, which will double the UK’s
Dyson R&D capacity and create 3,000 new engineering jobs.
In 2015 Dyson launched 17 new products in 5 categories and
sold 10 million machines globally. Dyson is also continuing
its support of the R&D landscape through partnerships with
universities worldwide.
A rural upbringing in Norfolk amongst a family
of academics and clergy might seem an
unconventional route into engineering, but
James Dyson showed an obstinate streak
from the off. The sole volunteer to play the
bassoon in the school orchestra, the long
distance runner with the determination to do
things differently.
After graduating from the RCA, James was
employed by local engineering company,
Rotork, where he designed his first project,
the Sea Truck; a high-speed landing craft.
Working alongside Jeremy Fry, James
adopted an Edisonian approach to design;
making prototype after prototype until he got
it just right.
A wheelbarrow which sank in the mud and
chipped paintwork was the inspiration for
Ballbarrow, James next invention. Ballbarrow
had a large inflatable ball instead of a wheel,
which along with chunky feet, gave it stability.
In 1979, James became frustrated with his
then top of the range vacuum cleaner as it
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visit to a local sawmill, James noticed how the
sawdust was removed from the air by large
industrial cyclones. Could that principle work
on a smaller scale, in a vacuum cleaner? He
took his vacuum apart and rigged it up with a
cardboard cyclone - it picked up more than
his old bag machine. The world’s first vacuum
cleaner without a bag.
It took 15 years of frustration, perseverance,
and over 5,000 prototypes, for James to finally
launch the Dyson DCO1 vacuum cleaner
under his own name. Within 18 months it
became the best-selling cleaner in the UK.
Dyson continues to produce new and
different technology, such as the Dyson digital
motor, the Dyson Airblade™ hand dryer, and
the cordless vacuums.
Today, Dyson technology is available in over 70
countries. James continues to work alongside
his growing team of engineers and scientists,
developing new technologies to overcome
everyday frustrations.
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Without engineers and inventors, there is nothing
to patent, market or sell. Ideas and invention are
the foundation upon which an economy grows.
Engineering propels the principles of math and
science into action, and deserves its place alongside
disciplines like biology, chemistry and physics. Yet, in
our school curriculums – both in my home in the UK
and in the US, engineering is often still an afterthought
to math and science, if included at all.
Our job is to get young people excited about engineering at an early age. Young people have the
power to change the world through engineering. We
must ignite their natural curiosity, and fan the flames
of ingenuity. That begins with a commitment in education and should be fostered by our attitude towards the profession.
It’s been over four years since I launched my
Foundation in the US – in Dyson’s home base in
Chicago. Our aim is to inspire young people to take
on engineering. Through free resources and after
school clubs, students disassemble our machines to
discover how they work and why they’re designed
the way they are. They take on their own challenges,
too, thinking of problems in their own life they’d like
to solve, designing and prototyping solutions to
everyday problems.
Our resources are all free, but not just that – they
stand apart. Young minds need space to create – to
fail and learn. So we’ve replaced a game controller
with a screwdriver and give students the opportunity
to experience R&D at Dyson in their very own
classrooms. Through practical, creative activities,
engineering principles come to life.
This year, we’ve taken our efforts a step further and focused in on Chicago, working with the city to set up
state-of-the-art design and engineering labs in three
select public schools. This includes nearly $150,000 of
industry-standard equipment like laser cutter and 3D
printers, along with training and resources for teachers.
The Chicago labs are based on a similar program we
launched at schools near Dyson’s headquarters in the
UK in 2011. This original initiative from our Foundation
saw overwhelming success, with enrollment in design,
technology and engineering courses increasing by
41% for boys and 150% for girls.
But we haven’t stopped with primary or secondary
education. We run an annual competition that
invites university students to design something that
solves a problem. Each year the James Dyson Award
sees truly remarkable solutions to everyday problems,
and as the award grows around the world, we are
seeing more problems solved from more angles.
The best inventions have a significant and practical
purpose, and many feature commercial potential
that has previously been left untapped. Last year’s
international winner created a 3D circuit board
printer, making prototyping electronics easier and
more accessible. Previous winners have created
anything from low-cost incubators for premature
infants in developing countries, to advanced robotic
arms that aid in lifting and physical therapy. It’s
remarkable what young minds think up when given
the freedom to invent.
While we’re committed to training up budding
designers and engineers, we are simultaneously
investing in our own engineers. The number of Dyson
engineers continues to grow at staggering rates. We
currently have 200 open engineering positions that
will support our future technology.
Yet while the field continues to grow and interest
continues to be piqued, a problem remains. There is
still an unmistakable disproportion between men and
women in STEM. By not encouraging girls to explore
engineering just as much as boys, we are effectively
ignoring half a population of potential engineers.
At Dyson, our labs have more than three times the
national average of female engineers. But this isn’t
enough.
When male and female design engineers work
together, the result tends to be better technology.
Diverse insights and points of view are critical to
the design process – someone with a different life
experience to your own may find new issues in a
product, and can help to create better solutions.
This happens every day at Dyson. To encourage girls
(and everyone, for that matter) to get inventing, we
need to do more reveal a true picture of engineering
at a young age.
We must continue to trudge on in our quest to change
the perceptions of STEM, who can participate in it,
and what it looks like. For a technology company
like Dyson, the engineering spirit is critical for future
innovation, and that starts with our young people and
their unhindered exploration of the world of STEM. We
must not forget the US economy is built upon ideas. It
will need many more of them in the coming years.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 90 Dyson
Engineering is at the very heart of what we do at
Dyson. We have more than 2,000 engineers and scientists dedicated to inventing and improving our
machines. Together, they create Dyson’s future. I depend on my team of engineers to continue creating
products that solve problems, but more importantly,
the global economy depends on engineers to keep
invention alive.
Theodore F.
Craver, Jr.
Chairman, President and
Edison International
Edison International (NYSE:EIX), through its subsidiaries, is a
generator and distributor of electric power and an investor
in energy services and technologies, including renewable
energy, headquartered in Rosemead, Calif.
Edison International is the parent company of Southern California
Edison (SCE), one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. SCE has
provided electric service in the region for nearly 130 years, and
is a longtime leader in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
SCE serves more than 14 million people in a 50,000 square-mile
area of central, coastal and Southern California.
Edison International subsidiary Edison Energy Group provides
commercial and industrial customers with a range of energy
services including power management and electric transportation. Edison Energy Group operations are independent of,
and unconnected to, Southern California Edison.
Theodore F. Craver, Jr. is chairman, president
and chief executive officer of Edison
International, the parent company of
Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s
largest electric utilities, and subsidiaries that
are competitive businesses engaged in
generation, delivery or use of electricity.
Craver was elected chairman and CEO in
August 2008 and president in April 2008.
Craver was chairman, president and chief
executive officer of Edison Mission Group
from January 2005 to April 2008. Before that,
he was executive vice president of parent
company Edison International and held the
position of chief financial officer and treasurer
from January 2000 through December 2004.
Before joining Edison in 1996, Craver served
as executive vice present and corporate
treasurer of First Interstate Bancorp from 1991
to 1996. While at First Interstate, Craver also
served as executive vice president and chief
financial officer of the wholesale banking
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First Interstate, he spent four years with Bankers
Trust Company of New York and seven years
with Security Pacific National Bank in various
capital markets sales and trading capacities.
Craver serves on the board and is past
chairman of the Edison Electric Institute
and also serves on the board of the Electric
Power Research Institute. He is a member of
the Business Roundtable and serves on the
board of directors of Health Net, Inc. Craver
is a member of the Economic Advisory
Council of the Federal Reserve Bank’s Twelfth
District. He is also on the board of trustees
of the Autry National Center, the California
Board of Trustees of the Nature Conservancy,
and serves on the advisory board of the
Smithsonian National Museum of American
History.
Craver earned an MBA and a bachelor’s
degree in economics and international relations from the University of Southern California.
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Today’s students are that workforce of tomorrow, and
to the extent that they learn to develop innovative
ideas to address real-time problems, they will help
our company -- and the nation -- keep pace with the
modern world. A major barrier to achieving this goal is
access to STEM education, especially for students from
underrepresented communities. The often high costs
associated with pursuing studies in these fields can be
prohibitive to low-income and minority students.
The Department of Commerce reported that there is
a shortage of STEM workers in this country. While the
number of such jobs is expected to grow by 17 percent through 2018, and STEM workers earn 26 percent
more than non-STEM workers, only 16 percent of high
school seniors plan to pursue STEM careers.
At Edison, we believe that offering scholarships and
providing funding to support mentoring and other resource programs go a long way toward helping students pursue STEM careers.
In consultation with our partners in the education
sector, we developed a higher education strategy in
which we focus our funding on programs that prepare
students to excel in the STEM fields. More than half of
our $20 million annual community investment budget
is directed to help create increased access to STEM
education through scholarships and other programs.
Our Edison Scholars Program provides 30 STEM scholarships each year valued at $40,000 per student. We
also fund another $2.7 million in STEM scholarships
through our partners, including universities and community based organizations that make it possible for
hundreds of underrepresented and minority students
to attend college – many of whom are first in their
families to attend college.
Our philosophy of giving is that all people should have
opportunities to succeed. Providing scholarships is a key
for access. But we also fund programs that help ensure
that students have the resources and support systems
necessary to help them complete college on time.
For example, California State Polytechnic University,
Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona) has a tradition of recruiting and supporting low-income, underrepresented
students and women in its engineering programs.
Cal Poly Pomona’s Women in Engineering Program
provides resources and support to help aspiring
women engineers not only get into college, but ensure that they succeed and complete college. This
program has helped increase the number of female
engineering students. In 2014, female students comprised 22 percent of the incoming engineering fresh-
men class – compared to 15 percent in 2010 when
Edison started to support this program.
Beyond the obvious social and economic benefits,
STEM education has a direct correlation with Edison’s
core business capabilities and priorities. We know
that our continued business growth and future workforce depends on the availability of a talent pool of
skilled STEM professionals.
That’s why, in addition to scholarships, we also provide mentoring and internships, some of which have
resulted in full-time hires into our company. In 2014,
66 percent of the interns hired at our SCU were STEM
majors. Of those interns, 39 percent transitioned into
full-time positions within the company. Some 79 percent of those interns and full-time hires came from
the target campuses we partner with – Cal Poly Pomona, the University of Southern California, California
State University, Long Beach and California State University, Los Angeles.
This effort includes our support of college preparatory programs that help high school students interested in STEM get into college. Through this multi-prong
approach, we have been able to create a pipeline
for STEM professionals into our company, which helps
ensure we are able to find the talent we need.
In addition to our recruiting efforts, we also sponsor
STEM-related events and competitions. One example is the Solar Decathlon, the U.S. Department of Energy’s challenge to collegiate teams to design, build
and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive.
Since 2011, Edison International and SCE have supported the overall Solar Decathlon as well as individual teams as part of our philanthropic commitment
to STEM education. Last year, we were a sustaining
level sponsor of the overall event, at $250,000. In addition, we contributed $150,000 to sponsor Team Orange County, which consists of Irvine Valley College,
Saddleback College, the University of California, Irvine and Chapman University.
Another STEM activity we support is the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
(FIRST) Robotics Competition, in which teams of up
to 10 students from grades 7 through 12 design and
build sophisticated robots using a modular kit of
parts, then compete head to head. In 2015 Edison
partnered with a collaborative group of other utilities
under The Edison Electric Institute to support the FIRST
Tech Challenge Rookie Grant with a contribution of
$50,000. In addition, Edison also contributed $58,500
to support nine local FIRST Robotics teams.
We are honored to be recognized by STEMconnector for our support of STEM education. As we often say
at Edison: we are pleased, but never satisfied. Much
remains to be done to expand the pipeline of tomorrow’s STEM-powered workforce, and we intend to remain at the forefront of this crucial effort. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 92 Edison International
At Edison International, we believe that education in
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) is
key to helping our nation remain globally competitive.
And as a company built on engineering, we see STEM
education as vital for developing our workforce of the
future so we can remain successful in a rapidly changing world where science and technology rules.
John C.
Lechleiter, Ph.D.
Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company has been in business since 1876.The global,
research-based company was founded by Colonel Eli Lilly—a
pharmaceutical chemist and a veteran of the U.S. Civil War—in
Indianapolis, Indiana. For 140 years, Lilly employees have worked
to discover and develop important medical breakthroughs.
Today, Lilly depends on a global STEM workforce of more
than 8,000 people engaged in research and development
(R&D). The company conducts clinical research in more than
55 countries, has R&D facilities in six countries, and complex
manufacturing plants in 13 countries. In the U.S., Lilly’s R&D efforts
involving both biological and chemical substances center on
Cambridge, Massachusetts; New York City; San Diego, and our
Indianapolis headquarters. These efforts target in particular
cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration,
immune system disorders, and pain.
John Lechleiter has served as president and
chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company
since April 1, 2008. He became chairman of
the board of directors on January 1, 2009.
John joined Lilly in 1979 as a senior organic
chemist in process research and development and became head of that department in 1982. In 1984, he began serving as
director of pharmaceutical product development for the Lilly Research Centre Limited
in Windlesham, England. He later held roles
in project management, regulatory affairs,
product development, and pharma operations. In 2005, he was named president and
chief operating officer and joined the board
of directors.
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S T E M John earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Xavier University and master’s and
doctoral degrees in organic chemistry from
Harvard University. John has received honorary doctorates from Marian University (Indianapolis, Indiana), the University of Indianapolis,
the National University of Ireland, Indiana University, and Franklin College.
John is a member of the American Chemical
Society. He serves on the board of the
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers
of America (PhRMA), as chairman of the U.S.Japan Business Council and of United Way
Worldwide, and on the boards of the Chemical
Heritage Foundation and the Central Indiana
Corporate Partnership. He also serves on the
boards of Nike, Inc. and Ford Motor Company.
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Invention is in our country’s DNA—going all the way
back to our founders, whose ranks included inventors
such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. With
a long-range plan that included taming a good
chunk of the continent, Americans explored every
frontier—producing inventions to help conquer time
and space. Wagon trains and steam locomotives
gave way to cars, airplanes, and even rockets, as well
as movies and television, computers and phones,
and now iPhones.
Along with exploring geographical frontiers in the U.S.,
we also began mapping human biology, producing
medicines and medical technology that conquered
many diseases and alleviated others—extending life
spans, enhancing health, and creating new industries
along the way.
It has been my privilege for more than 35 years to
be part of an American-based business dedicated
to invention in biopharmaceuticals: Eli Lilly and
Company. I believe that this is the most exciting period
in history to be involved in drug discovery. There’s
a deep pool of new scientific knowledge at our
disposal, new tools that we can apply to our efforts,
and extraordinary opportunities for collaboration
among industry, academia, and government labs.
We can realize that potential if we have the STEM
talent to lead our discovery centers, labs, clinics, and
manufacturing facilities.
Even apart from the needs of my own industry and
others that rely on STEM-trained individuals, there is
another reason why science still matters. It’s that the
discipline of science develops knowledge and skills
that are critically important to a whole range of roles
in today’s world.
For example, as scientists we’ve developed the ability
to think critically. We’ve had to develop the skills
necessary to identify, analyze, and solve problems—
skills in hot demand in almost any enterprise.
Scientists also understand the importance of data in
guiding decision making. We’re particularly adept at
transforming data into knowledge and using data
to generate new hypotheses. This keeps the gears of
innovation turning.
In addition, the discipline of science teaches us to
appreciate and master complexity, often by breaking
down large problems into more manageable pieces.
Again, that’s a key asset in many situations.
So while training in science is essential in a business
like making medicines, it also helps prepare us for a
wide range of careers beyond the lab.
beyond rhetoric. Our children’s futures depend on it.
Broad understanding of math and science is essential,
first of all, so that young people across our society
have an opportunity to participate in the high-tech
economy of the future. Further, as the technology
sector grows, and the Baby Boom generation retires
and shortages emerge in particular fields, we will
need a large cohort with basic scientific skills to fill
these jobs.
Meeting these needs will require significant attention
to improving K-12 science and math education
across our country, and I believe that both the public
and private sectors must be involved.
At Lilly, we’re supporting several programs designed
to get high-performing teachers into the classroom.
For example, we’re funding a program at Purdue
University to change STEM teacher education from a
model of instruction in specific subject areas to one
in which teachers learn to integrate science inquiry,
technological design, and mathematical analysis.
And we’re strong supporters of programs such as
Teach for America and the New Teacher Project
to place talented people in hard-to-fill math and
science classrooms serving our most at-risk students.
In our home state of Indiana, Lilly also is funding
the Indiana Science Initiative, ISI. The ISI focuses on
younger children—from Kindergarten through 8th
grade—and is built around a hands-on, inquiry-based
learning curriculum designed to involve and excite
kids about science and math. Nearly 2,000 teachers
and more than 50,000 students are involved. The
public schools that have participated in ISI have
improved performance, surpassing the average on
the statewide science test.
We also get Lilly employees involved in our STEM efforts.
For example, we established what we call the Lilly
Science Coach program. More than 100 Lilly scientists
are assigned to specific teachers to help do hands-on
science and serve as role models for students.
This work is important at a fundamental level because
the future of our company and industry depends
on well-trained scientists. We’d like to see more kids
choose to pursue STEM careers—especially women
and minority group members who don’t always have
the same opportunities to practice science and
understand how exciting it can be.
But this work is important to the future of our country as
well. Over the past century, on a foundation of science
and the other STEM fields, the U.S. built the strongest
economy the world has ever seen and extended life
expectancy by an astonishing two-thirds.
Sustaining that progress means nothing less than an allout effort to revitalize STEM education in our country. ■
To continue developing these skills and ensuring that
the U.S. remains an inventing nation, we need to take
our concerns about STEM education in our country
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 94 Eli Lilly and Company
America is an inventing nation and we should aim to
keep it that way.
Mary Frantz
Founder, Chief Executive Officer
and Managing Partner
Enterprise Knowledge Partners, LLC
Enterprise Knowledge Partners, LLC (eKp) is a premier,
nationwide provider of management and technology
consulting solutions offering a holistic approach to information
technology strategy, cyber security and incident response,
eDiscovery and forensic services. EKP consultants perform
expert services in penetration testing, internal investigations,
and data breach remediation, vulnerability scanning,
security tools implementation and testing and provide
expert witness testimony in security, technology electronic
discovery and forensics. As a woman owned business, EKP is
dedicated to helping women and minorities pursue careers in
technology and information security. The owner, Mary Frantz,
is a board member of Enterprising Women Magazine (EW),
is an ambassador for the Young Entrepreneur Women (YEW)
program as part of the EW Foundation, is an active mentor
for women in STEM, and EKP provides for and subsidizes
internships for women and minorities in the fires of information
technology and security, engineering and data analytics.
Mary Frantz is the founder, CEO and Managing
Partner of Enterprise Knowledge Partners, LLC.
(EKP). EKP has three practice areas: Cyber
Security / Incident Response and Remediation;
Enterprise Technology Architecture; and
Electronic Discovery and Forensic services.
Ms. Frantz has over 25 years’ experience in
the areas of Information Technology Strategy,
Enterprise Architecture, Cyber Security,
Compliance, eDiscovery and
Forensics
of which 12 years were spent in executive
leadership roles in Fortune 150 corporations.
She has accumulated vast international
experience and has managed the technical
design and build of global systems. She is also
an expert in cybersecurity, data breach, cloud
based service models and a court vetted
expert in data breaches, breach remediation,
and forensics. She founded EKP in 2004 as one
of the few women owned technology firms
and one of the only Minnesota firm in 2004 to
combine Technology, Security with eDiscovery
services in Minnesota. Since 2004, EKP has
grown to include offices in 4 US States.
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in 1991 with a quadruple major: B.A. in Math
/ Statistics, B.A. in Foreign Language (Spanish,
French), B.S. in International Relations, and a B.S.
in Information Systems. She received an M.B.A.
from the University of Chicago in 1992 with
an emphasis in International Business, and a
Masters in Computer Science Engineering from
the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia
Tech) in 1996. She is a certified information
systems auditor, certified ethical hacker,
certified penetration tester and holds various
other certifications in technology security,
engineering, health care, and architecture.
Mary is a keynote speaker, author, and has
paneled multiple round tables as both a women
entrepreneur and industry expert. She is also a
passionate advocate of for battered women,
early childhood education and mentoring
for women and minorities in STEM. Mary was
recognized as of the 2016 Enterprising Women
of the Year, an annual tribute to the world’s
top women entrepreneurs.
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With sponsorship by some of the attorneys, and with
my own money I enrolled at NIU (Northern Illinois
University). Due to the proximity to Chicago, I was
able to continue working in the city while attending
school and expand my summer work in Chicago by
being one of the few girls assisting pit runners part
time at the Chicago Board of Exchange (CBOE).
Again, I asked to continually get more experience
and I found myself working at the Chicago Bar
Association (CBA) building on LaSalle helping to build
an automated RESPA statement program using PC
Assembler and Pascal at Attorney’s Title. Working with
the programmers was not a paid position. However,
I took every opportunity I could to be part of their
conversations and help out with the programs, even
before I had any formal computer training.
After enrolling at NIU, I became the first woman to
be the computer engineer for the school newspaper
and eventually became the overall manager for the
student computer labs. I also took a local job building
databases in DBaseIII for a shipping company. While
being the only girl wasn’t always easy and I often
had to learn things on my own without much help
from the professors or peers, the reality of my career
choice in math and computer science really hit
home when I applied for the 3M internship and wrote
a paper discussing "Automating the Just in Time
(JIT) Warehouse using Computer Based Scheduling".
When submitting the paper as a representative of
the university, an NIU professor asked that remove
my full name and replace it only my first initials and
last name. The paper came in third place, despite
having no professor sponsorship or help, unlike
some of the male candidates. Needless to say, the
Chicago Logistics Council President (who held the
awards ceremony with 3M as the sponsor) were
quite surprised when woman showed up to accept
the award in 1989. I was the only female in the room,
except for the waitresses.
After 5 years, and four bachelor degrees, I graduated
and accepted a position as a Resource Analyst with
FMC Corporation during the first Gulf War. During
my final year of college, simultaneously enrolled in
law school, didn't really like it and instead pursued
my MBA. I continued my education and finally
completed both my MBA and a Masters in Computer
Science Engineering.
During my career, I was exposed to the onset of
electronic discovery, eaves dropping capability
on undersea cables, advancements in sniffing
wireless signals, the growth of the internet and cyber
security, the move from mainframe TSO to desktop
virtualization, and so much more. I became part
of the technical revolution because I pushed and
made myself part of the conversation, not always
succeeding, but at least trying. Without the EEOC
program, I may never have had these opportunities.
Twenty five years later, I often notice men sharing
and discussing the latest technologies, designs,
code, ideas attending the conferences and getting
training, and leaving the women and minorities
out of the conversation, with minimal training and
advancement opportunities. Women are hired as
security architects, but often relegated to project
management and documentation roles.
As the CEO of my own company attending (and
speaking at) technology and cyber security
conferences, engaging clients in technology
projects and breach response, in 2016 there are
still only a handful of women and minorities in high
tech, and even less in cyber security. Given the
existing shortage and the insatiable need for STEM
talent, particularly in information technology and
security, we can’t afford to leave anyone out of the
conversation. Therefore, I have made it a priority
throughout my career to encourage and provide
opportunities through mentoring, internships, and
subsidizing training for young women and minorities
in STEM fields, encouraging them to stick with the
programs and pursue their dreams, talents and
passions. I have seen an incredible amount of
untapped, unrealized talent and potential because
of not lack of opportunity to succeed. I encourage
everyone in STEM fields to give back and encourage
all young people to pursue their passion in STEM roles
by including them through mentorship, sponsorship
and providing internships. Include and keep them in
the conversation, our future depends on it.
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My family didn’t have a lot of money, no one in my
family had a college education, my father never
graduated from high school due to WWII and the
draft, if I wanted to have new clothes, music lessons,
or go to college, I was going to have to earn my
own way. I also did odd jobs at my dad’s work place
where he was a carpenter / contract building. So,
when high school came around, I elected to enroll
in Woods (Woodworking), Electricity and Automotive
classes, in addition to honors level math, science and
English. Of course, I was the only girl in those classes.
Ron Mobed
Elsevier
Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that
enhance the performance of science, health, and technology
professionals, empowering them to make better decisions,
deliver better care, and groundbreaking discoveries that
advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress.
Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions and publishes
over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more
than 33,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference
works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading
provider of information solutions for professional customers
across industries. www.elsevier.com. The Elsevier Foundation
founded in 2002 has awarded over 80 grants worth millions
of dollars to non-profit organizations focusing on the world’s
libraries, nurse faculty and women scholars during their early
and mid-careers. The Elsevier Foundation Awards for Women
in Science in the Developing World provides annual awards
to early and mid-career women scientists in Africa, Asia, South
America and the Caribbean.
Ron Mobed joined Elsevier in April 2011 to
direct the science and technology group and
oversee the interests of research professionals.
He became CEO of Elsevier BV In August
2012. A petroleum engineer by training, his
early career work with the collection and
analysis of data from oil rigs in the North Sea
set the stage for his understanding of the role
that data plays across a number of industry
sectors.
The British expat has traveled extensively
and worked in many emerging nations in
Africa and southeast Asia. His international
experience in these countries has given him
an appreciation for the advances science
has provided to a modern society and he has
seen first hand how providing a person with
skills changes not only that person but the
whole family and community at large.
Elsevier’s STEM initiatives for early career
researches is an integral part of his personal
philosophy and sees the company’s support
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to the advancement of science and medicine
everywhere. He believes that science is global
therefore it is important for Elsevier to develop
the technologies and tools that enable
researchers to tap into the very best minds of
a vast array of disciplinary expertise .
His advice to young people is simple -- that
the key to success is the ability to understand
one’s innate character, skills and capabilities,
and to use those effectively. He encourages
young people to have a career plan, be
willing to take risks to achieve their goals and,
above all, to think about how they can add
value to the organization.
Mobed is a graduate of the University of Cambridge with B.S in engineering and earned
a masters degree in petroleum engineering
from Imperial College London. He currently
lives in Amsterdam.
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As a publisher of STM journals and books Elsevier has
a vested interest in supporting STEM based initiatives,
but I’d like to look at the issue from a couple of
different perspectives.
First: science literacy. Not every child will want to
become a scientist or engineer but STEM subjects
are essential to a well-rounded education and useful
for all career paths. Science is the search for truth,
and science research is the inquiry-based process
by which truths are uncovered. It encourages the
“why’s” and “how’s” and challenges to the status
quo and accepted thinking. Science research
encourages risk-taking and learning how to learn
from failure as much as success, all the intangible skills
that make for the type of worker required for the 21st
century job market.
Employment aside, understanding how the world
works is important when today’s students become
tomorrow’s voters who must decide on issues that
have direct impact on their own communities and
personal lives. Should “fracking” be allowed? What’s
the difference between global warming and climate
change? Why does medicine cost so much? Should
we be spending so much taxpayer money on space
missions when there are so many problems to sort out
on earth? Should we invest in basic research or stick
to applied and clinical research? What is the role
of government and the corporate sector in science?
There isn’t any facet of our lives that isn’t touched
by science in some way. We owe the benefits of our
modern civilized society to the millions of unsung
heroes in the global research community who toil
away, often for years, at painstaking studies to make
incremental advances in a cure, an innovation,
or a way for us to know more about our world and
where we came from. It’s a tough job that requires
years of erudition, patience, dedication and personal
commitment to working for the greater good, not to
mention a significant investment of money in getting
the education that’s needed for this career path.
Which leads me to my second point – the support
that’s needed for those students who decide to
pursue a career in science. At the under-graduate
level, most of the scholarships that exist are only open
to high school students, e.g. the prestigious research
competitions and their generous prizes supported by
tech giants Intel, Siemens, Toshiba and Google and
others. However, once in college opportunities for
scholarships are practically non-existent, especially
at the graduate level. If they’re not lucky enough
to have financial support from the family, graduate
students either must take out additional loans, work
part-time, or possibly delay graduate school until they
have enough capital to pay their own way. None of
these are particularly satisfying answers especially
when you consider the average starting salary of a
researcher is quite low. For example according to
Salary.com the average salary for a biochemist with
two years experience is about $48,500 per year.
So what can be done? Several things: Provide
stipends, grants and scholarships for graduate and
post doc students for tuition, research and professional
career development such as conferences where
they can network with their peers and colleagues.
The Elsevier Family Support Awards provides grants for
early career researchers (male and female) wishing
to attend conferences who don’t have the resources
to cover child-care.
Address the issue of STEM workforce retention
especially among female researchers. A study
funded by the Elsevier Foundation and conducted by
the Association for Women in Science of more than
4,000 researchers about their work-life challenges,
revealed that 40 percent of female researchers
delayed having a family because of their careers,
compared with 27 percent for men. All the millions
of dollars being spent by private and government
institutions to encourage girls to consider STEM
careers will be for naught if we cannot create familyfriendly STEM workplace environments.
Impress upon policy-makers the importance of all
forms of research: basic, applied as well as clinical.
Cutting funding for medical research, while it may
seem to make financial sense in the short-term, is
not conducive to ensuring that we will be able to
cope with the costly, chronic problems of an aging
population or to ensure that babies and young
children have a healthy start in life and become
productive citizens of their world.
Encourage investment and provide resources to early
career researchers in developing countries especially
for women. We live in a global society and the
challenges faced by the developing world affect us
all. Encouraging STEM education in all societies and
providing role models for girls such as the winners of
the Elsevier Foundation Awards for Women in Science
in the Developing World will help developing nations
build their own sustainable educated workforces that
can contribute to the global economy.
Investing in STEM education is crucial to ensuring
there is a pipeline of talent for future generations of
science research and a STEM educated workforce
who will have the scientific literacy to understand
why we need to do so.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 98 Elsevier
The issue of STEM education and what to do about
it has been part of the national conversation for
well over 20 years, so it’s encouraging to see the
investment being made by many of the world’s
leading corporations and I’m awed at the scope
and level of commitment. It’s fantastic.
Stephen Howe, Jr.
US Chairman and
Americas Managing Partner
EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and
advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver
help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in
economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders
who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders.
In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working
world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or
more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited,
each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young
Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does
not provide services to clients. For more information about
our organization, please visit ey.com.
Stephen (Steve) R. Howe, Jr. is EY’s US Chairman
and Americas Managing Partner. In the
Americas, EY member firms operate in 30
countries. Steve leads the U.S. and Americas
Executive Committees and represents EY
in regulatory relationships. He also directly
serves as Executive Sponsor for the Firm’s
focus on diversity and inclusiveness. He has
been with EY for over 33 years.
Steve previously served as audit partner for
various global financial institution clients and
as senior advisory partner on many of EY’s
largest clients. Prior to his role as US Chairman
and Americas Managing Partner, Steve
served as Managing Partner of the Financial
Services Office.
Over the past several years, Steve has been
honored by the National Association of
Corporate Directors (NACD) as one of the
most influential leaders in the boardroom
and corporate governance community.
Accounting Today named Steve to their
“Top 100 Most Influential People” list of
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accounting profession. In addition, Steve
was recognized as one of the top “100 CEO
Leaders in STEM” by STEMconnector.
Steve graduated from Colgate University with
a BA in Mathematical Economics and from
the Stern School at New York University with
an MBA in Accounting and Finance. Steve is
a member of the Board of Governors of the
Center for Audit Quality, the Board of Trustees
of the Financial Accounting Foundation, the
Board of Trustees of Colgate University, the
Board of the Partnership for New York City
and the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Hall.
Steve also served as the Corporate Chairman
for the Liberty Science Center Genius Gala.
Steve and his wife, Kate, are active supporters
of a number of charities and Steve is actively
involved in the development and support of
EY's Corporate Responsibility initiatives.
Steve and Kate have four children and reside
in Pleasantville, NY.
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Unprecedented growth
STEM fields are growing faster than ever. At the same
time, the current talent pool is aging out; in 2014, many
engineers and workers in advanced manufacturing
were 45 or older. And there’s already a STEM talent
shortage. In 2013, 40% of U.S. companies reported
difficulty in filling positions because of a lack of
skills — up from 14% in 2010, according to Brookings
Institution.
Typically, industry growth coupled with a talent
shortage means opportunity rather than crisis. Many
college graduates are witnessing these STEM trends,
and they recognize the opportunity. That’s because
almost all of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the
next decade will require at least some background
in STEM, according to Business Center for a Collegeand Career-Ready America.
We at EY are proud to be a STEM employer. STEM
graduates are naturally analytical, and have a
deep understanding of our clients’ pain points. We
look forward to hiring many more STEM graduates
in the future. Because while STEM industries expand,
and STEM job opportunities are abundant, the next
generation is severely ill-equipped to fill these roles.
A forgotten generation
We call Millennials and Gen Z-ers digital natives; they
grew up in the Internet age, have numerous personal
devices and are intimately knowledgeable about
social media. But being a digital native does not
equate to being technologically savvy. In fact, US
Millennials ranked dead last out of 19 Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
countries tested in problem solving with technology.
They failed equally atrociously in science and math.
These STEM-averse young adults are our future.
This skills gap isn’t simply an issue for students or STEM
hiring managers. Research from the Washington
Center for Equitable Growth found that the US would
gain an extra $2.5 trillion in gross domestic product
between now and 2050 if our country’s students
scored at the international average on math and
science tests. Though we’re already feeling the pain
of the talent shortage, there are steps we can take
proactively in order to create a sustainable talent
pipeline — and help students and the country, as a
whole.
Solution in diversity
The shortage of STEM-skills extends from the
classroom into the workforce. Women and minorities,
for example, are extremely underrepresented in
STEM majors and STEM careers. Women, in particular,
remain as scarce as ever in engineering, computing
and advanced manufacturing.
computer scientists. And if people of color were
fully represented, we’d have another 570,000 more.
But fixing the skills gap isn’t about simply convincing
students of the job growth in STEM. There are many
underlying issues.
Education, for example. Girls around the world
generally outperform boys in science—but not in
the U.S. where boys scored better than girls. And,
according to data from the U.S. Department of
Education’s Office of Civil Rights, Hispanic students
make up 20% of the student body at high schools
offering calculus, but only 10% of the students taking
calculus.
At the college level, women are more likely than men
to switch out of STEM majors, and minorities’ numbers
are also dwindling. According to the U.S. Department
of Education, in 2012, 14% of undergraduate STEM
degrees were awarded to people of color, even
though they represent 33% of the college-age
population. The numbers fall further still with higher
education. People of color received only 9% of
master's degrees and a mere 6% of doctorates.
What can we do?
While there are many opinions about who is to blame
for this discrepancy in STEM fields, pointing fingers is
ultimately fruitless. The fact of the matter is that we,
as employers of STEM scholars, must layer in support
in order to build and sustain that talent pipeline, and
avoid a skills gap crisis. At EY, we’ve taken steps such
as:
• Prioritizing gender parity and supporting women’s
growth through internal programs and external
programs, such as EY’s Entrepreneurial Winning
Women. This has the added benefit of boosting
women leaders, who can serve as role models for
tomorrow’s talent.
• Advocating for a diverse and inclusive culture —
appreciating the value add from people of all
backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual identities and
orientations, and abilities.
• Engaging with the community and participating in
mentorship programs to help interested students
succeed in STEM.
• Strategically investing time and money. At EY, we
invest in our communities through skills-based
volunteering. We also invest in education to ensure
that future generations have the skills required for
societies to thrive. And to foster innovation, we
invest in small- to medium-size businesses, social
enterprises and entrepreneurs, particularly women
and youth.■
Consider this: according to Change and Economic
Modeling Specialists International data, if women
were fully represented in the computer science
workforce, we’d have about 1.8 million more
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 100 EY
The STEM industries — that is, science, technology,
engineering and math — should prepare for crisis. A
talent crisis.
Rex W. Tillerson
Chairman and
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil has been a long-time advocate and supporter
for K-12 math and science education. It supports programs
that strengthen the STEM teacher workforce, rejuvenate STEM
learning in the classroom and bolster academic standards.
ExxonMobil was a founding sponsor of the National Math and
Science Initiative, which is improving student performance
in the critical subjects of math and science. The company
partners with professional golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife
Amy to host the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy,
and with the first African-American astronaut to walk in
space, Dr. Bernard Harris, to host summer science camps at
universities across the country. In 2014, ExxonMobil launched
Be An Engineer, a multi-faceted initiative building a greater
understanding of the engineering field and the opportunities
it offers. Over the past 16 years, ExxonMobil has invested more
than $1.2 billion in education around the world, including
$98 million in 2015 of which nearly $19 million was for STEMrelated programs in the United States.
A native of Wichita Falls, Texas, Rex Tillerson
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in civil
engineering at the University of Texas at Austin
before joining Exxon Company, U.S.A. in 1975
as a production engineer.
In 1992, Mr. Tillerson was named production
advisor to Exxon Corporation. Three years later,
he was named president of Exxon Yemen Inc.
and Esso Exploration and Production Khorat
Inc., and in January 1998, became vice
president of Exxon Ventures (CIS) Inc. and
president of Exxon Neftegas Limited. In those
roles, he was responsible for Exxon’s holdings
in Russia and the Caspian Sea, as well as the
Sakhalin-I consortium operations offshore
Sakhalin Island, Russia.
In December 1999, he became executive
vice president of ExxonMobil Development
Company. Mr. Tillerson was named senior
vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation in
August 2001, and was elected president of
the corporation and member of the board
of directors on March 1, 2004. He assumed his
current position on January 1, 2006.
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Mr. Tillerson is a member of the executive
committee and a former chairman of the
American Petroleum Institute. He is also a
member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers
and a trustee of the Center for Strategic and
International Studies. He is a member of the
National Petroleum Council, a member of the
Business Roundtable,a member of the Business
Council, an honorary trustee of the Business
Council for International Understanding, and
a member of the Emergency Committee
for American Trade. In 2013, Mr. Tillerson
was elected to the National Academy of
Engineering.
Mr. Tillerson is the vice-chairman of the Ford’s
Theatre Society, past national president of the
Boy Scouts of America, and a former director
of the United Negro College Fund. He is
also a member of the Chancellor’s Council,
Development Board and the Engineering
Advisory Board for the University of Texas at
Austin, where he was named a distinguished
alumnus in 2007. In 2011, he received an
honorary doctorate engineering degree
from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
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ExxonMobil’s success in a global economy depends
on the quality, ingenuity and diversity of our workforce,
and we are certainly not alone. Unfortunately, if the
next generation of U.S. workers lacks the skills to solve
the problems of the future, it is not just U.S. leadership in
energy that is at risk – it is also our leadership in medicine,
research, technology and other pillars of the American
economy. For the United States to remain competitive
globally, we must ensure all children, no matter where
they live or their background, are provided the best
education possible and equipped to excel when they
finish high school and go onto college or work.
Improving math and science proficiency is essential to
ensuring our students’ competitiveness. The evidence
is clear: In 2012, the Program for International Student
Assessment ranked U.S. students 21st in the world in
science and 26th in math. Our nation led the world 25
years ago in high school and college graduation, but
we have since dropped to 23rd and 18th in the rankings.
Our nation’s students must be prepared to compete
in today’s global economy to ensure continued
American innovation and a robust economy. Math
and science are the universal languages of the global
workplace and critical tools for success in today’s hightech world. Students proficient in these subjects will be
prepared to succeed in the workforce and excel at
21st century jobs.
While it is important to set high expectations, students
will not excel without great teachers to challenge
and prepare them for success. A critical component
in raising the bar on math and science education is
providing high-quality professional development for
current teachers, as well as recruiting and preparing
a new corps of motivated and gifted math and
science teachers. In crucial middle-school years, only
30 percent of eighth-graders are being taught math
by teachers with a mathematics degree and less than
half those same students are being taught physical
sciences by a teacher with a science degree. The
ExxonMobil-supported National Math and Science
Initiative (NMSI) has trained more than 50,000 teachers
across the country through its College Readiness and
Laying the Foundation programs. NMSI's hallmark
teacher preparation program at the university level,
UTeach, is working to build the quality of our future
teacher corps, and it is estimated that nearly 5 million
students will learn from UTeach teachers by the year
2020. Additionally, the Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers
Academy has created deep learning experiences for
more than 5,000 elementary teachers in math and
science over the past decade.
Diversity of perspectives and experiences helps ensure
a breadth of technological innovation. Access to STEM
education must be made widely available across the
country, particularly to women and minorities. It is also
critical that we shift societal perception about who
can be a STEM leader. Under-represented minorities
hold only 10 percent of science and engineering
jobs, despite making up more than a quarter of the
U.S. population aged 21 and older. The percentage
of women working in engineering, computing and
advanced manufacturing has remained unchanged
since 2001.To address these issues,ExxonMobil continues
to support the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, United
Negro College Fund, American Indian College Fund,
National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women
Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
and the National Action Council for Minorities in
Engineering. In addition, the Be An Engineer initiative
ExxonMobil launched in 2014 is showing young people
the possibilities associated with a career in engineering
by specifically profiling women and underrepresented
minorities.
At its core, ExxonMobil is a company of problem
solvers, but no one organization or company can
address the issues surrounding STEM education and
workforce development alone. Collaboration is critical
at all levels: among the organizations working toward a
common mission, and among the businesses, teachers
and parents who are building a collective movement
to improve student performance in math and science.
It requires a collective effort, and we are proud to play
our part by partnering with leaders in the field and
advancing programs that make a difference.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 102 ExxonMobil
The United States is known for its history of innovation
and technological leadership in every sector of the
economy. Currently, there are few challenges more
pressing for our nation than the need to improve U.S.
education. All of us understand that education is the
fundamental building block for individual opportunity,
economic growth and long-term competitiveness.
There are millions of job openings in this country –
jobs that are going unfilled because we do not have
enough candidates with the adequate skills to fill
them, particularly in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM).
David T. Seaton
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Fluor Corporation
Fluor Corporation is a global engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction and maintenance company that designs, builds and maintains capital-efficient facilities for its
clients on six continents. For more than a century, Fluor has
served clients by delivering innovative and integrated solutions for our clients in the energy, chemicals, government, industrial, infrastructure, mining and metals, and power market
sectors. With headquarters in Irving, Texas, Fluor ranks 136 on
the FORTUNE 500 list with revenue of $18.1 billion in 2015 and
has 59,000 employees worldwide.
David Seaton serves as the chairman and chief
executive officer of Fluor Corporation, one of
the world’s leading and largest engineering,
procurement, construction and maintenance
services companies. He became CEO and
joined Fluor’s board of directors in February
2011, and was elected to the role of chairman
of the board in February 2012.
Since joining the company in 1985, Mr. Seaton
has held numerous positions in both operations
and sales globally. Prior to assuming his current
position, Mr. Seaton served as Fluor’s chief
operating officer. He has served as the senior
group president over Energy & Chemicals,
Government and Power Groups and was
responsible for Fluor’s activities in China
and the Middle East. He led the company’s
global business activities in the upstream,
downstream, pipeline, offshore, gas processing,
oil and gas production, chemicals, integrated
petrochemical
and
petroleum
refining
industries including ICA Fluor, the company’s
joint venture in Mexico. Mr. Seaton has also
served as senior vice president and group
executive for Fluor’s global corporate sales
function. Active in a variety of professional
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and business organizations, Mr. Seaton serves
on the board of directors of The Mosaic
Company (NYSE: MOS) and is a member of
the Business Roundtable and the International
Business Council. He is a board member of the
American Petroleum Institute (API) and the
U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council.
As chief executive officer, Mr. Seaton is committed to maintaining Fluor's commitments in
the areas of ethics and compliance, integrity
and anti-corruption. He is an active leader
and board member of the World Economic
Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative, the co-chair of the Forum's Global
Agenda Council on Corruption, and the
chairman of the PACI Vanguard initiative. He
is also the chairman for the Boys and Girls
Clubs of America, Southwest Region.
Mr. Seaton holds a bachelor’s degree from
the University of South Carolina and received
an honorary doctoral degree in 2014. He
completed the Advanced Management
Program at the Wharton School of Business
and Thunderbird University’s International
Management Program.
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That’s a huge dilemma facing business and society
in the United States. Our future, and the future of our
children’s children depend on how we address this
challenge today, and we are losing the competition
on a global stage.
Here is a case in point – youth sports.
Have you ever been amazed by the enthusiasm
some parents have for youth sports?
Can you imagine the power and motivation that
comes from parents to encourage and support their
children to learn and play a sport?
Consider these statistics:
According the the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, 21
million youth in the United States between the ages
of six and 17 play team sports on a regular basis; and
another five million youth engage in sports on an occasional basis.
In 2013, the NCAA reported that there were more
than 460,000 students playing sports at the collegiate
level and fewer than two percent would go on to become professional athletes.
Now consider this:
If parents today put a fraction of the emphasis on
encouraging and supporting STEM-directed learning
as they do on travelling soccer and baseball teams,
our discussion would be very different.
To be clear, I’m a huge supporter of sports and have
benefited throughout my life from the lessons learned
through participation in organized sports. But today’s
youth have a much better chance of realizing a successful STEM-based career than they do of becoming a professional athlete.
We have to make STEM-based learning as essential
to every student as is, say, a smart phone.
This may sound sound far-fetched, but the smart
phone is a very likely technology bridge that leads
to a difference. Our youth marvel at its capabilities
and effectiveness and intuitively know that without
science and technology, it would never have been
invented. Yet today, it plays an essential role in their
lives – and ours too.
It’s projected that the number of STEM-related jobs
will increase by almost 17 percent over the next decade – but the U.S. pipeline of students to fill this need
is missing in action.
Where is the motivation, commitment and drive to turn
this around? It’s in our hands and our leadership, advocacy and support are essential to help change occur.
I’m sure you have seen the latest statistics from the
U.S. Department of Education – U.S. students ranked
27th in science and 35th in math when compared
to the rest of the world, with only about 17 percent
of high school seniors considered to be proficient in
math and/or interested in a STEM career.
Worse yet, fewer than 50 percent of college entrants
pursuing a STEM major today actually complete a
STEM degree.
Fluor is a data-driven company. Our global engineering and construction services are steeped in complex and exact technologies – often at the cutting
edge of science with a central need for employees
who excel in STEM. It’s intrinsic to our future success.
Today, like many of my peers, I wonder where the
employees of the future will come from to keep our
company successful. This is a challenge not just for
Fluor, but also for our nation – as the statistics validate.
Now is the time for all of us – in business, government
and education – to demonstrate leadership and
commitment to change the perceptions to make
STEM-directed learning a positive pursuit, not a negative one, in the eyes of our youth.
Our youth are truly special and we are letting them
down. We need to be better mentors and role models who show the way to a future that provides opportunities like we have enjoyed in our lives. And
that’s a shared responsibility.
Frankly, we need to move with a true sense of urgency to change this for the sake of our youth.
Together, let’s build a system that encourages, motivates, measures and promotes a pathway toward
STEM-based learning. Success is sustainable if it is
informed, knowledge-based and framed by values
and beliefs. And we can make a difference.
I challenge you to share your successes as a mentor
and be a positive role model to help our youth make
the right choices and choose STEM as an essential
part of their future success.
Say yes to STEM! ■
But U.S. performance on STEM-related learning is
abysmal. In business terms, the value curve is absolutely upside down. And for companies like ours, we
are losing time.
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 104 Fluor Corporation
According to the U.S. Business Roundtable, 80 percent of our youth are either uninterested in, or nonproficient in science, technology, engineering and
math (STEM) – yet as we all know, the greatest job
opportunities in the future are based in these important disciplines.
Mark Fields
Ford Motor Company
With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide,
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility
company based in Dearborn, Michigan. In one of the most
significant strategic shifts in the company’s history, Ford is
expanding its business model to provide great products and
great experiences that will help make people’s lives better
and, ultimately, help change the way the world moves.
Ford understands that its future success is dependent upon
developing innovative technologies that not only meet, but
exceed, the demands of customers. And exceeding those
expectations will only happen with the right talent. The
automotive industry is one of many facing severe shortages
of students and recent graduates entering the workforce
with the skills and knowledge needed in technological and
engineering fields. Ford believes it is critical to develop a
pipeline of technically trained professionals and to create
opportunities for students to become more engaged in the
fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Mark Fields is president and chief executive
officer of Ford Motor Company,and a member
of the company’s board of directors.
Under Fields’ leadership, Ford is expanding
its business model to be both an auto and
a mobility company. Committed to growing
and investing in its core business of designing,
manufacturing, marketing, financing and
servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs
and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln
luxury vehicles, Ford also is aggressively
pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford
Smart Mobility – the company’s plan to be a
leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous
vehicles, the customer experience and data
and analytics.
Fields joined Ford Motor Company in July 1989
and held a number of leadership positions
in North America and South America early
in his career, including managing director,
Ford Argentina. He also previously served
as president and chief executive officer,
Mazda Motor Corporation, and executive
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vice president, Ford of Europe and Premier
Automotive Group, where he led all activities
for Ford’s premium vehicle business group
and for Ford brand vehicles manufactured
and sold in European countries.
From 2005-2012, Fields served as executive
vice president, Ford Motor Company, and
president, The Americas. In this role, he was
responsible for the transformation of the
company’s North America operations and
record profitability.
In December 2012, Fields was named chief
operating officer, Ford Motor Company. In this
role, and as CEO, Fields was responsible for
overseeing Ford’s fastest global manufacturing
expansion in 50 years and managing the
most aggressive global product introduction
schedule in the company’s history. Fields
became CEO in July 2014.
Fields holds an economics degree from
Rutgers University and an MBA from Harvard
Graduate School of Business.
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What counsel would you provide on "collaborating to
achieve success" in STEM education and the workforce?
In today’s global economy, education is a critical
driver of individual economic success and community
prosperity. Public-private partnerships are powerful
tools that can effectively empower communities to
create and scale innovative educational programs
and initiatives, which include STEM. In order to tackle
the most pressing education challenges, publicprivate partnerships can be a strategic enabler to
bringing sustainable change at a systemic level. A
great example of a program like this at work is the
Ford Next Generation Learning (Ford NGL) program.
A key building block for success in this space is
communication to raise STEM awareness at a variety
of levels, including:
Ford NGL supports a network of 25 communities around
the nation that are committed to comprehensive
long-term education revitalization. Through Ford
NGL, key players from public and private sectors –
workforce and economic development groups,
local employers, non-profits, and civic organizations
– come together with their local school district to
advocate, advise and assist in the development
of high-quality, academically rigorous high school
career academies. In these academies, students
learn through the lens of a potential career – many
of which are STEM based and focus on areas such
as engineering, manufacturing, IT, aerospace, and
design, among other areas. Our Ford NGL initiative
reaches more than 225,000 students.
• Engaging training providers to evaluate STEM
curriculum and program structure, ensuring
alignment with employment needs of the future
In order to enjoy community prosperity and a strong
talent pipeline, businesses need to recognize that it
is in everyone’s best interest to support educators
and engage them in meaningful, strategic, and
sustainable ways, such as teacher externships –
another key component of Ford NGL. By forming
partnerships that support one another and push each
other to go further, we all end up in a better place.
That is the true power of public-private partnership.
How can we do a better job to strategically coordinate
those engaged in STEM across companies and between
different departments within companies?
Research has shown that there is lack of a common
language to describe skills and competencies among
employers and training providers. In addition, it can be
difficult to get accurate assessments of talent needs
due to the lack of transparency around current and
future demand for STEM jobs. To address this issue, it
is beneficial for employers to come together and
identify in-demand skillsets and competencies and
develop STEM job profiles. These profiles can be used
help determine a standardized approach to define
skill requirements. Using structured organizations
like boards or councils can help standardize the
approach to STEM initiatives across companies and
provide forecasts to help assess future job demand.
• Continuing to change perceptions and increase
the interest in STEM, including using student/
parent/teacher surveys to measure interest and
awareness of STEM
• Developing a culture where the entire community
believes that developing the STEM workforce is an
investment in its own future
• Leveraging STEM subject matter experts to
supplement curriculum by adding workplace
experience into classrooms. This training should
align with employer requirements and help
students develop STEM technical skills in advance
of employment
• Engaging senior students and STEM graduates to
champion regional STEM efforts. Many younger
students have limited exposure to current and
future STEM occupations
• Provide
opportunities for working-age adults
to retrain and up-skill themselves to potentially
address workforce needs
• Incentivize workforce development agencies to
direct clients towards technical training tracks
Ford Motor Company understands that diversity
makes us a better and stronger company, by bringing
in fresh ideas, perspectives, and experiences. As a
leader in STEM initiatives, Ford has invested significantly
in programs to support our communities and build the
next-generation workforce. We believe it is crucial to
ensure we attract, develop and retain a workforce
that has diverse perspectives, skills and backgrounds
to drive the innovation needed to compete with
global automotive and mobility leaders. In having a
diverse and inclusive environment, individuals can
better collaborate, problem solve and increase their
creativity to support our long-term business strategies.■
Ideally, all STEM-related activities and initiatives
within different departments of one company
should be managed centrally to ensure corporate
alignment, consistency of purpose, and unification
of efforts. In addition, mentorships, internships and
apprenticeship opportunities should be offered to
build and strengthen the STEM pipeline.
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to tackle our most pressing education challenges in STEM?
Richard C.
Adkerson
Vice Chairman, President and
Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) is a premier international natural
resources company with headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.
FCX operates large, long-lived, geographically diverse assets
with significant proven and probable reserves of copper, gold,
molybdenum, cobalt, oil and natural gas. FCX has a dynamic
portfolio of operating, expansion and growth projects in the
copper industry. FCX is the world’s largest publically traded
copper producer, the world’s largest producer of molybdenum
and a significant gold, oil and natural gas producer.
Richard C. Adkerson graduated from Mississippi
State University with a B.S. degree in Accounting
with highest honors and an M.B.A. degree.
In 2010, he received an Honorary Doctor of
Science degree from Mississippi State. He also
completed the Advanced Management
Program of the Harvard Business School in 1988.
Prior to joining Freeport-McMoRan in 1989, he
was Partner and Managing Director in Arthur
Andersen & Co. where he headed the Firm’s
Worldwide Oil and Gas Industry Practice. From
1976 to 1978, he was a Professional Accounting
Fellow with the Securities and Exchange
Commission in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Adkerson is a current member and past
Chairman of the International Council on
Mining and Metals. He is a member of The
Business Council, the Business Roundtable and
the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on
the Advisory Council of the Kissinger Institute on
China and the United States and as a member
of the Clinton Global Initiative. He serves on the
Arizona Commerce Authority, Greater Phoenix
Leadership, the Greater Phoenix Economic
Council and the Dean’s Council of 100 for the
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Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of
Business. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees
of the National WWII Museum,serves on the Board
of Visitors of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston, Texas, and was Campaign Chair of the
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer
Has Met Its Match Campaign in Phoenix. He
is a member of the Mississippi State University
Foundation Board of Directors and served as its
President. He chaired Mississippi State’s “State
of the Future” capital campaign and serves on
the University’s Advisory Board of the College
of Business. He was named National Alumnus of
the Year of Mississippi State University in 2011. He
was inducted into the American Mining Hall of
Fame in 2010, received The American Institute of
Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers
Charles F. Rand Memorial Award in 2011 and
was named Copper Man of the Year 2009 by
The Copper Club. He was named Executive of
the Year by W.P. Carey School of Business Dean’s
Council at Arizona State University in 2011. He has
been named Best CEO in Metals and Mining by
Institutional Investor magazine every year since
2008. Mr. Adkerson has served on the FCX Board
since 2006.
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We face a “perfect storm” with the STEM workforce. In
the mining and energy industries, the U.S. is facing the
loss of a significant number of experienced technical
managers, workers, and academia, who will retire in
the next decade. The current educational system
is not producing a sufficient number of qualified
individuals to replace retirees, fuel growth, and meet
the requirements of a workplace that requires strong
science and math skills.
Data indicate a bright present and future for mining
and energy jobs. There is demand for workers at all
levels and this demand is expected to remain strong
for the foreseeable future. In addition, research studies
have shown that over 70% of occupations in today’s
workforce require core STEM skills and employment in
occupations related to STEM is expected to increase
to more than nine million jobs between 2012 and 2022.
These jobs are well compensated and offer exciting
career paths. Nevertheless, STEM-related career
opportunities in industry continue to go unfilled. Hiring
qualified people is a case of supply and demand –
a concept at the core of nearly every industry and
business. Demand is significantly outpacing supply
and risking the success of all businesses. If we fail to
produce a larger STEM labor pool, the cost will be
immense and the U.S. economy will be left behind.
How do you believe STEM education can improve a nation’s competitiveness?
Competitiveness relies on the ability of our nation to
grow commerce and business activity and support
the expansion, attraction and creation of new
business which is highly dependent upon ensuring
a qualified workforce. Producing a qualified STEM
workforce, which begins with a rigorous foundation
in science and math from pre-K through trade or
technical certifications or four-year degrees, is the
only way to ensure the nation will be able to fill
the unemployment gap, bring more jobs to the
workforce and drive economic activity. A well-STEMeducated population will also help the nation’s
economy compete globally, and achieve the levels
of economic growth needed to stay competitive in a
vastly growing global marketplace. STEM education
will be key to developing the next generation of
workers that will produce new ideas, technologies,
companies and even new industries.
The programs we support are designed or selected
for their ability to advocate for system improvements,
boost teacher quality and confidence, as well as
spark student interest and achievement in STEM, with
the goal of inspiring and preparing them to pursue
post-secondary degrees or trade and technical
certifications and ultimately careers in mining or other
STEM professions.
institutions, including community colleges, universities,
vocational technical institutes or training facilities,
and apprenticeship programs.
We evaluate our hiring data, talk with educational
institutions and experts, and seek to identify positive
and negative trends so that we can adjust our
partnerships and efforts accordingly.
Without question, the use of evidence or data to
valid the efficacy of the myriad of STEM programs
we could choose to support financially has made
our investments much smarter and more effective.
National collaborations or collective impact initiatives
such as the 100Kin10 STEM Teacher Collaborative
and Change the Equation have developed highly
effective, transparent evaluation processes to
determine the quality of a STEM program. It is the
choice of each STEM program to be evaluated
using the common set of criteria, and hundreds of
programs have found value by doing so, including
increased funding and strategies for improvement or
replication.
Through these initiatives and the evaluation tools they
have developed, such as Change the Equation’s
STEMWorks or 100Kin10’s Partner Application process,
we have been able to inform our decisions to a
great degree and shift our investments in education
toward high quality STEM programs validated by
evidence of success. If every corporation or donor
made the shift to investing in scaling and replicating
evidence-based programs in communities across the
country, our progress in improving student outcomes
in STEM subjects would be significantly accelerated
and the return on investment would most certainly
be increased.
Where do you see the biggest area of opportunity in advancing STEM careers?
One of the most promising opportunities to advance
STEM careers is eliminating the gender gap. Research
data show that women earn a greater number of
college degrees than men, both undergraduate and
graduate degrees, yet they are not pursuing STEM
careers at the same rate. Additionally, women make
up about half of the U.S. population, however only 26%
of STEM workers in the U.S. are women.
In order to help eliminate the STEM gender gap,
we believe one of the first steps is to provide STEM
opportunities to all girls starting at a young age, while
fostering and maintaining their interest by overcoming
stereotypes and ensuring STEM activities where girls
can feel empowered. Companies can help advance
this cause by supporting initiatives like STEMconnector
which helps connect corporations, nonprofits and
government entities to raise awareness and support
young girls and women in STEM education. ■
We make a deliberate effort to seek investment and
partnership opportunities that support our goal of
building a future workforce, including finding ways
to build clear, more effective and comprehensive
pathways from K-12 to post-secondary educational
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 108 Freeport-McMoRan Inc.
Abdol Moabery
Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer
GA Telesis
GA Telesis is a worldwide leader in providing support services
to the commercial aerospace industry. With financial, supplychain, component and heavy jet engine MRO businesses
spanning the globe, GA Telesis is recognized as a pioneering
leader in solutions-based services in its sector. As an innovator,
GA Telesis is one of the few independent companies in the
world capable of providing a total-support-solution to its
customers from its front door, with several fully integrated
operations throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
GA Telesis also provides leasing and asset management
services and maintains an extensive portfolio of leased
assets exceeding $1 billion in value. The company has
won numerous accolades including Air Transport World’s
MRO of the Year, the Boeing Gold Services Award, Aviation
Week’s MRO of the Year and the Greater Miami Chamber of
Commerce’s Good to Great Award.
A serial entrepreneur, he is responsible for
the start-up, organization and development
of GA Telesis. Mr. Moabery has 25 years of
direct experience in various disciplines in
aviation from flight, lease and structured
finance to logistics and maintenance. He
previously served as Executive Vice President
of Aviation Systems International, Inc., where
his responsibilities included oversight and
management of worldwide operations.
Prior to joining ASI, Mr. Moabery was with
C-S Aviation Services, Inc., where he was
responsible for the sale and marketing of the
company’s aviation assets.
Mr. Moabery and his wife, through their family
foundation, are prominent philanthropists
that have donated and directed millions
of dollars to charitable causes that directly
impact children and young adults. Some
of these organizations include His House
Children’s Home, Kids in Distress, Florence
Fuller Child Development Center, Food for
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the Poor, The Factory Youth Center, Florida
Atlantic University Scholarship Fund, Unicorn
Children’s Foundation, Florida Atlantic
University, the ISTAT Foundation, the Wing’s
Club Scholarship Fund, the March of Dimes
and the Boca Raton Regional Hospital. The
Moaberys also provide financial support to
deserving special needs families through
their commitment to cover expenses not
generally covered by government programs
or charitable organizations.
Mr. Moabery has served as the President of
the Wing’s Club Scholarship Fund since 2008,
is a Trustee at Florida Atlantic University, and
serves as advisor to several national and local
children’s charities. Mr. Moabery received the
Wright Brothers Memorial Award in 2014 for
accomplishments in aviation from the GMAA.
He is an honorably discharged veteran from
the United States Navy.
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On a global scale, there is an ever-increasing need
for highly skilled candidates to enter the workforce in
a STEM related field. Expertise in science, technology,
engineering or mathematics drives innovation, and
as the world’s leader, it is extremely important that
the United States be at the front of the pack in
terms of cultivating this expertise and developing
this workforce. Recent studies have shown that
while interest in STEM related degree types has
increased over the last decade, the number of
STEM related degrees coming out of U.S. Universities
is disproportionate to the increasing number of job
opportunities for these types of candidates. This is
a deficiency that needs to be curtailed before it
becomes a reality; the competition the U.S. faces
from other nations as it relates to STEM education/
workforce looks only to increase. It is my belief
that as a nation we are at a critical point in terms
of reinventing our education system. Our current
education system was developed too long ago
and needs to be revamped with more of a focus
on STEM related fields in order that we meet the
growing challenge of maintaining the highest quality
workforce.
What do we need to do in the U.S. to continue to be
at the top of global innovation?
As a nation we need to make a concerted effort to
raise awareness about the need for STEM related
degree types nationwide. Our company has several
initiatives in place in support of STEM education that
engages students at the high school level. Our mission
is to engage students in STEM fields to get them to
start thinking about possible STEM related careers
prior to entering college or university. We need to
develop a pipeline of young students who are fully
informed about the value of a STEM degree as it
relates to availability for employment and success in
their careers. The fact is that many students today
are graduating with degrees that are not necessarily
being put into use after they enter the workforce. An
increase in the availability of highly-skilled candidates
post-graduation will increase the United States’ ability
to develop innovative new technologies, as well as
economic, political and medical advancements
moving forward.
Beyond standards, what are the first steps that we should
In order to curb the STEM education crisis within the
U.S., I believe our first step should be to make STEM
education just that: the first step. STEM education
should be the focus of school curriculums well before
students reach the University level. The future of
innovation in this country is in the hands of our youth
and it is imperative that they develop a strong base
of knowledge in STEM subjects from an early age.
We need a STEM focused curriculum that starts
at kindergarten level and continues through high
school. Most importantly, we need to make STEM
fun and engaging for students. This means more
than increasing test score standards and gearing
curriculums towards these subjects. As a nation
we need to invest more in developing a workforce
of teachers who have an understanding of how to
improve not only student achievement, but student
engagement. Teachers who are well versed and
engaged translates to students who are well-versed
and engaged. Without this engagement from young
students, the nation’s position as the global leader in
technological development and scientific research
will continue to diminish.
Mentorships and apprenticeships are an extremely
effective way to build and strengthen the US pipeline
for STEM related professionals. While a strong base of
academic knowledge in STEM subjects is fundamental
to success in a STEM related career field, so too is
the practical application of this knowledge. Taking
part in a mentorship/apprenticeship is the perfect
opportunity for both pre and post graduate students
to supplement their education in a STEM related field
outside of the classroom. Additionally, mentorships
and apprenticeships allow these students to see
just how their education will be utilized in a given
field or career path. This, in turn will help increase
engagement in these fields and provide realworld knowledge on how these students can utilize
their education in the best way possible, both for
themselves and for the nation as a whole.
The areas of STEM that I am the most passionate
about would be technology and engineering.
Innovations in technology and engineering have
been the cornerstone of progress within the aviation
industry since the days of the Wright Brothers. Every
day new developments are being made to further
the science of flight, improve the aircraft and engine
manufacturing process, track and analyze airport
and airline consumer data, and monitor the need
for repairs and maintenance on aircraft, to name
just a few. These developments wouldn’t be possible
without professionals with a solid background in STEM
based subjects, particularly those of technology and
engineering. The aviation industry will need to sustain a
workforce of these bright, well-educated and forward
thinking professionals in order that we can continue to
innovate moving forward.■
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Why do you believe STEM education/workforce development is critical to our nation’s future?
Maryrose T.
Sylvester
President & Chief Executive Officer
GE Lighting
Current, powered by GE, is a digital power service built to
transform the way the world uses energy. Current is a new
kind of energy company designed to meet the unique needs
of a wide range of commercial and industrial, municipal
and utility customers. It brings together capabilities from
several existing GE businesses – LED lighting, Solar, Energy
Storage, and electric vehicle charging stations – along with
new financing and software solutions to offer integrated
energy solutions aimed at delivering increased reliability,
efficiency and profitability. These advanced solutions will
help customers save on their energy bills, and help utility
partners better manage their distributed load.
Current, powered by GE Maryrose Sylvester
is President and CEO of Current, powered by
GE -- a first-of-its kind energy company that
integrates GE’s LED, Solar, Energy Storage and
Electric Vehicle businesses with its industrial
strength Predix platform to deliver cost effective,
efficient energy solutions. Current brings to
market a holistic energy-as-a-service offering
absent from industry today that includes sensorenabled hardware, software, fulfillment, product
management and financing solutions. Prior to
her role at Current, Maryrose served as President
and CEO of GE Lighting where she led more than
12,000 employees from one of GE’s most iconic
businesses in an exciting global transformation
as world markets shifted toward energy-efficient
lighting solutions. Before joining Lighting, Sylvester
was President and CEO of GE Intelligent
Platforms – GE’s high-technology global provider
of software, hardware, services and expertise
in automation, operations management and
embedded computing, serving the energy,
water, oil and gas, manufacturing, government
and telecommunications industries. Sylvester
began her GE career in 1987 as an intern at GE
Motors in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She then joined
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GE Lighting in 1988 in the Sourcing operation.
Along the way, she held positions of increasing
responsibility, such as Director of Sourcing for GE
Lighting Europe, based in Budapest, Hungary,
and in 1997, as General Manager of Worldwide
Sourcing for the business, based in Cleveland.
Sylvester also served as General Manager for
Global High Intensity Discharge (HID) before
being named President & CEO of GE Lighting
Systems in Hendersonville, North Carolina, in 2000.
She was then named President of the former GE
Quartz in 2002, followed by the CEO roles with
GE Intelligent Platforms in 2006 and GE Lighting
in 2011 respectively. Sylvester is a member of GE's
Corporate Executive Council, GE’s Commercial
Council and she was instrumental in helping
to launch the GE Women’s Network. She is
Vice Chair of the Board of Governors for the
National Electrical Manufacturers Association.
She serves on the Board for the Foundation
Fighting Blindness, and Hathaway Brown School.
Sylvester holds a B.S. Degree in Procurement and
Production Management from Bowling Green
State University and an MBA from Cleveland State
University – both in Ohio.
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When reflecting on the STEM initiative supported
by our company that makes me most proud, it’s the
collaboration with our MC2 STEM High School easily
topping my list.
In 2008, our team at GE launched the largest publicprivate partnership in our history,and one of the greatest
skill-based initiatives we know of across the nation. We
were the first corporate partner to agree to host one
of the multi-campus, project based, transdisciplinary
school known as MC2 STEM High School. Subsequently,
the sophomore site of MC2 STEM has been embedded
in the GE Lighting Headquarters at Nela Park in East
Cleveland, Ohio, since 2009.
The school, which focuses on STEM curricula and
activities, is part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School
District, one of the most economically challenged
school districts in the country. While CMSD graduates
students at about 60 percent, MC2 STEM graduated
four classes thus far at an average of 94 percent. We
have more than 175 volunteers from within GE giving
2,600+ hours annually as tutors, mentors, buddies and
even instructors to the 100 sophomores at the school.
At any given time, you may see students immersed in
workshops with employees from our technology division
or in rigorous projects and mentorship programs with
our engineers.
The goal is to provide these students with an integrated
curriculum informed by real-world experiences. We
seek to address the skills they will need to succeed
as professionals as industry maintains a continued
focus on uniting the physical digital worlds through
technology. Nearly a decade ago, our GE team had
the foresight to place a big bet on what we call the
Industrial Internet. As more and more personal and
home devices became connected to the Internet of
Things, GE was focusing on the possibilities connectivity
holds for bigger business and public operations.
Imagine industrial factories where machinery alerts
facilities managers of maintenance issues before they
impact production. Or transportation vehicles that
automatically update schedules from coast to coast
in real time. Or streetlights that can do anything from
helping cities detect and respond to gunfire incidents
to showing residents where to find parking spaces. The
Industrial Internet means we are connecting to the big
things that make our world run to help them run better.
By engaging youth early through STEM based
initiatives such as MC2 STEM, we expose them to
opportunities that they may not have known existed.
We are working to bring about the next generation
of talent and leadership that will help us realize the
incredible power of the Industrial Internet. Mentorships
and apprenticeships like those we pursue with our
STEM students build a different skill than that learned
from textbooks or even projects that only take place
within a traditional scholastic environment – they are
challenged with real world assignments, experience
failure and success. We want students to work in diverse
teams, teams which make them think differently
and learn how to work with a broad spectrum of
backgrounds.
When tackling the most pressing education challenges
in the STEM system, the value and utility of public-private
partnerships must not be overlooked. We are proof
positive of the benefits at GE as seen through the success
of MC2 STEM. The endeavor was a truly comprehensive
community effort in which corporations, government
and non-profits came together with CMSD. The union
and teachers flexed to give up seniority based models,
public schools partnered with charters to fill gaps, and
businesses stood by to provide support and funding.
The underlying belief fueling this partnership - every
child should have the opportunity to attend a highquality school that prepares them to compete in a
global economy reliant upon talent to digitize industry.
Our world is rapidly changing, and the demand for
innovators proficient in the disciplines of science,
technology, engineering and math has never been
greater. We have a responsibility to create, foster and
support educational opportunities to help develop
such innovators. I am so very proud of the work we
have done with MC2 STEM High School, and look
forward to watching this next generation of leaders
deliver new and exciting solutions to the world’s
biggest challenges.■
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A recent essay from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
published in the Chicago Tribune noted that, “the
breadth and the depth of student experiences in
STEM courses, labs, and applied learning activities
ensures that they move into their careers with the skills
necessary to meet a region’s STEM workforce needs.”
The piece went on to say that the most effective
way to attain this outcome is by schools working in
collaboration with local businesses and industries.
Phebe N.
Novakovic
General Dynamics
General Dynamics is an aerospace and defense company
of nearly 100,000 employees. It offers a broad portfolio of
products and services in business aviation; combat vehicles,
weapons systems and munitions; communications and IT systems and solutions; and shipbuilding. We operate globally
through four business groups: Aerospace, Combat Systems,
Marine Systems and Information Systems and Technology. The
Aerospace group, comprised of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and Jet Aviation, is at the forefront of the businessjet industry. The Combat Systems group, comprised of Land
Systems, European Land Systems and Ordnance and Tactical
Systems, provides a full spectrum of combat vehicles, weapons systems and munitions for the US and its allies. The Marine
Systems group is a market-leading designer and builder of
nuclear-powered submarines, surface combatants and auxiliary and combat logistics ships. The Information Systems and
Technology Group, comprised of Mission Systems and Information Technology provides technologies, products and services for a wide range of customers.
Phebe N. Novakovic became chairman and
chief executive officer of General Dynamics
on January 1, 2013. She was previously named
the company’s president and chief operating
officer, and a member of the company’s
board of directors, in May 2012. Prior to
her appointment as president and chief
operating officer, Novakovic was executive
vice president for the Marine Systems group.
Previously, Novakovic had been senior vice
president – Planning and Development
since July 2005, where she was responsible
for Government Relations, Communications,
International, Investor Relations and Strategic
Planning. She also has served as vice president
– Strategic Planning, a position to which she
was appointed in October 2002.
Before joining General Dynamics, Novakovic
served as the Special Assistant to the
Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense
from 1997 to 2001. In that capacity, she was
responsible for managing processes for all
major U.S. Department of Defense budget
and policy decisions for the Secretary and
Deputy Secretary of Defense.
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Novakovic also worked for the Office of Management and Budget, where she served in
a number of capacities, including as Deputy
Associate Director for National Security, where
she was responsible for managing and submitting the President’s budget for the Department
of Defense and U.S. Intelligence Agencies.
From 1983 to 1986, she served as an operations
officer for the Central Intelligence Agency.
Novakovic began her career in 1979 as an
analyst for the McLean Research Center
where she performed operational analyses
on Department of Defense weapon systems.
Novakovic was elected to the board of
directors of Abbott Laboratories in 2010.
She serves on the boards of trustees of
Northwestern University and Ford’s Theatre,
and on the boards of directors for several
charitable organizations. Novakovic received
her Master of Business Administration from the
University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School
in 1988; she completed her undergraduate
studies at Smith College in 1979.
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General Dynamics employs nearly 40,000 STEM
professionals across our ten business units at all levels
of the workforce. In the past, a company’s STEM
professionals were in the management workforce,
and the labor workforce was devoted to touch labor.
Today, however, we need significant STEM knowledge
across every part of the workforce. Our products
are simply too complicated, and our manufacturing
processes simply too streamlined,to function any other
way. Today, we undertake manufacturing operations
without conventional engineering drawings, but
rather employ a digital system which provides realtime updates. The degree of technological savvy
of our workforce at all levels is breathtaking, and it
is increasing. Whether our employees come into the
workforce with a STEM foundation from high school,
technical school, college or graduate school, we
build upon that foundation to provide the advanced
specialized knowledge required for the pace of
innovation our customers demand.
At General Dynamics, we also believe that a STEM
background is conducive to problem solving. STEM
professionals are accustomed to working together to
proceed carefully and logically through a problem.
In today’s complex world, we need people who are
interested in finding solutions. Real problem-solving
requires innovation, rigor and intellectual discipline.
Those things are not exclusively found in the STEM
fields, but they are certainly found there in high
concentrations. Simply put, the world today needs
problem-solvers, and STEM education produces
problem-solvers.
STEM professionals are also highly-suited for our
culture of continuous improvement. The dedication
many of our STEM professionals have to continuous
improvement allows us to achieve cost, schedule
and capability gains year after year. They are
conditioned to ask constantly whether we can do
better, and then to work to achieve results.
At General Dynamics, our senior leaders believe
that it is a central part of their job to train the next
generation of leaders. This is especially important
in our STEM workforce, given the highly specialized,
complex products we offer.
Today, there are
thousands of engineers at General Dynamics Electric
Boat working to design the next-generation ballistic
missile submarine. That submarine will be in service
until 2079. Quite literally, we are building the military
of the future, and it is impossible to do so without the
best engineering talent in the world. Whether they
are building advanced military communications
networks, submarines or surface naval combatants,
combat vehicles or business jets, our engineers need
the kind of specialized training that can be found only
on a job site. That’s why we invest daily in recruiting,
training and workforce development for our STEM
professionals.
In addition, we promote our STEM professionals. I believe that both students and young STEM professionals need to be able to look one, two, or several levels
up in the organization and see people who have serious technical skills and knowledge, and a STEM education. Our STEM professionals know that their STEM
knowledge is a prerequisite for nearly all of our most
important leadership positions.
Finally, like many companies, we believe that it
is helpful in advancing STEM education to offer
opportunities to promising students, so that they can
gain valuable exposure to complex problems of
design, engineering and manufacturing. At many of
our businesses, these programs are a critical pipeline
to STEM talent, so it is a mutually beneficial relationship.
Given the breadth of our products, our engineering
challenges are among the most complex in the
industry. I have long believed that one of the key
benefits of a heterogeneous workforce is that it
brings about diversity of thought. We need people
from diverse backgrounds, because they bring a
different view to a problem, which might well have
been missed in a more homogenous environment.
As many have noted, however, some groups have
typically been underrepresented in STEM careers.
For this reason, General Dynamics has sought to
support the effort to encourage more minorities
to enter the STEM fields, and was named a Top 20
Employer by Workforce Diversity magazine last year.
At all levels of leadership, we stress the importance of
diversity of thought and we use that principle to drive
recruitment of diverse candidates for our STEM jobs. ■
We look for our corporate leaders to have a strong
baseline in STEM, or at least a willingness to learn. At
General Dynamics, no level of leadership has the
luxury of dismissing technical issues. We are all STEM
leaders, at every level, and we are engaging with our
STEM workforce on technical issues.
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 114 General Dynamics
STEM is essential to the technological superiority of the
United States military. The defense industry, working
hand-in-hand with our military customer, provides
US service members with the best technology and
capabilities in the world. This qualitative advantage is
itself a force for peace; our enemies must consider the
presence of capable men and women operating the
most sophisticated weaponry available, deployed
around the world. That technological overmatch
can only persist if our defense industry continues to
have the finest STEM professionals in the world.
Gordon B.
Fowler, Jr.
Glenmede
Founded in 1956 by the Pew family to manage their charitable assets, The Glenmede Trust Company, N.A., (“Glenmede”)
is among the nation's leading investment and wealth management firms. The company oversees more than $30 billion
of assets under management for high-net-worth individuals,
families, family offices, endowment, foundation and institutional clients. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the firm has offices in Ohio, Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Washington,
DC. For more information, please visit www.glenmede.com.
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Gordon B. Fowler, Jr., is President and Chief
Executive Officer of Glenmede and a Director of The Glenmede Trust Company, N.A. With
more than $30 billion in assets under management, Glenmede remains independent and
exclusively focused on the business of investment and wealth management.
Equity Management for Institutional Asset
Management. Over the course of his career,
Mr. Fowler has been responsible for the
development of numerous equity and asset
allocation strategies, and has authored and
co-authored several pioneering articles on
private client and institutional investing.
Mr. Fowler also serves as Glenmede’s Chief
Investment Officer. In this role, he is responsible
for investment strategy, fund management
and research. He joined Glenmede in 2003
following a more than 20-year career with
J.P. Morgan where he served in several
management positions, including as Global
Head of Investment Management of the
Private Bank and as Head of Quantitative
Mr. Fowler received a B.A. from Brown University
in 1981 and a M.S. from New York University
Graduate School of Business in 1985. He has
served on the boards of numerous national
and community organizations including the
Curtis Institute of Music, the Church Pension
Fund, Philadelphia Futures, The Widows
Corporation and St. James School.
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Thoughtful Innovation as a Way of Doing Business
We embrace thoughtful innovation as a meaningful
way of conducting business and believe it results
from the commingling of an understanding of history,
tradition and human behavior with a STEM mindset.
As such, we are committed to developing individuals
as they advance in their careers, encouraging them
to tap into both of these ways of thinking. We facilitate
collaborative workshops with our managers around
coaching and providing feedback, invest in personal
growth through continued learning certifications,
and have developed a large suite of interactive
e-learning topics to provide supplemental education.
The implementation of experiential learning programs for our interns and associates is a testament
to our commitment to learning and development.
These programs not only immerse our early career
professionals into a function but give them exposure to other facets of the business as well. We provide them with direct access to leaders of business
lines and not only accept, but encourage, feedback.
These experiential learning programs culminate in
an Innovation Challenge in which participants are
tasked with applying the skills they have learned to
evaluate a challenge at Glenmede and present a
solution to senior management. We believe the cultivation of our early career professionals will meaningfully impact not only their careers, but the very future
of Glenmede.
The Value of Diversity
Glenmede understands the value of diversity from
an educational, personal and professional perspective. From an investment perspective, the merging of
investment science with the desire for impact and diversity has enabled us to generate new ideas and test
new strategies while creating measurable social and
environmental impact alongside financial returns.
From a client engagement perspective, we strive to
ensure our employee population consists of a wide
range of cultures, backgrounds and beliefs. Through
these efforts we are able to understand and represent
multiple perspectives and provide the highest levels
of thoughtful consultation to our clients.
One population we have made an effort to ensure is
well represented across the firm is women. More than
half of our management committee is represented
by women, one-third of our client-facing staff is
women, and since 1972, women have served on our
board of directors. We understand and appreciate
the many roles women play and are committed to
fostering the growth of female employees through
coaching, career development and a family-friendly
work environment. In addition to our internal efforts,
we partner with Million Women Mentors (MWM), a
STEMconnector initiative, which seeks to encourage
mentoring relationships in STEM fields in an effort to
increase the number of women pursuing careers in
these areas.
We are also committed to supporting underprivileged
youth within our local community. Through our
work with City Year, we have helped close the gap
between student needs and school resources in
high-poverty communities. We partner directly with
Cristo Rey High School in Philadelphia to provide
opportunities for students to gain early exposure to
STEM fields, thus further expanding their horizons as
they consider future educational opportunities and
career training.
As I look forward to the future, I am excited about the
vast opportunities for growth both within Glenmede
and within STEM fields. We will retain a fiduciary culture
consistent with investing and responsible advice,
while leaning forward to thoughtfully innovate ahead
of changing markets and client needs. Maintaining
our collaborative environment and cultivating the
next generation of employees, while embracing
diversity, will be instrumental to driving our success.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 116 Glenmede
Although I earned a graduate business degree
in quantitative analysis, a career in STEM was not
always my intended path. While I entered college
with the intention of becoming an engineer, I quickly
handed in my slide rule and went off to pursue
my first love, the study of economic history. After
graduation, thanks to fate and luck, I ended up in the
investment department of a New York City bank and
discovered the investment field was in desperate
need of leaders who could fuse the worldliness
and breadth of the humanities with an analytical,
science-oriented mind. At Glenmede, I am afforded
the opportunity to encourage this same thinking not
only in our investment practice, but across all lines
of our business. Our advisors and planners handling
complex client matters related to evolving trust and
estate law, our investment professionals managing
portfolios amid volatile markets, and our human
resource professionals cultivating talent all benefit
from being able to tackle problems in unexpected,
thoughtful ways.
Sylvana Coche
Gravity Pro Consulting
Gravity Pro Consulting is an SAP Gold Partner and valueadded reseller, specializing in helping organizations realize
competitive advantages and organizational efficiencies
through the power of SAP solutions. Gravity Pro brings over 18
years of in-depth experience working with companies of all
sizes to provide SAP software licensing, consultation redesigning key business processes, and full implementation services.
Gravity Pro holds the distinction of being North America’s
leading woman-owned SAP reseller authorized to provide
SAP solutions — including the newest cloud-based technologies Ariba™ and SuccessFactors™, SAP Mobile solutions, SAP
HANA™ and SAP Business Objects. Gravity Pro has in-depth
experience working with companies of all sizes and provides
full implementation services, business process strategy, and
SAP software licensing.
Sylvana Coche founded Gravity Pro
Consulting with the belief that the path to
realizing the power of SAP enterprise solutions
is through forming client partnerships that
meld equal measures of deep technical
expertise with thought leadership on aligning
technology to achieve organizational
excellence, competitive advantages, and
realize strategic business objectives.
Sylvana brings more than nineteen years
of SAP software experience both in the
US and internationally. Her track record of
successful strategic initiatives with high-profile
organizations includes a full spectrum of
services, including program management,
project management, executive advisement
and solution architecture. These fortified
services offer her clients a partnership
renowned for progressive thinking, efficiency
and measured success in their industries.
The roots of Sylvana’s career began with Rolex
Industries in Geneva, Switzerland, an early
adopter of SAP technologies. Prior to founding
Gravity Pro Consulting, she was Vice President,
SAP practice with a SAP Gold partner where
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she established herself as a trusted partner to
international clients implementing SAP.
Through her leadership, Gravity Pro has
achieved status as an SAP Gold Channel
Partner, and is the only woman-owned
business in North America authorized to resell
SAP solutions for all licenses across SAP.
Sylvana’s acumen for not only SAP technology
but her ability to identify key organizational
and operational efficiencies for progressive
business strategies has awarded her to lead the
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics) Women Entrepreneur National
Initiative and Co-Chair the organization to
represent the Technology trend and success
best practices. In addition, Sylvana received
an award from the Mayor of Los Angeles and
California Commissioner for the 2015 Wonder
Women Tech Innovator Award. Sylvana was
recently recognized by Enterprising Women
Magazine for the 2015 Enterprising Women of
the year Award and a finalist for the 2014 Ernst
& Young National Entrepreneurial Winning
Women Award.
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I founded Gravity Pro Consulting in 2007 with a laptop,
a 9 month and 4 year old daughters , and with only
industry references to go off of and very strong
solution architect skills and worldwide reputation.
I had a humanistic approach and values to gain a
deep understanding of customers’ challenges, goals,
resources and obstacles. I had to go above and
beyond any other company to become a VAR due
to its’ exclusivity. In most cases, obtaining a VAR status
is only open to big consulting companies. And to this
day, GPC is the only women-owned certified SAP VAR
in North America. Today, GPC is the largest SAP reseller
in North America. This industry is male dominated and
it is a constant fight in proving again and again that
I have the skills and experience to succeed in this
industry. I had to bring trust and skills to win, especially
to overcome the financial background that I may
not have compared to the big 5 and other large
corporations. This is a hurdle in each sales cycle that I
must keep fighting and winning.
The current Gravity Pro Consulting goal is to establish
reference in at least one industry every year. Through
focused annual business development in new
regulated industries, Gravity Pro Consulting rapidly
becoming more valuable and more visible for its
contribution as a recognized industry leader. The
next logical industries for Gravity Pro Consulting to
target are insurance and healthcare, as these are
highly regulated where SAP and Software AG are
well-represented, thereby showing great potential
growth. In order to enhance the value we bring to
our customers; Gravity Pro Consulting continues to
provide value based business solutions that very few
suppliers, if any, can match. Our goal is to continue
building on our strong foundation to create diversity
supplied software and technology services function
that other competitors could not easily imitate and
our customers can benefit from, due to our depth of
experience and our commitment to excellence.
After everything I have created in the past nine
years, I have been recognized with numerous
awards: Leading Woman Entrepreneur in STEM in
2015, Innovative Technology and role model for
women by Mayor of Los Angeles and California
State in 2015, Enterprising Women Magazine for the
2015 Enterprising Women of the Year, finalist for the
2014 Ernst & Young National Entrepreneurial Winning
Women of the Year Award, 2012 Emerging Business
Award in Technology Orange County, Top 40 Largest
Women-Owned Business in the Orange County
Register. In Addition, I was personally highlighted in
the 2014 Minority Business Entrepreneur Magazine
Cover Article “Women who succeed in Male
Dominated Industries”, 2013 Professional Women’s
Magazine “Never Give Up”, and the 2013 WBENC
President Report Cover Article “WBE Success
Story, Southern California Edition”. Gravity Pro was
furthermore publicized in Southern California Gas
2013 Annual Report “Achieving Strategic Advantages
and Diversity Spending Goals”, in addition to being
featured in the CNN Business Day Video Segment
“Improving Efficiencies”. I see the importance for
future STEM Education making it mandatory to spend
at least 40% of my time as a speaker for major events
around the nation.
While acquiring these professional accomplishments
and successes, I recently established Le Caillou Blanc,
a foundation where world leaders, visionaries and
heads of industries can come together to create and
manifest their vision of the future. Set in the majestic
tranquility of Mont Blanc at the base of the French
Alps, my foundation and world class retreat allows for
brilliant minds to meet and create new ideas that
can benefit the world and thinking of a new way of
leading politically, economically and humanely for
this generation and the next generation of leaders.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 118 Gravity Pro Consulting
I was born into a poverty stricken family as the
youngest of four children with two illiterate parents.
I was determined to start a better life for myself
and help my family who immigrated from Italy to
France. At 14, I lost my dad to cancer and worked
every weekend, vacation and nights to pay for my
studies to attend the best school in France. Due to
my excellent grades and hard earned money, I was
able to receive my Master’s Degree in Business and
Engineering. I left home at 18 years old and lived
alone while working and paying for my studies. I had
to take many risks by leaving high paid and stable
jobs in order to advance in my career. After college,
I started working at Rolex in Geneva, Switzerland,
then went on to become a manager at Cap Gemini,
and soon left my entire family and life I knew behind
to move to the U.S. and join Oakley to run their
Worldwide SAP implementation. This opportunity
allowed me to travel and work all over the world such
as New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Canada, Japan,
and Europe. It was soon after I joined one last big
consulting firm before leaving in 2007 to create my
own company.
Ilene S. Gordon
Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer
Ingredion Incorporated
Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) is a leading global
ingredient solutions provider.The Company turns corn,tapioca,
potatoes and other vegetables and fruits into value-added
ingredients and biomaterial solutions for the food, beverage,
paper and corrugating, brewing and other industries. Serving
customers in over 100 countries, our ingredients make yogurts
creamy, candy sweet, paper stronger and face creams
silky. A FORTUNE 500 company with 2016 net revenue of
$5.6 billion, Ingredion has approximately 11,000 employees
worldwide, including hundreds of accountants, computer
experts, engineers, finance professionals and scientists.
Ilene Gordon is chairman, president
and chief executive officer of Ingredion
Incorporated, a leading global supplier of
ingredient solutions to diverse industries. Ms.
Gordon joined Ingredion in May 2009 from
Rio Tinto Alcan where as president and CEO
of Alcan Packaging she led a $6.5 billion
global packaging business based in Paris,
France. Over her 10 year tenure with Alcan
and Pechiney, which was acquired by Alcan
in 2003, she held various leadership positions,
starting as president of Pechiney Plastic
Packaging.
Ms. Gordon spent 17 years in executive roles,
at the Packaging Corporation of America, a
division of Tenneco Inc., including a corporate
VP position leading quality and operations.
Before joining Tenneco Inc., Ms. Gordon
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spent two years at Signode, a leading global
packaging company specialized in materials
handling, which today is a part of Illinois
Tool Works. Ms. Gordon began her career
at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), an
international management consulting firm,
as a strategy consultant, based in the Boston,
London and Chicago offices.
Ms. Gordon holds a Bachelor of Science
degree in mathematics, Phi Beta Kappa, from
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) in Cambridge, Mass., and a Master of
Science degree in management from MIT's
Sloan School of Management.
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For the past 50 years or more, technological
innovation drove almost half of the economic growth
in the United States. In the coming years, growth in
STEM jobs is projected to outpace total job growth
and 80 percent of jobs in the next decade will require
technical skills. Experts estimate that we could boost
incremental annual GDP growth per capital just by
enhancing the math proficiency of our students.
However, we are falling behind other countries in the
quality of STEM education. U.S. high school students
rank far behind their peers in other industrialized
countries in math and science. And, we lag in
quantity as well. In 2012, OECD ranked the United
States close to the bottom of the list of countries
graduating college and university students in natural
sciences and engineering.
The bottom line: It’s estimated that the United
States may be short as many as one million STEM
professionals by 2022 and risk losing our competitive
advantage in science and technology. As a leading
manufacturer of ingredient solutions, Ingredion
relies heavily on employees with STEM education or
training. Technical innovation helps drive our growth,
yet shortage of qualified employees could be an
obstacle and it must be addressed.
My STEM education has been one of the keys to my
success in the business world. Whether it’s science,
technology, engineering or math, I believe an
education in any of the STEM disciplines enhances
analytical thinking, which is essential to making sound,
fact-based business decisions that drive results.
Without shop class in elementary school, physics and
calculus in high school, math and science classes as
an undergraduate, and a world-class business school
education, I would not have been properly prepared
to earn the opportunities and positions that I’ve had.
Data, information and knowledge leveled an often
male-dominated playing field for me. If you have
done your homework, if you have the facts, if you
have the right answers, you have power, influence
and equality. In fact, it’s no surprise that the majority
of the female CEOs of FORTUNE 500 companies have
STEM degrees.
I am entirely confident that fielding a more balanced
gender workforce—not to mention a more ethnically
diverse one—will positively change the game. And
not just for my company, but for all companies, for
medicine, for education, for humanitarian efforts, for
the advancement of the human race.
From an early age, I was exposed to science and
math and my interest was encouraged by my parents
and teachers. This support gave me the confidence
to push the boundaries and break barriers in then
male-dominated classes and professions. But not all
young girls growing up have the same experiences.
Ingredion is a strong supporter of Girls 4 Science, a
nonprofit group dedicated to exposing Chicagoarea girls to science, technology, engineering and
math. It’s a fantastic grassroots organization that
helps girls overcome barriers to achieving success
in STEM fields. While grassroots programs like Girls 4
Science may initiate interest, these are only catalysts
in launching STEM careers. Without additional
opportunities in higher education, the dreams of
these budding STEM professionals could be thwarted.
That’s why continued public and private support
for STEM education at our nation’s college and
universities should be a priority.
What do Corporations need to do to create more STEM
careers and fill existing jobs?
As an innovative manufacturer of ingredient solutions,
we depend on qualified employees with technical
expertise to work across many functions – from
research and development to operations, to IT – in
locations around the world. In some areas, there’s
strong competition for the best and brightest talent.
We reach out to schools with STEM programs to
promote Ingredion as an employer of choice and to
identify outstanding candidates. We also offer training
and development programs to current employees to
update and enhance their technical skills. Finally, we
support programs that expose young students to STEM
careers and education in an effort to capture their
interest and motivate them at an early age.■
How do we encourage students, particularly women and
underrepresented minorities to continue their study of
STEM subjects?
As an MIT undergraduate, the male to female
ratio in my class was 10:1. Today, approximately 60
percent of college attendees are women, but only
about 30 percent of STEM degrees are awarded to
women. And, while women represent approximately
half the college-educated employees in the U.S.
workforce, women hold only 25% of core STEM jobs,
such as physical scientists, technologists, engineers,
programmers and mathematicians.
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 120 Ingredion Incorporated
Why do you believe STEM education and workforce developments are critical to our nation’s future?
Mark Sutton
International Paper
International Paper has been providing fiber-based packaging and paper solutions to the world’s largest consumer
and industrial brands for more than a century. That says a lot
about the enduring value of the products we make and our
commitment to safe, sustainable business practices. It also
speaks to the talent, engagement and commitment of our
employees and the strong leaders they become. Our culture
and people supported by our commitment to safety, sustainability, customers and operational excellence are essential
to our long-term vision to be one of the best, most respected
companies in the world.
International Paper, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.,
is a global leader in packaging, paper and pulp with
manufacturing operations in North America, Europe, Latin
America, Russia, Asia and North Africa with approximately
58,000 employees to serve customers worldwide.
Mark Sutton became chairman of the
International Paper Board of Directors on
January 1, 2015 and CEO of International
Paper on November 1, 2014. Immediately
prior to becoming CEO, he served as president
and chief operating officer with responsibility
for leading the company’s global businesses.
He has been a member of the International
Paper board of directors since June 1, 2014.
Sutton has been with the company his entire
career. He joined International Paper in
1984 as an engineer at the Pineville, La., mill.
In 1994, he was named mill manager at the
Thilmany, Wisc., mill which at the time was
part of International Paper’s industrial papers
business. In 2000, Sutton relocated to Europe
to serve as director of European corrugated
packaging operations and was promoted
to vice president and general manager
responsible for all corrugated packaging
operations across seven countries in the EMEA
(Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region in
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2002. In 2005, he was named vice president of
corporate strategic planning and relocated
to Memphis. He was named senior vice
president, global supply chain, in 2007 and in
2009 became senior vice president, printing
and communications papers – the Americas.
Sutton was appointed to senior vice president,
industrial packaging, in November 2011.
Sutton serves on the American Forest &
Paper Association board of directors and the
International Advisory Board of the Moscow
School of Management – Skolkovo. He is a
member of The Business Council and the
Business Roundtable. Sutton was appointed
to the U.S. Section of the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum
and also serves on the board of directors of
Memphis Tomorrow and board of governors
for the New Memphis Institute.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
electrical engineering from Louisiana State
University.
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Sustaining operations in a manufacturing-based
company requires a significant amount of human
capital with strong technical, analytical and
problem solving skills. From the boardroom to
the engineers, technology teams, control room
operators and maintenance crews, we have
a vested interest in ensuring there is a skilled
workforce to keep our global operations running
safely, reliably and cost-effectively.
The US
Department of Labor estimates significant short
falls in qualified college graduates with sufficient
STEM related skills to meet the rising demands of
employers over the next three to five years. This
estimated gap and International Paper’s broadbased needs has led us to expand our approach
to STEM both inside and outside the company.
Educational Outreach
Ensuring an effective STEM curriculum exists in
primary, secondary, trade schools and universities is
a critical component to building a technically-skilled
workforce. Attracting young and diverse talent STEM
programs is largely dependent on structuring them in
a way that builds confidence and is relevant, fun, and
not intimidating. As a major employer in many of the
communities where we operate, we engage with local
school systems, technical colleges and universities to
support and enhance their STEM programs.
Our educational outreach includes classroom
interaction, technology demonstrations, career day
participation, after-school STEM program sponsorship
and many other activities. Our main focus is to inspire
and motivate a diverse group of high school and
middle school students to pursue a STEM-related
education.
We recognize the role educators play in
encouraging students to pursue STEM educations.
We provide practical information to teachers,
school administrators and counselors to equip them
to provide guidance to students. We inform them
about the growing volume of US-based technical
and manufacturing jobs and the rewarding careers
available to students with STEM skills. Through these
efforts, we broaden their understanding of the scope
of job opportunities and salary rewards that exist for
students who pursue STEM courses of study.
We engage with city and state governments to
influence STEM programs and efforts, through our
leadership support. Our goal is to increase the
alignment, collaboration and effectiveness of STEMrelated activities that are not well coordinated
across stakeholder groups including high schools,
universities, local businesses and governments.
Enhanced recruiting initiatives and internship programs are another significant part of our approach
to target and enrich the educational experience of
students pursuing STEM careers. We augment many
of these activities financially with educational grants
through the International Paper Foundation.
Professional and Technical Development:
Expanding STEM education into the workplace
through professional and technical development is
essential to ensure the current workforce is equipped
to handle changing technology. International Paper’s
professional development philosophy is based
on a 70-20-10 approach. We target 70 percent
of an employee’s development through on-thejob experiences. By rotating employees through a
variety of positions early in their career, we help them
establish a broad skill set and diverse work experience
that enables them to excel. This is especially important
in STEM-centric positions. Coaching and mentoring
is also important for employee development.
Regular feedback sessions where employees and
supervisors discuss performance successes, gaps and
development plans make up another 20 percent.
Training fills out the remaining 10 percent and is
addressed through company-based programs or
outsourced to educational institutions.We use a broad
range of technical training methods that include
the application of technology: video-on-demand,
computer-based training, basic simulations, videoconferencing sessions, iPad®-based troubleshooting,
and live e-courses. In the future, we envision having
scan-ready QR codes on equipment that will allow
for on-the-spot, readily available equipment and
technical training.
Leadership Development
We also recognize the importance of developing
leadership skills and business acumen in a workforce
that is heavily centered on STEM skills.Strong leadership
skills translate to better employee engagement,
productivity, safety, customer loyalty, profitability, and
sustained growth. By developing leadership, business
knowledge and STEM skills, we are helping to shape
strong leaders who will drive our future success.
This is a well-ingrained philosophy at International
Paper. In fact, more than 50 percent of our executive
leadership earned STEM-related degrees. Having
leaders in our organization who possess strong
analytical and leadership skills is critically important
for a winning people strategy in a highly technical
industry.■
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A Broader View of STEM
Jennifer
Bisceglie
Interos Solutions, Inc.
Interos is at the forefront of supply chain risk management
(SCRM) advisory and analytical services. Interos has been
leading the conversation on SCRM and enterprise risk
management for almost a decade, having worked with
a number of both public and private sector companies
in various industries including technology, utilities and
pharmaceuticals. For more information, please visit
www.interos.net
Jennifer Bisceglie is an award-winning
business owner of a multi-million dollar supply
chain and logistics company that helps
create comprehensive cyber, supply chain
risk management process and technology
solutions for numerous government agencies
and commercial entities. Prior to founding
Interos, Jennifer honed her 20 years of
supply chain management experience in
software companies and global distribution
companies such as Manhattan Associates,
Nine West Shoes (now Jones Apparel), and
American Eagle Outfitters. In 2005, Jennifer
launched Interos to deliver comprehensive
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supply chain solutions to federal agencies
looking to mitigate their supply chain risk
and enable them to conduct business
as effectively as possible. The company’s
clients include the Department of Energy,
National Security Agency, Food and Drug
Administration, Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, the Department of State, U.S.
Navy, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and
Customs and Border Protection; as well as
several commercial clients.
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Running a business that has a cybersecurity
capability, we get asked often about the role of
STEM. Although much of the cybersecurity focus,
to date, is on technical skills, I think some of the
softer skills, i.e. communication to the mass markets,
gets lost. Not only do we help organizations with
their cybersecurity programs, but we also help with
training, awareness campaigns, and data analytics.
All of these are supported with aspects of STEM
training. I let new employee candidates know there
is an art to being able to articulate our findings in
a way ‘that my grandmother’ would understand.
Innovation plays a large part in our business as well,
especially in the data analytics we provide. Helping
our clients find different ways to apply the information
we’ve collected in a way that’s meaningful to them
is paramount. Our team is constantly innovating,
in our technology platform, as well as our delivery
approach, to ensure we meet client expectations.
Much of this relies on a skills that would be learned as
part of a STEM curriculum.
Two of the organizations we seek for candidates,as well
as partners, are STEMconnector® and Million Women
Mentors. Focusing on educating our women and
girls in fields such as science, technology, engineering
and mathematics not only helps to grow a diversified
workforce, but goes far to build self-confidence and
depth of skillset for careers that cannot be predicted
at this point in time. It’s not all about hard coding and
engineering linear fields – there’s so many iterations
of the specifically taught curriculums to come. And
organizations such as STEMconnector® and Million
Women Mentors are part of the brain trust that are
consolidating these efforts – to ensure measureable
impact and sustainability for future generations.■
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A recent report by the U.S. Congress Joint Economic
Committee says that although the U.S. has previously
led the world in innovations because it has produced
top scientists and engineers, the growing need
for STEM professionals is outpacing the supply of
qualified individuals to maintain U.S. economic
growth and competitiveness in the modern global
economy. What better reason to focus a company
on increasing the economy we exist in, mentoring
the next generation, and ensuring a pipeline of
capabilities that will help our national – and global –
economy for years to come.
Alex Gorsky
Chairman and
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is the world’s largest and most broadbased health care company, providing products and services
in the pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostic and
consumer sectors. Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO, leads
approximately 128,000 Johnson & Johnson employees in our
275 operating companies around the world in meeting one
single purpose – “Caring for the world, one person at a time.”
Our founders had deep backgrounds in science and
engineering, and our 127-year history is grounded on
delivering innovations that have contributed to major
medical advances inspire by STEM solutions. These include
the pioneering of sterile surgical practices in the 19th Century,
to delivering the first FDA-approved medicine for multi-drug
resistant tuberculosis in the past 40 years.
Johnson & Johnson aims to address significant unmet medical
needs around the world, and is incredibly proud that more
than one billion healthcare consumers across the globe rely
upon the use of our innovative products each day.
Alex Gorsky is Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Johnson & Johnson. His broad
understanding of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics has helped
him excel as a leader in the healthcare
industry over the last two decades. Alex
began his Johnson & Johnson career as a sales
representative with Janssen Pharmaceutical
in 1988, and over the next 15 years advanced
through positions of increasing responsibility
in sales, marketing and management. In 2001,
Alex was appointed President of Janssen,
and in 2003, he was named Company
Group Chairman of Johnson & Johnson’s
pharmaceuticals business in Europe, the
Middle East and Africa. Alex left Johnson
& Johnson in 2004 to join the Novartis
Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
Alex returned to Johnson & Johnson in 2008
as Company Group Chairman for Ethicon,
Inc. In January of 2011, Alex was named Vice
Chairman of Johnson & Johnson’s Executive
Committee. As Vice Chairman, Alex was
responsible for Johnson & Johnson’s Medical
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Devices & Diagnostics segment; the Johnson
& Johnson Supply Chain; the Company’s
Government Affairs & Policy Group; the
Company’s Health Care Compliance and
Privacy Group; and the Johnson & Johnson
Development Corporation, the Company’s
venture capital subsidiary.
A longtime advocate of diversity and
inclusion, Alex was named the 2009 Mentor of
the Year by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s
Association, an organization he has been
involved with for many years. He has been
the Executive Sponsor of two Johnson &
Johnson employee resource groups, the
Women’s Leadership Initiative and the
Veteran’s Leadership Council. Alex holds
a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and spent
six years in the U.S. Army, finishing his military
career with the rank of Captain. Alex earned
a Master of Business Administration degree
from The Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania in 1996.
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Where do you see the biggest area of opportunity in advancing STEM jobs/careers?
I believe that health care is the number one issue
facing every country, and that it will continue to be
for the foreseeable future. Constant innovation will be
needed to meet the growing needs and demand for
accessible and affordable quality health care among
the aging global population and rising levels of middle
classes in countries around the world. The answer
rests well beyond products and services, and must
include developing new and more effective strategies,
systems and processes. The foundation for meeting
this challenge is a commitment to well-funded and
academically rigorous STEM education.
The latest U.S. Labor Department statistics project that
the 20 fastest growing occupations for 2014 and 2015
will require significant math and science backgrounds.
Johnson & Johnson is the global health care leader
today because of the talent and capabilities of our
employees, and through the significant investments we
make in research and development, we create both
demand and opportunities for highly skilled people
who want to make a positive impact on society. Of
course, we can’t predict what the next generation
of scientists and innovators will come up with, but
we know for sure they will need the foundation STEM
training and discipline affords.
What do we need in the U.S. to continue to be at the top
of global innovation?
Innovation in the workplace begins in the classroom
with exposure to STEM focused projects, programs and
curricula. So much of the global economy is driven
by the technological workforce of today. If the United
States wants to remain the economic and technological
leader in the 21st century global marketplace, it must
invest in STEM education. Our workforce must excel
in science, technology, engineering and math. That’s
where the jobs are today and will expand in the future.
A STEM education is worth the investment and I believe
the payoff will benefit society exponentially.
When I walk into a room with Johnson & Johnson
scientists and researchers, I am always overwhelmed
by their intellectual discipline and scientific passion,
and when I witness their incredible advances, it is clear
they are drawing on all of the STEM disciplines. This
training enables our teams in today’s fast-changing
world to live up to our responsibility to the doctors,
nurses and patients, the mothers and fathers, and
all others who use our products, which Robert Wood
Johnson delineated for us when he wrote Our Credo
in 1943.
Education?
First, thanks for what you’re doing! This work is vitally
important the country’s future success. It is important
to paint the big picture when it comes to STEM, and
the story is not merely about examining molecules
and isolating viruses – though those tasks are vital
parts of that story. The narrative we need to lay out is
a much larger one. It speaks to solving global health
problems that loom large before us – problems that do
not respect geopolitical borders or disparities in age.
A society educated and passionate about science,
technology, engineering and math can help solve
those problems, and we are proud to have a role in
supporting and inspiring students to pursue a STEMfocused education.■
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How do you believe STEM education can improve a
nation’s competitiveness?
Michael Araten
President and
K'NEX and The Rodon Group
Founded in 1992, K’NEX Brands, the world’s most innovative
construction toy company, was established to make and
sell what has become one of the world’s leading integrated
construction systems for children, and is America’s STEM
building solution. Winner of over 350 international awards and
recognitions, K’NEX is focused on Building Worlds Kids Love®
and encourages youngsters to “imagine, build and play.”
From the living room to the classroom, K’NEX has building toys
specially designed for every age group and skill level. The
K’NEX family of brands includes K’NEX Building Sets, K’NEX Thrill
Rides, K’NEX Education®, K-FORCE Build and Blast™, Beasts
Alive®, Mighty Makers®, Mario Kart Wii™, Mario Kart 7™, Mario
Kart 8™, Super Mario™, Plants vs. Zombies™, Lincoln Logs®
and Tinkertoy®, under license from Hasbro, and more. Since
1992, The Rodon Group®, a subsidiary of K'NEX Brands, L.P.,
has manufactured over 36 billion parts for the K'NEX building
toy system. Join us as we help build the leaders of tomorrow.
For more information, please visit www.knex.com or www.
rodongroup.com.
Michael Araten is the President and CEO
of K’NEX, LPG, (the global building toy
company), www.knex.com, and The Rodon
Group, (one of the America’s largest plastics
injection molders), www.rodongroup.com.
K’NEX building toys are distributed to nearly
40 countries, and over 95% of the component
parts are made at The Rodon Group.
K’NEX Brands is focused on Building Worlds
Kids Love, and encourages youngsters to
“imagine, build and play.” Founded in 1992,
and winner of over 370 international awards
and recognitions, K’NEX Brands is the world’s
most innovative construction toy company.
From the living room to the classroom, K’NEX
has building toys specially designed for every
age group and skill level.
Prior to joining K’NEX and Rodon, Mr. Araten
served as Chief Litigation Counsel to Toll
Brothers, Inc. as well as Senior Vice President
and Corporate Counsel to O’Neill Properties
Group. In those capacities, Mr. Araten was
responsible for risk management, regulatory
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approvals, human resource issues and the
management of over 100 law firms in 21
states. Mr. Araten also formed numerous joint
ventures, led due diligence and acquisition
teams, and obtained land development
approvals that created over $5 billion in new
home sales and land value.
As President and CEO, Mr. Araten speaks
regularly on topics including advanced
manufacturing, the toy industry, re-shoring,
global competitiveness, entrepreneurship
and innovation. Mr. Araten was recently
named one of the 100 CEO Leaders in STEM
by STEMConnector, and has appeared
on CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, ABC World News,
Bloomberg News, Fox Business, and numerous
local and regional television and radio shows.
Mr. Araten holds a B.A. in Political Science
from Stanford University, and a J.D. from
the University of Pennsylvania. He resides in
Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania with his wife,
Ellen and their children.
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STEM Education and workforce development provide
students today with the skills they’ll need to obtain
good jobs in the future—the very skills that employers
need. Without tech-savvy workers, the number of
unfilled manufacturing jobs will increase.
At K’NEX & Rodon, we’ve seen firsthand the resurgence
of local manufacturing, with a migration of business
to China during the 1980's and 1990's. As wages
increase in China and the price of transportation
rises, companies are returning to manufacturing in the
States. Speed to market is a huge advantage and a
domestic supply chain is the key to that speed.
Our investment in advanced technology and more
efficient equipment has given us a competitive edge
over overseas manufacturers. But, we need employees
who have the ability to use this technology.
All across the country, skilled manufacturing workers
are in great demand. These jobs are solid, well-paying,
long-term careers. STEM education prepares students
for these careers. It fosters critical thought, science
literacy and innovation. Workers with STEM credentials
are better educated. In 2011, 53% of all manufacturing
workers had at least some college education, up from
43 percent in 1994.
STEM educated workers with less than a bachelor's
degree still enjoyed greater earnings (more than 30%)
compared to those without STEM education. Each
manufacturing job supports as an average of 2.9 other
jobs in the economy. A commitment to developing
future generations of innovators must become a
priority of the federal government, public and private
industry and educational institutions.
Progress proceeds at the speed of trust, so we,
(businesses, educators, and government), need to
collaborate to build the trust required as a foundation
of STEM to take root and grow. Corporations need to
work with educational institutions to insure that STEM
programs that align training and education with
anticipated workforce needs are being developed
and implemented in Pre-K through high school
classrooms.
The Rodon Group has developed its own apprenticeship
program. Students are given the opportunity to learn
tool and die making in a hands-on environment. These
future industrial technologists must have a strong
background in math and science skills.
We are also a founding member of The Bux-Mont
Manufacturing Consortium, a group of local manu-
facturing companies Bucks and Montgomery Counties, working to advance the STEM skills and education
needed for the future.
Corporations need to lead by example and show
the pathways of opportunity. K’NEX and Rodon
actively work with local community colleges and
technical schools to make sure students—prospective
employees—are getting the skills they need to work at
companies like ours. Anyone who intends upon using
manufacturing equipment as part of their career
needs math and computer skills.
Many companies nationwide are currently working
short-handed because it is hard to find workers with
the skills they need. By partnering with local schools
we are taking an active role in training potential future
employees, ultimately ensuring that we can fill job
openings with skilled workers.
Students in the programs we work with get the math,
science and computer skills they’ll need for jobs that
entail building and operating robots.When they begin
working at our facility, they learn the manufacturing
process, which we run with computers and robots. As
our workforce gets older and people retire, we need
a pipeline of highly trained people ready to step in.
By partnering with schools, we become the employer
of choice.
K’NEX has partnered with ThermoFisher Scientific
on their STEM Design challenge. What began as a
statewide (PA) classroom challenge is on the verge
of going nationwide having recently expanded in to
North Carolina.This year,the STEM Design challenge asks
students grades 6-8 to construct an environmentally
friendly building exclusively out of K’NEX. At regional
challenges students will present their budget and
design to judges, and during the presentation must
demonstrate that their building can hold weight to
show the strength of their building. Teams ranking
first in their school move on to the state finals. As this
challenge grows the hope is to bring the winners of
each state competition to a nationwide final. K’NEX is
pleased to be a part of this exciting competition.
K’NEX is America’s only STEM building solution. In 2016
we are launching our robotics set, which will help teach
elementary, middle and high school students the
basics of this critical industry. We design and provide
over 25 K’NEX Education STEM sets for classroom use.
Each set provides a complete STEM solution, focusing
on STEM concepts taught in sequences that build
upon each other and have real-world applications.
Teacher guides include inquiry-based lessons that
challenge students as they build, investigate, problem
solve, discuss, and evaluate scientific and design
principles in action. It is literally innovation in action. This hands-on, inter-disciplinary approach gives students the skills and knowledge they need to become
lifelong learners who can solve problems, think critically, work collaboratively and adapt to change in today’s technologically evolving world. We are proud to
be educating the STEM leaders of tomorrow!■
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At K’NEX & The Rodon Group we believe that STEM
is the heart of innovation. Innovation drives growth,
profits & the roles of the future. There are 1.5 million
unfilled manufacturing jobs in the US today. These jobs
are unfilled because the employers can’t find people
with the required skills. Manufacturing has changed
dramatically in the past 20 years, with skilled jobs
requiring computer skills, robotics and the ability to
understand and operate complex equipment.
Bernard J. Tyson
Kaiser Permanente
As one of America’s leading health care providers and nonprofit health plans, Kaiser Permanente is shaping the future of
health care. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente’s mission is to
provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of its members and the communities its serve.
Under Tyson’s leadership, Kaiser Permanente is delivering on
its “Thrive” promise through an industry-leading 21st century
approach to health care and health care coverage that is
helping members achieve their aspirations of total health. Kaiser Permanente’s 180,000 employees and 18,000 physicians
consistently deliver some of the best clinical outcomes in the
nation, while the organization also is recognized as a leader in
prevention, patient safety, quality and affordability. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research,
health education and the support of community health. For
more information, go to kp.org/share.
Bernard J. Tyson is the chairman and CEO
of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., and
Hospitals – known as Kaiser Permanente –
one of America’s leading integrated health
care providers and not-for-profit health plans.
With annual operating revenue of nearly $61
billion, Kaiser Permanente serves more than
10.2 million members in eight states and the
District of Columbia.
affordable health care through this combination of prevention, innovation, and integration can serve as the model for health care
in America. In fact, the strength of Kaiser Permanente’s approach is evident today in the
continued increase in partnerships between
health plans, hospitals and medical practices
across the health care industry, based on the
Kaiser Permanente model.
Tyson assumed the role of chairman in
January 2014 and has served as CEO since
July 1, 2013. His career at Kaiser Permanente
has spanned more than 30 years, and he has
successfully managed all major aspects of
the organization, serving in roles from hospital
administrator to division president to president
and chief operating officer of the Oakland,
California-based health care organization.
As chairman and CEO, Tyson is dedicated to
leading Kaiser Permanente and the health
care industry to deliver greater affordability
for members, consumers, employers and
government agencies. He is actively
addressing the rising cost of drugs and is a
strong advocate for the elimination of health
care disparities by promoting the use of
aggregated data from members’ electronic
health records to determine the most effective
treatments for optimal clinical outcomes.
Tyson believes Kaiser Permanente’s demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality and
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America’s legacy has been built on our ability to shape
the future, and Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) expertise is critical to our ability
to compete in an increasingly global economy. The
World Economic Forum ranked the United States
44th in the quality of mathematics and science
education, 29th in quality of primary education,
and 3rd in overall global competitiveness in 2015.
Global leaders must determine the education, skills,
and areas of expertise needed for the next decade
of business success and beyond, and it’s clear the
students of today – and business leaders of the future
– will need an increased focus on STEM to keep U.S.
in the running. With the strength of STEM education
in emerging countries, we need American students
to be competitive so America will remain a guiding
force in innovation and new technology.
Success in the future will require the ability to harness
the data amassed through technology and interpret
its significance to shaping and improving America
and the world. STEM expertise will be invaluable in
determining areas of focus based on the aggregated
data and its meaning.
What traits corporate leaders need to effectively support
and advance STEM education today
Some of the hallmarks of STEM education include
not only a focus on specific skills acquisition, but on
innovative approaches to problem solving, often in
collaborative settings. In business, as much as we’d
like to think there are clear right and wrong answers
to challenges, there often is not. But there usually is
a best answer based on a shared understanding of
the issues, conditions and what the organization can
accomplish together.
To support and advance STEM education, corporate
leaders should be working inside and outside
their organizations to foster the right conditions for
innovative problem solving, discussion and debate. In
doing so, we are creating not just the best conditions
for STEM education to flourish in the workplace, but in
the home, where children can also experience the
beauty and the freedom of exploring their ideas and
inspirations, applying their minds to their generation’s
opportunities and challenges.
tablet, and more. As our equipment to deliver health
care becomes more technologically driven, we also
need a workforce that is educated and trained for
the future of health care. While the human-to-human
touch will always be at the heart of care delivery,
technology is enabling high-quality care that is datadriven, replicable and outcomes focused.
Future breakthroughs in the fields of health care
research and genetic engineering will address some
of the biggest challenges of today’s critical and
chronic conditions, including what I hope will be
the elimination of health care disparities. Advances
in applied health care sciences will help millions
manage their chronic conditions with minimal
disruption to their lives through new wearable
technologies and telemedicine.
Advice for minorities and women coming “up” in the system
The good news is more opportunities for minorities
and women will be apparent in the coming decade
as the high tech industry recruits a more diverse
workforce to better reflect the needs of a culturally
diverse consumer base. No matter your race or
gender, you need to be at your best every day. Enjoy
what you do; seek out mentors who can help you
achieve your goals; and thoughtfully and strategically
build your personal brand – You, Inc. Today, more than
ever before, your social brand is foundational to your
overall personal brand. The world is technologically
driven, so the next generation of leaders must be
both tech savvy, and participate in the conversations
that are happening real time in social media.
How I translate my work into innovation
As CEO of a $61 billion organization, my role is to set
the course of the entire organization – its leaders,
physicians and employees – on the course for the
future. As an organization, we are looking ahead
to what health care “could” be in 2025, and are
creating cross-organizational and cross-generational
synergy around identifying both opportunities and
barriers so we can map to what are the most realistic
and feasible developments for workforce training,
technology development, digital health, and more.
My role is chief futurist, creating an organization that
is nimble so we can adjust to today’s demands while
meeting the competitive marketplace of the future.■
Where I see the biggest area of opportunity in advancing
STEM job careers
Today, care is no longer offered only in a hospital
or medical office setting. Instead, we are seeing a
growing need for STEM experts to bring 21st century
thinking and tools to deliver care anywhere via video,
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Why STEM Education/workforce development is critical
to the future of our nation
Dr. Chris Nelson
Kemin Industries
Kemin is a privately held bioscience company that researches
and manufactures molecules to deliver important nutrition
and health benefits through products consumed by people
and animals. The company has more than 500 specialty
ingredients, nearly 2,000 employees and operates in 90
countries with manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China,
India, Italy, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.
www.Kemin.com
Described as an industry pioneer with a Ph.D.
in biochemistry, Dr. Chris Nelson of Kemin
Industries joined the company as its research
director in 1980 and was named the president
and CEO in 1993. Under his direction, the
company has quadrupled in size and now
operates in 90 countries with manufacturing
facilities in Belgium, Brazil, China, India, Italy,
Singapore, South Africa and the United States.
Especially important to Dr. Nelson is STEM
education and ensuring the availability of
talent. Eighty percent of the company’s
growth is driven by its scientific discoveries and
made available by the manufacturing and
distribution of approximately 500 specialty
ingredients for the global feed and food
industries as well as the health, nutrition and
beauty markets. In 2010, during the economic
crisis and just one year before the company’s
50th anniversary, Dr. Nelson announced a
multi-million dollar expansion plan that has
added new manufacturing facilities and
new research facilities, with a new corporate
headquarters building currently under
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construction in Des Moines, Iowa (U.S.A). This
has created hundreds of new STEM jobs.
He received his undergraduate training
at Northwestern University and his Ph.D. in
biochemistry and biophysics from Washington
State University. He is the holder of 15 patents,
was named Entrepreneur of the Year for Life
Sciences in the Central Midwest by Ernst &
Young, and has authored numerous peerreviewed, published research studies. Dr. Nelson
serves on the board of a leading international
corporation, Community Foundation of
Greater Des Moines, U.S. Global Leadership
Coalition’s Iowa Advisory Council, Des Moines
Symphony Board of Trustees, Dowling Catholic
High School Foundation Board, and the Mercy
Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. He has
a passion for science education and serves on
the Board of the Science Center of Iowa, where
he helped raise funds for the construction of a
new $62 million Science Center. He also began
his two-year term as the Co-Chair of the Iowa
Governor’s STEM Advisory Council in 2015.
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Every study shows the same alarming trend regarding
our world’s population growth and the need to
create more food with fewer resources. Thankfully
human ingenuity is now supported by the most
amazing technology and innovation ever known to
man. There is no doubt that in the next 20 years the
most important advancements in all fields whether
that is manufacturing, bio-sciences, research or
medicine will be made through technology.
While technology is at the heart of what is needed, it
alone is not the answer. It takes people. Only through
those trained in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM) will we, the United States
especially, be able to both support and compete in
the global economy.
What do leaders need to effectively support the advancement of STEM education?
As a leader it takes a full understanding of critical
issues and the ability to communicate a shared
purpose to a team of well-trained and inspired
people. While this leadership is important, it is people
with the right skills and education that will have the
greatest impact. That’s why we support programs
that interest young people in the sciences. We want
to demonstrate to students the enormous impact
they can have not only on their lives but the lives of
others. We believe many of them will see science and
technology are the tools by which they can affect or
create just about anything.
How has Kemin made investments in STEM?
The Science Center of Iowa is where we make some of
our most significant investments. In 1970 the Science
Center of Iowa opened its doors as one of the first
interactive science centers in the world. At the time,
hands-on programs and exhibits were considered
“new wave” – now we know such interaction is the
most effective way for children to engage and learn.
In 2014, we partnered with the Iowa Governor’s STEM
Advisory Council to create and launch the I.O.W.A.
STEM Teacher Award, recognizing teachers across the
state of Iowa each year for being Innovative in their
methods, Outstanding in their passion for education,
Worldly in the way they help students see that STEM
is everywhere and is more than the sum of its parts,
and Academic through engaging students in the
classroom and preparing them for higher education
and high-demand careers.
And we don’t stop with children. We know that
informal science education is one of the best ways
to not only inspire young people but to also engage
their parents and grandparents, especially when
it comes to the technology they use and need
in today’s world. We also frequently host tours for
students and community leaders to interact with
Kemin scientists and researchers. It makes science
tangible, memorable and “real” to those who have
never seen applied science.
Where do you see is the biggest area of opportunity advancing STEM jobs and careers?
The biggest opportunity will come through the
recruiting and engagement of more women in
science. We know women have the intelligence,
creativity and ability but areas of STEM continue to
be male-dominated. I believe much of our future
success will hinge on doubling the number of students
interested in STEM-related areas of study and that
means a focused effort on programs to engage girls
and women.
How is Kemin connecting diversity initiatives with STEM
initiatives?
We’ve understood that diversity is the key to creativity
and that diversity means we have ideas coming
from all sorts of people, regardless of race, gender or
background. This diversity is absolutely critical in our
creative process.
What do you think we need to do in the U.S. to continue
to be at the top of global innovation?
There is no question that the U.S. educational system
has been able to produce the most creative and most
productive minds in the last 100 years. The question is
how to continue this in the next 100 years. The key is
to help students see that a background in science,
technology, engineering and math is going to be an
essential part of their lives. Just as learning how to use
a cell phone is critical for their communication. We
need to demonstrate relevance and impact.■
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Why are STEM education and workforce development
critical to our nation’s future?
Lynne Doughtie
KPMG LLP
KPMG is one of the world’s leading professional services
firms, providing innovative business solutions and audit, tax
and advisory services to many of the world’s largest and
most prestigious organizations. KPMG is the fastest growing
Big Four professional services firm in the United States and is
widely recognized for being a great place to work and build
a career. Our people share a sense of purpose in the work
we do, and a strong commitment to community service,
diversity and inclusion, and eradicating childhood illiteracy.
KPMG invests time, passion, and funding in organizations like
National Academy Foundation and Junior Achievement,
which focus on building the STEM skills of diverse youth.
Learn more at www.kpmg.com/us. KPMG LLP is the U.S.
member firm of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG
International”). KPMG International’s member firms have
174,000 professionals, including more than 9,000 partners, in
155 countries.
Lynne Doughtie is Chairman and CEO of
KPMG LLP — the fastest growing Big Four
professional services firm in the U.S.
She leads a high-performing team of more
than 29,000 professionals that provide
innovative business solutions and audit, tax
and advisory services to many of the world’s
largest and most prestigious organizations.
She began her career in 1985 in KPMG’s
Audit practice, and has served in a number
of national, regional and global leadership
roles. In addition to her U.S. leadership role,
she serves on KPMG’s Global Board and
Executive Committee.
Doughtie most recently served as Vice Chair of
KPMG’s Advisory business (2011-2015). During
the course of her leadership, Doughtie steered
the firm’s U.S. Advisory practice on a path of
tremendous growth that has established it as
the firm’s fastest growing business.
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She serves as a board member for NAF, an
organization that helps build the STEM skills
of diverse youth. She is a Governing Board
member for the Center for Audit Quality and
a member of The Committee of 200. She also
serves as a board member for the Partnership
for New York City.
Doughtie has received numerous recognitions
including being named one of: Fortune’s Most
Powerful Women in Business, Accounting Today
magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People,
and the National Association of Corporate
Directors’ 100 most influential people in the
boardroom. Doughtie also was named the
2015 “Woman of Achievement” by the National
Association for Female Executives.
She is a graduate of Virginia Tech, where she
earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
accounting in 1985, and remains an active
alumnus.
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This combination of “broad and deep” skills is critical in a
global economy that is intensely defined by technology,
innovation, and ongoing transformation. Bolstered by
talent equipped with these attributes, workforces can
be agile, highly collaborative, and pioneering.
The STEM disciplines are powering extraordinary
innovations that are transforming how we live and
work. To make the most of those advances, and foster
continued innovation in the years ahead, we also
need diversity of thought, experiences and skills in the
STEM fields.
The 2016 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland
provided a powerful example of why this is so important.
In Davos, thousands of business, government and other
leaders from around the world came together around
the theme of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Fourth
Industrial Revolution encapsulates the adoption of fastevolving technologies, such as artificial intelligence,
machine learning and the Internet of Things, that will
transform entire industries, business models, and society.
At a time when the U.S. and global economies are
shifting forcefully into an era where future growth and
job gains will be STEM-related, we can’t leave any
exceptional people sitting on the sidelines.
It is critical that everyone has opportunities to engage
as the economy makes this move, and that innovators
have the proficient workforce needed to drive
change. It is also important that – during a transition
with such enormous potential changes – we are
bringing every perspective to the table, and making
the most of tomorrow’s advances. And without a focus
on increasing diversity in STEM today, we run the risk of
a growing digital divide, in which some groups are left
behind both economically and socially due to lack of
access to the latest innovations.
That’s why KPMG is focused on cultivating future
generations of diverse leaders skilled in these important
disciplines, through strategic investments of time, passion,
and funding in organizations like National Academy
Foundation (NAF) and Junior Achievement (JA), which
focus on building the STEM skills of diverse youth.
KPMG has been devoted to all aspects of NAF’s work for
years, including helping to develop NAF’s accounting
curriculum, providing internships to NAF students, and
serving on a steering committee that is helping to
shape NAF’s STEM curriculum. KPMG employees also
serve as champions and mentors to students in NAF
academies across the country, providing a wide range
of opportunities including office tours, job shadows,
speed networking, panels, mock interviews, and
resume writing workshops.
KPMG also was instrumental in recently helping JA
introduce a redeveloped digital curriculum for their
JA Finance Park program, which helps middle and
high school students build financial literacy skills. It’s
a great way for young people to utilize cutting-edge
technology and build important skills through hands-on
training. The program provides middle and high school
students with a personal finance curriculum delivered by
their teacher. Following classroom work, students travel
to a JA Finance Park location -- in some cases virtually
-- where their new money-management skills are put
to the test with the assistance of their teachers and
KPMG volunteers. The new curriculum allows students to
engage in real-world financial activities such as online
banking and paying bills via tablets equipped with
mobile applications, while learning about concepts like
insurance, credit and long-term investments. To date,
more than 1 million students across the U.S. have gone
through the JA Finance Park curriculum.
More than 50 KPMG professionals serve on local
JA boards across the country and thousands of
KPMG people across the country contributed 15,000
volunteer hours in the past year alone. These efforts
complement major financial support provided by both
the KPMG Foundation and KPMG employees.
In business, having a diverse and inclusive culture is
a must. Diversity and inclusion have been strategic
priorities for KPMG for years. They have become part of
our firm’s DNA – and they are linked to our core values.
And we continue to focus on strengthening our diverse
and inclusive culture by tracking key performance
indicators -- which include talent acquisition, attrition,
career progression, and leadership and account team
composition -- and developing appropriate action plans.
Creating an inclusive, supportive environment is critical
for retaining diverse youth in STEM and those already
working in STEM-related careers because each
individual needs to feel confident that he or she has
the opportunity to succeed. More programs need
to be developed to help retain diverse individuals
pursuing STEM-related degrees, and those already
working in STEM-related careers.
The U.S. economy needs STEM talent that has breadth
and depth -- replete with diverse thinking, experiences
and skills. Businesses employing these well-rounded
individuals will be strongly positioned to compete and
win in today’s – and tomorrow’s – fast-changing global
marketplace.■
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The businesses that will lead the 21st century will be
those with employees that are not only deeply skilled
in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM),
but also fortified with broad competencies that enable
them to work together effectively, exercise creativity,
and communicate well.
Michael T.
Strianese
L-3
Headquartered in New York City, L-3 employs approximately
38,000 people worldwide and is a leading provider of a broad
range of communication and electronic systems and products used on military and commercial platforms. L-3 is also
a prime contractor in aerospace systems. The company reported 2015 sales of $10.5 billion.
As a provider of innovative solutions that help its customers
achieve their goals, L-3 is committed to encouraging STEM education initiatives, from elementary to postgraduate schools, that
turn today’s students into tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.
We do this by visiting schools and universities and speaking to
students about the difference a STEM education can make in
their lives. We also support various STEM-related programs with
communities and universities, and participate in career fairs and
mentoring programs. In addition, we invite students to work side
by side with our engineers in internships that often lead to fulltime positions and fulfilling professional careers.
Michael T. Strianese is chairman and chief
executive officer of L-3, and a strong advocate
of STEM-related education. His commitment
to STEM is centered on developing tomorrow’s
science and engineering leaders to ensure
that our men and women in uniform have
the most innovative technology available.
In 2014, Mr. Strianese served on the Board of
Trustees and bolstered the expansion of STEM
education at his former high school with a $1
million gift as part of the Michael T. Strianese
’74 STEM Program at Xaverian, established
through a partnership with Project Lead the
Way. His firm belief in the power of STEMrelated education is reflected in his founding
of the annual L-3 Engineers of the Year Awards
program, which recognizes innovation and
technical achievement across the company.
Mr. Strianese played a key role in L-3’s formation
in 1997 and served as the company’s first vice
president of finance and controller. Following
L-3’s Initial Public Offering in 1998, he was promoted to senior vice president of finance in
2001. Mr. Strianese was appointed chief finan-
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cial officer in 2005 and in 2006 was named
president and chief executive officer and was
elected as a director. Until 2007, he also served
as the company’s first corporate ethics officer,
where he led the development and implementation of a comprehensive, companywide integrity program for L-3 employees. In
2008, Mr. Strianese was elected chairman of
the company’s board of directors.
Mr. Strianese served as chairman of the
Aerospace Industries Association in 2014 and
is a member of the Executive Committee. He
is also a member of the Council on Foreign
Relations. Mr. Strianese received the 2014
Coast Guard Foundation Award and he has
also been recognized by the Association
of the United States Army with its John W.
Dixon Award for outstanding contributions
to national defense by a member of the
industrial community and has received
the Semper Fidelis Award from the Marine
Corps Scholarship Foundation, as well as the
Eisenhower Distinguished Citizen Award from
the Army Distaff Foundation.
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Over the long term, the leaders in our industry are the
companies that are able to attract and retain the
best technical talent. By supporting STEM programs
starting in the formative school years, we have a
wonderful opportunity to inspire a love of technology
and the difference it can make. In a competitive,
international economy, it is our responsibility to
promote STEM education as a pathway to a fulfilling
life and career.
What does L-3 do to promote STEM education?
We look at STEM as a mutually beneficial opportunity
– both for students and for L-3. We encourage our
engineers to develop mentoring relationships with
students, entry-level workers and new hires. This
familiarizes them with our products and technologies
and fosters their ability to contribute in a meaningful
way. In turn, we get the benefit of a fresh perspective
and an energized workforce. We support STEM
initiatives in many of our local communities as part of
our focus on corporate citizenship.
For example, our Salt Lake City business provides
high-capacity, networked communications solutions.
We work closely with Utah’s highly ranked universities
to attract top engineering talent. Through our work
on Utah’s university advisory boards and technology
councils, we have developed strong relationships
with students and administrators. Our STEM support
extends to our partnerships with high schools, trade
schools and community colleges.
In Greenville, Texas, we provide highly technical
systems for airborne intelligence gathering and
systems integration solutions. We welcome Greenville
High School students to our facility to work with our
engineers in electrical manufacturing to learn basic
skills and acquire valuable project experience.
We also support the Team America Rocketry
Challenge (TARC), which is the world’s largest student
rocket contest and an important component of
promoting STEM education to the workforce of the
future. These are just a few examples of how L-3 is
focusing on STEM as a strategic tool in nurturing
engineering talent and staying competitive.
What part does diversity play in the effectiveness of
STEM-related programs?
Diversity in the workplace enriches the environment
with new and different experiences and perspectives.
In the context of STEM education, diversity has a direct
positive impact on approaches to solving complex
technological challenges. You might think of it as a
shortcut to innovation, if you will, because it gives us a
bigger arsenal of brainpower and a broader pool of
ideas from which to create innovative solutions.
In recruiting college graduates for STEM careers at
L-3, we have developed partnerships with diversityrelated publications such as US Black Engineer & IT,
Hispanic Engineer & Information Technology, and
Women of Color Magazine. We also participate
in important diversity-focused groups, such as the
National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering
(NACME), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
and the Society for Human Resource Management
(SHRM) Diversity & Inclusion Conference. Our
partnerships with various universities, including MIT,
are examples of our commitment to nurturing a
diverse pipeline for engineering talent.
How do you translate STEM education into innovation?
That’s an excellent question because it gets to the
heart of our effectiveness as an organization, which is
our people. The advances from STEM education only
come when company mentors provide pertinent
context. What is our company trying to accomplish?
What are the goals of our customers? How can
we build on our customer relationships? Who is our
competition and how do we differentiate ourselves?
All the STEM innovations won’t deliver their intended
result if we’re shooting at the wrong targets, so
to speak. This is why working collaboratively is so
important. We are seeking pathways to connect STEM
with students and our business. The more information
we have and the broader our talent pool, the more
likely we are to succeed in meeting our customers’
needs and helping them to achieve their goals.
What implications does STEM have for our nation?
It’s no secret that technological advances abroad
have mounted a serious challenge to the United
States’ competitive profile. In some ways, we have
become complacent about our long-held global
leadership status, while other nations, our adversaries
among them, have made significant inroads. The
lesson here is that technological breakthroughs
and innovations are not to be taken for granted.
They require persistence and hard work, two of the
cornerstones of STEM education. That’s why our
company and our industry are focusing on STEM as a
competitive discriminator.
It would not be an overstatement to say that our
national security is partially reliant on STEM-trained
professionals. When you think about it logically, a
STEM education yields innovative technologies. These
lead to state-of-the-art products and services, many
of which are used by our men and women in uniform.
The better we are at our jobs, the more effective
our military will be in defending our freedoms.
Internationally, that contributes to global stability,
which benefits everyone.■
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Why is STEM education important?
Aymar de
Lencquesaing
President, North America
Lenovo
Lenovo is a $46 billion global Fortune 500 company and a
leader in providing innovative consumer, commercial and enterprise technology. Lenovo’s portfolio of high-quality, secure
products and services covers PCs (including the legendary
Think and multimode Yoga brands), workstations, servers, storage, smart TVs and a family of mobile products like smartphones (including the Motorola brand), tablets and apps.
Lenovo’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution.
Lenovo is a global PC industry leader and is uniquely positioned to make a difference through its support of education
related programs and STEM initiatives. Lenovo aims to advance, enhance and extend education at all levels through
its award-winning products and technologies, community investments and STEM program sponsorships. A signature STEM
program focused on teaching high school students how to
create mobile apps, has been developed in partnership with
NAF, reaching high schools across the country.
As Lenovo’s President of North America,Aymar
de Lencquesaing is responsible for North
America sales, daily operations, growth and
profitability of the region -- encompassing the
United States and Canada. Prior to assuming
this position in April 2015, Aymar was President
of Lenovo in Europe, Middle East and Africa
(EMEA). Under his leadership, EMEA reached
record market share and profitability across
a diverse region including more than 120
countries, supported by 50 offices.
Aymar joined Lenovo in 2013 to lead the
company’s drive in the mobile space in EMEA
and lay the foundations for the company’s
expansion plans. He was promoted to
president EMEA and senior vice president
Lenovo Group in January 2014 and at the
same time joined the Lenovo Executive
Committee, LEC.
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His 30 year career has spanned global
leadership roles with companies in both the
US and Europe. Over the last ten years he was
based in Europe where he was corporate VP
and member of the Executive Committee of
Capgemini, senior VP and president of SHBG
at Acer and CEO of Packard-Bell.
Prior to being in Europe he spent over twenty
years in California where he held a variety of
leadership positions in large companies such
as Softbank, Ziff-Davis and Tandon, as well as
a variety of technology start-ups.
Aymar graduated from the ESSEC business
school in France in 1981.
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To that end, Lenovo has created a signature program
with NAF (formerly, National Academy Foundation)
and MIT to increase the number of disadvantaged
students equipped with the knowledge, skills and
experience required for careers in today’s rapidly
evolving technology industry. This program is called
Lenovo Scholar Network and its objectives include:
• Teaching high school students coding and mobile
application development
• Encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit, creative
thinking and communications skills among high
school students interested in technology careers
• Donating Lenovo technology and empower
students to create mobile applications that will
solve our world’s problems
• Launching an innovative learning opportunity
in public high schools consistent with Lenovo’s
corporate identity to “Never Stand Still”
The Lenovo partnership is a critical component of
NAF’s plan to achieve the organization’s primary
goal: to close the national skills gap and graduate
100,000 college and career ready students by 2020
from urban, underrepresented areas, with specific
alignment to high growth, high demand industries,
including finance, hospitality & tourism, information
technology, engineering, and health sciences.
Lenovo Scholar Network was created as a
certification program for high school students
and a challenge to have a winning mobile app
nationwide. Students used MIT’s App Inventor, a joint
project of the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Mobile
Learning and MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial
Intelligence Laboratory, and teachers were supplied
with an innovative curriculum to help students
learn to code and develop mobile apps. To make
it challenging, they competed first at the school
level, then at the regional and national level. Online
tools were developed to allow industry leaders and
partners to learn more about the program and vote
for the top five finalist teams. In addition, a public
microsite for the program (www.lenovoscholars.com)
was developed to promote the Network, provide a
platform for anyone to view the five finalist mobile
apps and video pitches and select a fan favorite.
The website also allowed students the opportunity to
publish guest blogs about their apps and share their
experience with the program.
From 2014-16, nearly 700 students, mostly from
disadvantaged populations, have learned to work
as team members and gained technology and
business skills through the Lenovo Scholar Network.
More than half of the students who participated met
rigorous criteria created by NAF and MIT to earn the
Lenovo App Scholars badge. Academies leveraged
their participation in the Lenovo Scholar Network
in recruiting middle school students to attend their
high schools and in generating interest in software
development.
Another Lenovo STEM program, focused on increasing
participation particularly by female students, was
launched in January 2016. Teaming up with FabLab,
an innovative new weekly television program, www.
FabLabTV.com, airing nationally (by the producers
of the Teen Choice Awards), Lenovo launched a
nationwide talent search named Lenovo Fabfinder
to find guest reporters interested in STEM.
Lenovo Fabfinder gives middle, high school and
college students the chance to become a part of
the FabLab TV show as correspondents and hosts,
covering STEM initiatives led by young people
across North America. FabLab provides a unique
opportunity to help increase diversity in high tech by
getting children interested in the ways STEM careers
can make the world a better place.
Other STEM focused programs include:
Kramden Institute: Lenovo is the founding sponsor
of Kramden Institute, a nonprofit that has refurbished
and donated more than 20,000 used computers to
hardworking students in grades 3-12 without computer
access in their homes. Lenovo employees volunteer
to work with middle school students and refurbish
thousands of PCs for other students each year.
Boys & Girls Clubs: Our employees have hosted
science-fairs, mentored students after school and
donated countless hours to renovating, cleaning and
building technology centers in local Clubs.
Hackathon for Middle School Girls: Lenovo-sponsored
STEM challenge hosted at Pathways Academy of
Technology & Design in Hartford, CT. The academy is
part of the Lenovo Scholars Network program. Read
more in this Lenovo Scholars student blog.
Lenovo In The Classroom Volunteer Day: In November
2015, more than 40 Lenovo employees visited NAF
academies across the U.S., virtually and in person,
engaging 1,000+ students in STEM career discussions.
Lenovo North America Day of Service: Annually in
April, more than 200 employees volunteer in support
of education. In 2015, employees held STEM career
readiness workshops and conducted mock interview
sessions reaching more than 850 students.
Lenovo provides all employees in the US and Canada
8 hours paid time off each year to volunteer on their
own for nonprofits and causes that are important to
them. Last year, Lenovo employees in North America
volunteered more than 17,000 hours to support a
wide variety of community issues.■
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As a global technology leader, Lenovo is committed
to developing STEM/education and workforce
development in order to continue to innovate and
bring products to market that change people’s lives.
Our nation’s – and our world’s – toughest challenges
will be solved by scientists and engineers. The country
is dependent on a combination of strong talent,
training, and passion that is required for our STEM
professionals to succeed. It is also critical that we
encourage the young generation to pursue STEM
careers, so that we continue to create a pipeline of
future innovators and problem solvers.
Leo A Daly III
LEO A DALY
Established in 1915, LEO A DALY is an international
architecture, planning, engineering, interior design, and
program management firm. The firm’s award-winning
portfolio includes projects in 87 countries, all 50 states, and
the District of Columbia. With nearly 800 employees in 31
offices worldwide, the firm consistently ranks as one of the
top international design firms.
LEO A DALY’s notable work includes Ronald Reagan
Washington National Airport, the National World War II
Memorial, the J. Craig Venter Institute for Genomic Research,
the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center,and the Italian Chancery,
Washington, D.C.; Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral and
Tom Bradley Int. Terminal, Los Angeles, CA; the UNLV Lied
Library and Vdara Hotel and Spa, Las Vegas, NV; the Casino
del Sol, Tucson, AZ; the Midwest Regional Headquarters of
the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior,
Omaha, NE; the Cheung Kong Center, Hong Kong, SAR; and
Repsol YPF Technology Center, Madrid, Spain.
Leo A Daly III, FAIA, RIBA, FRAIA, is Chairman and
CEO of LEO A DALY, a U.S.-based international
architecture, planning, engineering and
interiors firm. As such, he leads a team of
professionals schooled in STEM disciplines who
put their education and experience to work
every day designing beautiful, comfortable,
safe, and sustainable buildings.
Mr. Daly, who holds professional registration as
an architect in 48 states and several countries,
received his degree from The Catholic
University of America in Washington, D.C. and
is a member of its Board of Trustees. In 1981,
he became chairman of the architectural
firm founded by his grandfather and nurtured
by his father. Since then, he has provided
visionary guidance for the firm’s many
professionals who serve as teachers, mentors,
advisors, and jurors for students preparing for
STEM design careers.
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A supporter of STEM education, Mr. Daly
believes in combining professionals from engineering, architecture, planning, and interior
design into teams, assuring easy communication and problem-free projects for clients. His
own teaming skills have garnered him international relations awards from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Italy,
and the government of Hong Kong, SAR. The
firm’s Cheung Kong Center there is a towering example of STEM proficiencies.
Mr. Daly is a Fellow of the American and
Australian Institutes of Architects and has been
awarded the Society of American Military
Engineers’ Urbahn Medal in recognition of
his work in architecture, particularly leading
the design and construction oversight teams
of the National World War II Memorial in
Washington, D.C.
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For a building to succeed, every aspect of its
design—from how it is structured to the size of its
mechanical systems to the materials used—must
be integrated and harmonious. And because
each of a building’s elements are designed and
configured by different professionals—an architect
for one, an engineer for another—such integration
requires constant collaboration. We determined long
ago that multidisciplinary project teams—whose
members sit together and talk with each other—
head off potential design issues before they become
problems. And that makes a client’s project smooth
and problem-free. Our firm pioneered this STEMfriendly way of working in the architectural industry,
and we apply it successfully in other ways—via crosscompany training, development, and a Leadership
Institute involving team members from every
department, role, and responsibility level.
We believe strongly in the role of STEM in everything
we do, and we invest accordingly in programs that
educate and train the professionals we want to hire.
Through our nearly 100 years in the architecture/
engineering/design business, we have sent cadres
of LEO A DALY volunteers into STEM classrooms to
serve as teachers and mentors; we have provided
job shadowing to any student eager to observe
our work and how we go about it. We have also
committed steady financial support to STEM
endeavors; for 40 years we have contributed funding
for an international scholarship within the University
of Nebraska’s school of architecture (we have been
headquartered in Omaha since our company’s
founding there), and we support the Society of
American Military Engineers’ mentoring program, a
natural fit for a firm like ours that regularly partners
with the Federal government on veterans’ hospitals
and other facilities. Our executives have also been
active in raising nearly $2 billion in funds for the
University of Nebraska, an amount which includes
$8 million dedicated to the school of architecture
and engineering.
We are very proud of one STEM initiative in
particular—our support of the Peter Kiewit Institute,
a high-technology learning and research institute
that is home to 1500 students from two University of
Nebraska colleges—Engineering and Sciences and
Technology. An important part of the Institute’s mission
is to develop a high-tech workforce to meet industry,
business and government needs, and we consistently
hire well-trained Kiewit graduates. But we don’t just
hire Kiewit grads—we put them to work on projects
that are proof of the value of the curriculum. The
Institute recognized LEO A DALY with its Architectural
Engineering Outstanding Alumni Project Award for
that very reason. We are a longtime supporter of the
Kiewit Institute in other ways as well; a LEO A DALY
exec serves on the Institute’s professional advisory
board and on its entrepreneurial awards program
board, which evaluates applicants largely on STEM
criteria.
When it comes to promoting STEM education,
we acknowledge our bias for architecture and
engineering. We believe in the strength, beauty,
and appropriateness of a well-designed building;
we thrive on making them a reality for each of our
clients; and we think there is nothing more exciting
than doing so. But it is not just our conviction for
what we do that attracts the future generation of
architects and engineers to our field and our firm.
It is our willingness to lead by example, to actively
engage in STEM education, and most importantly
to offer varied career paths and worldwide work
opportunities. We succeed by hiring smart, welleducated students—men, women, minorities—who
are as excited about the design world as we are—
and by putting them to work on projects that use
their knowledge and ideas. We value their skills,
talent and enthusiasm, and there’s no bigger draw
than that.■
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At LEO A DALY, we are passionate about architecture,
engineering, planning, and interior design, all
professions that require grounding in science,
technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Whether
we are planning a campus, designing a building,
engineering a control tower, or calculating the
materials required for elegant and long-lasting
interiors, we are applying STEM concepts every day.
We bring creativity and innovation to each STEM task,
and we believe the combination is a powerful one—
not just in our field, but in multiple fields critical to our
nation’s future. We encourage our designers and
engineers to dream and envision, to think critically,
and to always try new things, because history tells us
that many of our nation’s most innovative solutions
emerged from repeated experiments. Today,
technological tools like Building Information Modeling
software allow us to experiment virtually—identifying
a building’s design issues before construction
ever begins. We think advancing technologies will
contribute in similar ways to our quest for sustainable
building solutions.
Marillyn Hewson
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs
about 118,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged
in the research, design, development, manufacture,
integration, and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products, and services. The Corporation’s net sales
for 2012 were $47.2 billion.
As a member of the community, Lockheed Martin strives to
be a valued partner to our neighbors, our nation and our ally
countries. The Corporation supports a wide range of diverse
and sustainable STEM activities that reach educators and
students from elementary school through college. As an
industry leader, Lockheed Martin is proud to do its part to
ease the nation’s looming shortfall in technical talent.
Marillyn A. Hewson is Chief Executive
Officer and President of Lockheed Martin
Corporation. Prior to assuming that role on
Jan. 1, 2013, she held a variety of increasingly
responsible executive positions with the
Corporation, including President and Chief
Operating Officer, and Executive Vice
President of Lockheed Martin’s Electronic
Systems business area. She is also a member
of Lockheed Martin’s Board of Directors,
elected Nov. 9, 2012.
In her 30 years with Lockheed Martin,Ms.Hewson
has held several operational leadership
positions including President of Lockheed
Martin Systems Integration; Executive Vice
President of Global Sustainment for Lockheed
Martin Aeronautics; President and General
Manager of Kelly Aviation Center, L.P., an
affiliate of Lockheed Martin; and President of
Lockheed Martin Logistics Services. She has
also served in other key corporate executive
roles, including Senior Vice President of
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Corporate Shared Services, Vice President of
Global Supply Chain Management, and Vice
President of Corporate Internal Audit.
Ms. Hewson chairs the Sandia Corporation
Board of Directors and serves on the Board of
Directors of DuPont. She also served on the
Board of Directors of Carpenter Technology
Corporation from 2002 through 2006. She
serves on the USO Board of Governors, is a
member of the Economic Club of Washington,
D.C., and the University of Alabama’s
Culverhouse College of Commerce and
Business Administration Board of Visitors. She
also serves as Steering Committee Chair for
the Defense Industry Initiative, a nonpartisan,
nonprofit
association
of
responsible
U.S. defense companies committed to
conducting business affairs at the highest
ethical level and in full compliance with the
law. Ms. Hewson was selected by Fortune
magazine as one of the “50 Most Powerful
Women in Business” in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
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As a generation of scientists, engineers and
mathematicians begins to retire, the important
technology positions they leave are becoming
increasingly difficult to fill with new talent. To remain
competitive, the United States must recognize this gap
and emphasize the importance of STEM education
and careers. Success depends on collaboration
among industry, educators, policy makers and families.
As an industry leader, Lockheed Martin is committed
to working with these groups to develop programs that
educate and inspire tomorrow’s scientists, engineers
and mathematicians. Our future success — and our
nation’s technological advantage — depend on
a constant supply of highly trained, highly capable
technical talent. As a corporation, we are committed
to supporting programs, events and campaigns
that focus on student achievement and teacher
development to further STEM education.
We need to show them how rewarding a STEM career
can be. Earning a degree in science, technology,
engineering and math can be challenging and
requires a difficult course load in high school and
college. It’s not easy, but it will prepare them for an
extremely rewarding and exciting career. At Lockheed
Martin, our engineers, scientists and mathematicians
make a difference every single day. They lead the
industry in innovation – from interplanetary space travel
– to fighting cyber criminals – to building the world’s
only multi-mission 5th generation fighter jet. As industry
leaders and role models, we need to help students
from all background see the benefits of pursuing these
careers, the importance of this work to our nation, and
how fulfilling it can be. We also need to break down
the stereotypes that sometimes discourage women
and minorities to pursue these vital careers.
What STEM initiative that your company has participated
in are you most proud to support?
At Lockheed Martin, we support a variety of STEM
initiatives and organizations. We are especially proud
of Engineers in the Classroom, our K-12 STEM education
outreach initiative, which includes programs like FIRST
Robotics, Team America Rocketry Challenge, 4-H
Robotics Clubs, and Project Lead The Way. Each of
these programs enables Lockheed Martin engineers
to work directly with students, which benefits both the
students and our employees, who love to share their
passion about their profession. By directly engaging
in fun, hands-on activities, we hope to educate and
inspire students to pursue STEM careers.
How is your company connecting diversity initiatives with
STEM initiatives? Is this part of a comprehensive strategy?
We
recognize
women
and
minorities
are
underrepresented in STEM fields. As an example,
we know that of all the women who seek a STEM
education, only 26 percent of them achieve STEM
careers. We cannot afford to leave this kind of talent
on the table. Ensuring we have the necessary talent to
continue to innovate is imperative. So for us, there’s a
critical connection between our company’s diversity
initiatives and our STEM initiatives, which is an intentional
component of our overall strategy. We see great
value in aligning these initiatives and seek non-profit
partnerships that successfully support women and
underrepresented minorities pursuing STEM fields. Our
support for the National Action Council for Minorities
in Engineering and the Hispanic College Fund are just
two examples.
Where do you see the biggest area of opportunity in advancing STEM jobs/careers?
We need more mentors and role models for our
students … people who can advise them about a
STEM career and help them get on the right track. We
also need to identify and communicate more success
stories that students can relate to. They need to be able
to see themselves in a STEM career, and that requires
showcasing people who have had success in STEM
careers. Teachers also play a vital role. We need to
provide teachers with tools to spark the imaginations
of young students and show them that STEM is fun and
rewarding. Simply put, it takes lots of good people who
can interact with students and guide them toward a
STEM career.■
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Why do you believe STEM Education/workforce development is critical to our nation’s future?
Jonas Prising
ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup® (NYSE: MAN) is the world’s workforce
expert, creating innovative workforce solutions for nearly 70
years. As workforce experts, we connect more than 600,000
people to meaningful work across a wide range of skills and
industries every day. Through our ManpowerGroup family of
brands – Manpower®, Experis®, Right Management® and
ManpowerGroup® Solutions – we help more than 400,000
clients in 80 countries and territories address their critical
talent needs, providing comprehensive solutions to resource,
manage and develop talent. In 2016, ManpowerGroup was
named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the
sixth consecutive year and one of Fortune’s Most Admired
Companies for the 13th consecutive year, confirming our
position as the most trusted and admired brand in the industry.
See how ManpowerGroup makes powering the world of work
humanly possible: www.manpowergroup.com.
Jonas Prising was named ManpowerGroup
Chairman in December of 2015 and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) in May of 2014. He
leads all aspects of ManpowerGroup’s $20
billion business across 80 countries and territories worldwide. Prior to being elected CEO, Prising served as ManpowerGroup President from
2012 to 2014, leading the company’s operations in the Americas and Southern Europe,
and overseeing the global Right Management
and ManpowerGroup Solutions businesses.
Prising joined ManpowerGroup in 1999 and
has also served as managing director of Manpower Italy; director of Manpower Global
Accounts — Europe, Middle East and Africa;
President of North America; and President
of the Americas. A recognized expert on the
labor market and world of work trends, Prising
regularly speaks at conferences and summits around the world. He actively engages
in the World Economic Forum annual and
regional meetings and frequently provides
commentary on jobs and employment trends
for national and global media. Before joining
the company, Prising worked for Electrolux, a
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ure with Electrolux, he held various international positions within the consumer goods
and business-to-business divisions, including
regional manager for Asia Pacific, managing director of Sales Companies in France
and the United Kingdom, and finally head of
Global Sales and Marketing for one of its business-to-business divisions. Prising is passionate
about preparing the workforce of tomorrow. He is a former chairman of the board
of directors of Junior Achievement (JA) USA,
and currently serves on the board of both
the USA organization and JA Worldwide. In
addition, he serves as a co-chair of Innovation in Milwaukee, an organization focused
on supporting entrepreneurial leadership,
and is a member of the board of directors
of Kohl’s Corporation.Prising holds an MBA
(equivalent) from the Stockholm School of
Economics and has participated in executive programs at Harvard, INSEAD, Stanford
and Yale. He speaks five languages: English,
French, German, Swedish and Italian and has
lived in nine countries across Asia, Europe and
North America. Prising and his family reside in
the Milwaukee area.
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Changes in the world of work are accelerating at a
pace and scale never seen before. From demographic shifts and greater individual choice to the ongoing
technological revolution and increasing sophistication
around workforce data, cyclical and structural trends
are changing the way we live and work. At ManpowerGroup, we call this new era the Human Age, where
talent is the key differentiator driving the success of individuals, organizations and nations.
As new ways of getting work done emerge, the workforce will need to adapt and upskill. Technological
disruption continues to polarize the labor market, giving those with indemand, specialized skills the edge
across many industries. Our latest global Talent Shortage Survey revealed that 38% of employers had difficulty filling jobs in 2015, with IT staff (including developers, programmers, database administrators and IT
leaders) and engineers (especially mechanical, electrical and civil) consistently in the top 10 hardest jobs
to fill. We see this particularly in our Experis business,
where highskilled workers—especially those specializing in emerging IT fields—increasingly have their pick
of employers as the competition for talent intensifies.
The global urgency for STEM skills means fueling that
talent pipeline for the future will be a crucial challenge
for employers, educators and policymakers alike. As
technology continues to reshape employment and
how work gets done, more STEMeducated workers
will be critical to meeting demand.
How can organizations support women in the workforce,
specifically in STEM roles?
In the next 10 years, the country will need an
additional 1.7 million engineers and computer
scientists. In the U.S. and elsewhere, we see that
women are often more educated than men, yet
in STEM courses the number of women enrolling is
falling. Last year, just 12% of engineers were women,
and the number of women in computing has fallen
from 35% in 1990 to just 26% today. Gender parity in
the workplace is more than an ethical imperative; it
leads to better decisionmaking and better business
results. Organizations need diverse perspectives to
navigate a rapidly evolving world. Adding women
strengthens the talent pool and leads to better
creativity, innovation and productivity.
So what needs to change? To address gender parity
in STEM roles, organizations need to first take a hard
look at their talent pipelines. Women tend to be
clustered in certain professions or functions—like HR,
communications and support roles. To really shift the
needle, we need to find ways to move more women
into technical roles too. Increasing the number of
female leaders as role models as well as male leaders
affecting culture change is also key. The growing
demand for STEM skills puts pressure on organizations
to fill gaps quickly, however, building a robust, agile
and diverse talent pipeline takes time. 1 Solving
the Equation: The Variables for Women’s Success in
Engineering and Computing, American Association
of University Women, 2015.
Businesses need to act now to partner with education
and encourage more women and girls into the STEM
fields from the earliest ages, before stereotypes risk
kicking in.
What do we need to do in the U.S. to continue to be at the
top of global innovation?
The time is ripe for disruption and new thinking in the
labor market, and the workforce needs to be ready
for it. Estimates suggest that the sharing economy
has the potential to grow from around $15 billion in
revenue today to $335 billion by 2025. continue to
upend traditional industries and change how work
gets done. Helping people adapt to these disruptions
may be the defining labor challenge of our time and
countries that manage it well will be much more likely
to succeed.
What we do know is that STEM career opportunities
are critical to remaining competitive in this shifting,
bifurcating labor landscape. Individuals with in
demand IT skills like .NET,SAP,Vendavo—or mechanical,
electrical and civil engineering skills—are in a better
position to manage their careers and will continue
to see wages increase. Those with low or outdated
skills will see wages stand still or decline as those kinds
of jobs increasingly get simplified or automated. It’s
no longer enough to just be skilled; individuals now
feel the pressure to have more specialized skills. In
this reconfigured labor market, the workforce needs
to demonstrate learnability—the desire and ability
to quickly grow and adapt one’s skill set—in order
to stay relevant and succeed. Employers, educators
and governments can play a supporting role through
workforce development and other programs, but
all of that depends on having a workforce that is
hungry to learn and take advantage of upskilling
opportunities. Encouraging lifelong learning and
creating strong talent pipelines in the workforce—
particularly in STEM—will therefore be an essential
part of staying competitive in the 21st Century, not
just in the United States, but everywhere. Emerging
workforce models driven by new technology will
therefore be an essential part of staying competitive
in the 21st Century, not just in the United States, but
everywhere.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 144 ManpowerGroup
Why is STEM education and workforce development important for the future world of work?
Ajaypal Singh
Banga
MasterCard
MasterCard is a technology company in the global payments
business. We connect consumers, financial institutions,
merchants, governments and businesses worldwide, enabling
them to use electronic forms of payment instead of cash and
checks. We use technology and data-driven insights to make
electronic payments more convenient, secure and efficient
for people everywhere. MasterCard does not issue cards,
but develops advanced payment solutions and seamlessly
processes billions of transactions around the world every year.
Our business has a global reach—extending to more than
210 countries and territories—and continues to experience
growth in a world where 85% of retail transactions are still
made in cash and checks.
Ajay Banga is president and chief executive
officer of MasterCard and a member of its
board of directors.
Prior to joining MasterCard in 2009, Mr. Banga
was chief executive officer of Citigroup
Asia Pacific responsible for all businesses in
the region, including institutional banking,
alternative investments, wealth management,
consumer banking and credit cards. He
joined Citigroup in 1996 and held a variety of
senior management roles in the United States,
Asia Pacific, and the Europe, Middle East and
Africa regions. He was also responsible for
Citi's brand marketing and from 2005-2009
oversaw its efforts in microfinance.
Mr. Banga began his career at Nestlé, India,
where for 13 years he worked on assignments
spanning sales, marketing and general
management. He also spent two years
at Pepsico, where he was instrumental in
launching its fast food franchises in India as
the economy liberalized.
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Mr. Banga was named to the Board of
Directors of The Dow Chemical Company in
2013. He is currently chairman of the U.S.-India
Business Council. He also serves as a member
of the Executive Committee of the Business
Roundtable and chairs its Information and
Technology Initiative. In addition, he is a
member of the Council on Foreign Relations,
the International Advisory Board of the
Moscow School of Management (Skolkovo),
The Economic Club of New York, The Financial
Services Roundtable and the board of the
New York City Ballet. He also is a fellow of the
Foreign Policy Association.
From 2007 to 2012, Mr. Banga served on the
board of directors of Kraft Foods. He has also
served on the board of trustees of the Asia
Society, the New York Hall of Science, and
the National Urban League, among others.
He received a B.A. in Economics from Delhi
University and is an alumnus of the Indian
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
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It was STEM-related fields that drove much of the U.S.
excellence and prosperity in the 20th century from
the Model T to building the interstate system to space
exploration. And there’s no question, the fields that
make up STEM are even more critical to U.S. success
in the 21st century. They’re the very ones driving U.S.
innovation, productivity, and global competitiveness.
We see them at work across the spectrum of U.S.
products from robotics to defense avionics to social
media. In short, STEM education is one of our lifelines
to the future. Yet, in study after study, younger people
in America are ranking below other developed
countries in science and math. So much so, we’re in
a position where our competitive advantage is being
threatened. That has to change and that’s why STEM
remains so vital.
Beyond Standards, what are the first steps we should
One of the key first steps is to rethink how math and
science are taught at an early stage. How we teach
these disciplines must spark the curiosity of younger
students. At the same time, it must also create the
building blocks of critical thinking necessary for success
in higher education and after that in the marketplace.
And the onus isn’t just on schools. We can’t, of course,
overstate the critical role of parents in encouraging
their kids to pursue STEM opportunities and for parents
to remain actively engaged in their kid’s STEM learning
to ensure excellence. In addition, the solution requires
active partnership between public and private sectors
and from organizations dedicated to STEM education
like STEMconnector.
What principles do you apply to your professional and
personal life to advance STEM education?
I believe that good intentions must translate into
action and commitment. That belief applies in both my
professional and personal life and it’s at the center of
my advocacy for STEM education. That’s why I served
on the Board of the NY Hall of Science and became
directly involved in one of their innovative programs –
the Science Career Ladder. This science education
program recruits and trains high school and college
students to serve as “Explainers.” They receive training
in science, education and public speaking. Then they
take that training and apply it, speaking to students
about the exhibits, conducting demonstrations, and
helping design educational programs and events.
Students mentoring students, students inspiring other
students, and students learning and giving back – all
make for a win, win, win combination.
What is the STEM initiative your company has supported
that you’re the most proud of?
STEM skills are critical to our success as a company as
well as the broader payments industry, and I am proud
of the actions we are taking at MasterCard internally
and externally. Internally, we’re hiring recent college
graduates who are strong in the STEM skills, and to
support that effort, we have an internship program that
targets rising juniors with STEM-focused majors.
From May to August, these students are engaged in
technology projects in different parts of the MasterCard
organization to learn more about the business.
Externally, MasterCard seeks out and participates in
a range of STEM-related activities and initiatives. We
encourage MasterCard employees to volunteer as
mentors, judges, and general support for regional
and international competitions for the For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)
organization. We also look for opportunities to support
professional development for teachers, because we
recognize that ensuring the best classroom experience
possible requires teachers to have their skills continually
honed, nurtured, and appreciated by equipping them
with current best practices.
education?
My advice is two-fold: first, remember it’s these
disciplines that are essential for everyday economic
advancement and human progress. Second, make
learning fun. Make it experiential. That’s how you
enhance and improve school curriculums. And to do
that you need people educated in these disciplines
and well-equipped with STEM skills. A Masters or
PhD isn’t necessary. What’s key is having the right
academic orientation and value placed on these
STEM fields early on in education. And permeating
through it all must be a contagious enthusiasm for the
fields that make up STEM.■
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Why do you believe STEM Education/workforce development is critical to our nation's future?
Shellye
Archambeau
MetricStream
MetricStream is simplifying Governance, Risk, and Compliance
(GRC) for modern and digital enterprises. Our market-leading
enterprise and cloud Apps for GRC enable organizations to
strengthen risk management, regulatory compliance, vendor
governance, and quality management while driving business
performance. The MetricStream GRC Journey methodology
integrates GRC technologies and programs across business,
IT, and security functions to organizations to realize the vision
of Pervasive GRC. Rich content from GRCIntelligence.com,
as well as MetricStream Special Interest Groups (mSIGs) support the ongoing success of our customers through real-time
content feeds and best practices. Leading companies across
industries are benefiting from MetricStream’s simple and
modular approach to GRC in a business environment that is
increasingly mobile, social, global, and virtual. MetricStream
is consistently rated as a market leader by leading analysts,
and has received awards and recognitions for product innovation and customer success. MetricStream is headquartered
in Palo Alto, California, and has offices across the globe.
Since inception, Shellye Archambeau has
served as the CEO of MetricStream, a Silicon
Valley-based Governance, Risk, Compliance
(GRC) and Quality Management software
company where she is responsible for running all facets of the business. MetricStream
enables organizations to improve their risk
management, compliance with regulations,
corporate governance, and overall business
performance amidst an increasingly competitive and complex global business environment.
Built on a flexible GRC platform, MetricStream’s
innovative apps power the GRC and Quality
Management programs for organizations of all
sizes, including the most reputable Fortune 500
and Global 2000 companies across industries.
Under Shellye’s leadership, MetricStream has
become a recognized global market leader
in GRC, with offices on nearly every continent
and over 1500 employees across the globe.
Every year since 2008,MetricStream has been
named as a global leader in GRC by leading
independent analyst firms. Ms. Archambeau
is a leader both in business and in the community, demonstrated through decades of
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involvement on several Boards of Directors and
committees. Since 2002, Ms. Archambeau has
served on the Board of Directors for Watermark,
a non-profit organization for leading women
executives that helps accelerate their careers
and tap into the power of networking. Since
2003, she has served on the Board of Directors
for the IT Senior Management Forum, a nonprofit focused on cultivating African American
leaders in IT, and in 2010 she was awarded their
President’s Award for her impact on the organization’s mission. Since 2007, Ms. Archambeau
has served on the board of directors for the
Silicon Valley Leadership Group, an organization focused on fostering a cooperative effort
between business and government officials
to address major public policy issues affecting
Silicon Valley. She also served on the Board of
Directors, and the Audit and Technology committees for media research company, Arbitron, Inc. [NYSE: ARB] from 2005 until acquired
by Nielsen in 2013. She currently serves on the
board of directors of Nordstrom Inc., and Verizon Communications Inc.
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Unlike some who don’t know what career they want
at a young age, I knew I wanted to run a business in
high school. Every club or organization I was involved
with, I’d eventually end up leading. I enjoyed leading
teams focused on a common purpose to achieve
their goals and I dreamed of being able to build
a great team, create a trusted brand, and make
a significant impact. However, when I began my
professional journey, I knew that because of my
gender and ethnicity, the odds were not entirely in
my favor. But I didn’t let that get in the way.
So, why should you consider technology as a career
path? What is it about tech that presents such
tremendous opportunities for you to do incredible
work?
Technology is Pervasive - in our cars, homes, work-
places, appliances, even jewelry. It’s hard to remember a time when there wasn’t any technology -- no
smartphones, or PCs, or Internet. Another great thing
about tech – it’s disrupting every industry. The fastest growing and most profitable industries in the US
, as profiled on Inc.com include: peer-to-peer lending platforms, tele-health services, motion capture
software developers, urban planning software, payroll software, online survey software. Recently, career
website, Glassdoor released its report on the “Best
Jobs in America for 2016.” Among the top 25 jobs, 10
were in tech – more than any other industry.
No Better Time Than Now - I believe there’s never
been a better time for minorities and women in tech
than right now. Technology is the greatest agent of
change, transforming our lives, societies, and world.
From robotic exoskeletons that allow paraplegics to
walk again, to 3-D bio-printers that fashion human
tissue and organs from a single cell, to autonomous
cars that dramatically reduce the risk of road accidents -- and this is just the beginning!
But where are all the women and minorities in tech? A
2013 survey by the American Association of University
Women (or AAUW) found the number of women in
computing has fallen since 1990 from 35% to 26%.
Only 12% of engineers are women. The numbers are
lower for different ethnicities; black women make up
just 1% of the engineering workforce and 3% of the
computing workforce, while Hispanic women hold
just 1% of the jobs in each field.
Another survey by the Girl Scout Research Institute
found that 74% of teen girls expressed interest in STEM
subjects or Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Math. However, just 0.4% of female college freshmen
say they intend to major in computer science.
So, why do many women turn away from a career
in tech? For years, pop culture has perpetuated
stereotypes of “male techies,” fortunately we have
Sheryl Sandberg, Virginia Rometty, Susan Wojcicki,
Meg Whitman, and Marissa Mayer -- strong,
passionate, and intelligent women role models who
have built and run successful tech companies.
The Path Forward - Good news we’re bringing
attention to challenges and coming together to
support each other. Today, we have communities
like Girls Who Code and Women Who Code, as well
as STEMconnector, Women in Technology, and Tech
LadyMafia who are doing incredible work around
nurturing and mentoring STEM talent.
Why do we need more women in tech? Women are an
incredible asset to any workforce. Here are the facts:
A 2015 survey from McKinsey found that companies
in the top quartile for gender diversity are more likely
to have financial returns above their respective
national industry medians.
In 2012, the National Center for Women and
Information Technology (NCWIT)
found that IT
patents produced by mixed-gender teams in the
US were cited 30%-40% more frequently than other
similar patents.
Gender-diverse teams bring more skills, breed
innovation, and drive better performance. When
you have a homogenous group and you give them
a problem to solve, they’re likely to come up with a
relatively homogenous solution. A diverse group is
more likely to offer multiple perspectives and solutions
to the problem.
Make a PACT with Yourself
So, what can women do to capitalize on the career
opportunities available in tech and improve their
odds for success? Here’s my advice -- Make a PACT
with yourself.
The “P” stands for Planning
The “A” stands for Action
The “C” stands for Confidence
The “T” stands for Tools
It’s a simple 4-step mantra:
1. Plan your path
2. Take Action to differentiate yourself
3. Lead with Confidence
4. Leverage the right Tools
I also believe in mentors – especially for women. Good
mentors not only give needed advice and guidance,
but will also be there to back up your credentials,
and help you reach out to the right people as you
move ahead in your career.
Call to Action - There’s never been a better time for
women in tech than now. Technology is disrupting
every industry, and transforming our lives and our
world, which means that the career opportunities
available in technology are just tremendous. And
yes, there are still challenges, but things are changing
for the better. There has never been a better moment
in time for you to make your mark.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 148 MetricStream
As the CEO of MetricStream, I often get asked, “How
difficult was it to become a leader of a successful
tech company, being (1) a woman and (2) an
African-American?”
Anthony R.
Jimenez
MicroTech
MicroTech, a certified and verified Service-Disabled VeteranOwned Small Business and a Minority Business Enterprise certified by the National Minority Supplier Development Council,
has had noteworthy success since its inception in 2004. The
privately-owned company has been recognized as a small
business success story and was ranked as the #1 Fastest Growing Hispanic Company in the Nation for three consecutive
years by Hispanic Business Magazine.
MicroTech provides Cloud Computing, Technology Services,
Cyber Security Solutions, Products & Managed Service Solutions, Network Systems Integration, Big Data Management,
Telecom Solutions & Integration and Financial Services to the
public sector, as well as commercial enterprises -- managing more than a quarter of a million technology users daily.
A prime contractor of over 500 Federal projects and morethan-25 procurement vehicles, MicroTech offers access to
2500 vendors and a million technology products and services
across the government.
Anthony (Tony) Jimenez is living the "American
Dream." His personal story is as dynamic and
inspiring as his achievements. Born in Virginia
into a family of modest means, his incredible
drive, work ethic, love of technology, and
desire to contribute to society have led to
his recognition as a top leader in technology,
one of the most influential Hispanics in the
Nation, and a respected Veteran.
Since founding MicroTech at his kitchen table
12 years ago (2004) he has grown MicroTech
into a multimillion dollar company with more
than 100 contracts supporting Federal, State
and Local Government as well Fortune 500
companies. Several national organizations
have paid tribute to MicroTech including
Inc Magazine, Digital Software Magazine,
Deloitte, Washington Technology, SmartCEO,
Washington Business Journal, and National
Veteran-Owned Business Association. Tony’s
been named "Entrepreneur of the Year,"
"Small Business Person of the Year," "Executive
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of the Year," and "CEO of the Year" by several
national organizations. He’s also been named
as "Most Influential Hispanics in the Nation"
by the Hispanic Business Magazine, “50 Most
Influential Virginians” by Virginia Business
and "Veteran of the Year” by Veterepreneur
Magazine. Tony has received numerous
letters of appreciation & commendation
from Senators, Congressmen, Governors,
Government Officials and Community
Leaders, as well as letters of gratitude from
two sitting Presidents of the United States.
Tony spent 24 years on Active Duty, is a Retired
Army Officer, Service-Disabled Veteran,
Author and Philanthropist with experience
in Data Center Services, Transformational
Technology, and Cloud Computing. Tony’s a
highly decorated veteran who has served
in theaters of combat operations, including
tours in the Middle East, Central America, &
Africa.
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As MicroTech has grown and achieved success, I
consider it a fundamental responsibility to take the
lead on our philanthropic efforts and give back to
the community. Our efforts over the years have not
only assisted those in need, but also provided us
with a high-profile in the community. It is personally
satisfying to know that MicroTech is routinely
recognized as a technology leader and being a
good steward in the community. For more than a
decade we have supported dozens of Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) initiatives
including programs that emphasize technology and
engineering, and especially initiatives and programs
that diversify and strengthen the Information
Technology (IT) profession. When donating money for
scholarships or grants we look for programs, projects
and initiatives aimed at underserved communities
and programs that allow tutors and mentors to enrich
the lives of young people.
When I look back at those early days the thing I
remember most was the excited feeling I had knowing
that I had actually started my own company and I
was now the CEO! Even better was the fact it was
not just a company, it was a Technology company.
After launching the company in the spring of 2004,
we had grown to 40 employees by December. We
have come a long way since those early days. Like
any new venture, we were thrown some curves and
hit a few potholes along the way. And, while I take
some satisfaction seeing where we are today and
knowing what we have achieved, I know that we
would not be here today had it not been for STEM.
So obviously STEM initiatives and STEM programs that
emphasize technology and engineering and provide
opportunities, much like the ones I was provided, are
especially important to me.
Now that I am involved in STEM I understand that
there are a lot more challenges than I had originally
thought. If we are going to create more inclusion in
STEM, it requires more access for minorities, especially
educational support that would help them finish high
school and eventually get their bachelor’s degree.
Because minorities have significantly higher dropout
rates in high school, creating mechanisms to support
them through their high school years and into college
will help balance the inequalities.
not only increase the size of the available talent
pool, it would also bring a diverse set of minds and
experiences to bear on our nation’s most challenging
issues! Not only would it drive our nation’s ability to
thrive in a competitive, knowledge-driven global
economy, it would help us bring back some of those
jobs we have lost to other countries.
Because STEM is so critical to our future and so
important for our children, our region and our country,
MicroTech works hard to encourage those students
that are currently in school as well as future generations
of would be students, to embrace technology that
affects them every day of their lives and help them to
understand that technology is not as intimidating as
some would have them believe.
One way MicroTech does that is through our support
of a new coed pilot program, called STEM Scouts
which gives young men and women a new, fun way to
discover science, technology, engineering, and math.
By increasing STEM learning opportunities and
establishing partnerships with businesses and
universities, STEM Scouts, through a hands-on learning
environment, gives young people real experience in
these fields and the opportunity to work closely with
STEM educators and experts.
The program serves more than 400 students and
has an attendance rate of more than 90 percent.
Schools reported that STEM Scouts helped students
who had previously struggled in these areas improve
their understanding of the subjects and become
more interested in science, math, and technology.
The rousing success and interest in the pilot program
enabled the BSA to extend the program to 12
additional councils and reach more youth.
STEM Scouts will work closely with STEM professionals
and conduct experiments that could lead to new
inventions, technologies, machines, and medicines,
and develop ideas that change lives. Through weekly
meetings and four- to six-week modules that cover a
variety of disciplines, STEM Scouts is designed to be
fast paced, thought provoking, and fun.
What's more, STEM Scouts at the high school level have
the opportunity to have their work peer-reviewed by
scientists and engineers and then published, helping
to increase their chances for college scholarships
and program admissions. Additionally, each council
will be encouraged to partner with a local university
to aid in the execution of the program and provide
resources and counsel to make sure the program is
giving youth the latest in STEM education. ■
Helping to balance the inequalities and improve
diversity in STEM fields isn’t just the right thing to do
it’s the smart thing to do. In an economy where there
are more jobs than qualified applicants, increasing
the number of women and minorities in STEM would
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 150 MicroTech
At MicroTech, we believe in taking technology
further! That’s actually our tagline at MicroTech and
has been since I first founded the company at my
kitchen table 12 years ago. Since our very first day
in business we have believed it was our job to inspire
people by showing them what we call “The art of the
possible” and because MicroTech is a technologybased company, we have always been committed
to inspiring and challenging the next generation of
technologist.
Al Grasso
The Mitre Corporation
The MITRE Corporation is a not-for-profit-organization that
provides systems engineering, research and development,
and information technology support to the government.
MITRE operates federally funded research and development
centers for the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation
Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and Department
of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Homeland Security, the
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, and the Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services, with principal locations in
Bedford, Mass., and McLean, Va. To learn more, visit www.mitre.org.
Mr. Alfred Grasso is president and CEO of
The MITRE Corporation. He is responsible for
developing and leading the organization’s
overall strategy for its federally funded
research and development centers (FFRDCs).
He also serves on MITRE’s Board of Trustees.
Mr. Grasso has held several leadership and
management positions within MITRE since
joining the company in 1986, culminating
with his appointment as president and CEO
in 2006. He previously was executive vice
president and director of the Command,
Control, Communications, and Intelligence
FFRDC, now known as the National Security
Engineering Center (NSEC). From April 2012
until May 2013, he served as both director of
NSEC and CEO of Mitre.Mr.Grasso is dedicated
to increasing opportunities for young people
to study science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM). He is an appointed
member of the Defense Science Board. He
is a member of the Stevens Institute Systems
Engineering Research Center Advisory Board
and a board member of the Northern Virginia
Technology Council, the country’s largest
technology council. Mr. Grasso also sits on the
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University of Virginia’s Department of Systems
and Information Engineering Advisory
Board and Howard University’s College of
Engineering, Architecture, and Computer
Sciences Board of Visitors. In addition, he
served as chairman of the Armed Forces
Communications and Electronics Association
International’s Board of Directors from 2012
to 2014 and President of the Board of the
National GEM Foundation.
Mr. Grasso and his wife, Michelle, live in Oakton,
Va., and are the proud parents of daughters,
Alessandra, Lindsay and Stephanie. The
Grasso’s
encourage
their
daughters’
educational aspirations, and all three have
excelled in science and mathematics.
Alessandra graduated from the University
of Virginia and The Johns Hopkins University
with degrees in Nano-Medicine Engineering
and Public Health. Lindsay graduated from
Clemson University with a degree in Biology
and is now applying to Medical School.
Stephanie is a third year student will follow
closely at Virginia Tech majoring in Health
and Nutrition.
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There are numerous challenges around filling
technology positions. While some solutions, such as
providing competitive salaries and interesting work
may seem obvious, solving the problem is not that
simple. The jobs landscape is shifting all around us,
along with the way we work—ironically, due in part to
technology. Also, as baby boomers retire, millennials
are entering the workforce in droves. Several polls
and studies indicate they are looking for something
more than money. They want to have purpose in their
work, and the opportunity to make a difference in
the world. MITRE was chartered to work in the public
interest, and for this reason and others, we have always
attracted candidates who have a desire to serve the
greater good. Nonetheless, even a company with our
charter and history must offer a mix of traditional and
non-traditional benefits, such as wellness programs
and flexible work arrangements. Our employees have
said they appreciate having the flexibility to balance
work and personal life so they can pursue outside
interests. Many MITRE employees are also volunteers
in their local communities, where they build homes
for those in need or work as emergency responders.
We believe that organizations do best by doing good.
Recognizing that employees have a life outside of
work demonstrates our commitment to caring for
their well-being, so when they’re here, they can focus
on the task at hand.
Envisioning the Future of STEM Careers through Diversity
Giving people from different backgrounds and
cultures the chance to attack the same problem
leads to innovation. Having this diversity of thought,
not just on occasion, but routinely, is where we see—
and hope—the future of STEM lies. At MITRE, we place
a high value on collaboration to spark diversity
of thought, and we rely on skilled teams whose
members are very different in terms of experience
and viewpoints to develop innovative solutions to
address some of our government’s most pressing
challenges.
In addition to diversity of thought, education is critical
to ensure a healthy future for STEM careers. We need
to engage students to enter STEM fields at a young
age, and keep their interest by offering stimulating
STEM programs that demonstrate real-world
applicability. At MITRE, we work hard to establish and
maintain close ties to educators from grade school
to college, especially in our local communities. For
example, we participate in the Leadership Initiatives
for Teaching and Technology program, which
places schoolteachers in an externship program
at MITRE to help them relate classroom curriculum
to the workplace. For students, one of our most
popular initiatives is the Nanotechnology Student
Program, where high school and college interns work
alongside MITRE technical staff for several weeks.
And our annual Capture the Flag competition lets
high school and college students work on solving
real-world cybersecurity challenges. Through these
programs, students become active participants—not
just observers—in STEM activities.
Today’s leaders in the private and public sectors
can serve as champions and advocates of STEM
events and initiatives in their own organizations and
communities. Go where young people are, and
invite them to your workplace. They’ll remember
these interactions, and someday may return not as
students or interns, but as employees.
Making Smart STEM Investments
The STEM universe can encompass young, mid-, and
late career professionals as well as students. These
groups are in different stages in life, and each has
very different needs, interests, and goals. Therefore,
when it comes to investing in STEM, managers should
do their homework by identifying their audience,
defining their objectives, and determining what
resources they need to meet their goals.
MITRE heavily engages with students through various
programs and events, but we also hire hundreds
of high school and college interns, along with coop students, throughout the year. That’s a wise
investment in STEM on the whole, as many of them go
on to become leaders and innovators in their chosen
fields. It also reaps returns for us when these talented
individuals return to MITRE after earning their degrees.
We invest in our young professionals by offering
educational opportunities and sponsoring groups
such as NextUp, which offers mentoring, networking,
training, and local volunteer opportunities. Our Early
Career Research Program also helps junior staff
members learn how to think about, develop, and
implement a research project that will benefit our
sponsors. Participants are assigned a mentor and
develop their own research proposal and plan for the
year. These activities help young professionals stretch
personally and professionally, and form relationships
with their peers and senior people in the company
that prove invaluable throughout their careers.
Another key to STEM investments is acknowledging the
good work and accomplishments of your employees.
MITRE has several awards programs that recognize
individual and team achievements. For the second
year in a row, we have celebrated National Engineers
Week, and we also participate in several external
awards programs and conferences throughout the
year, including the Black Engineer of the Year awards,
STEM Global Competitiveness Conference, and the
Women of Color STEM Conference, to name a few.
The bottom line when it comes to STEM investments
is to find the right combination for the people in your
organization, and keep assessing these programs to
address the changing needs of your workforce.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 152 The Mitre Corporation
Meeting the Challenge to Fill Technology Positions
Hugh Grant
Monsanto
Monsanto is a leading global producer of seeds and other
tools that help farmers grow better harvests through plant
breeding, soil health, crop protection and data science – all
while using water and other resources more efficiently. The
company collaborates with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the
world’s biggest challenges, including population growth, food
security, natural resource management and water scarcity.
Today’s youth are a critical part of developing solutions to address these global challenges. Monsanto is proud to partner
with leading youth organizations to support STEM and education and provide young adults opportunities to build their
leadership, communication, and advocacy skills so they can
address these challenges. The company is committed to improving lives of farmers, consumers and communities through
innovation and investment.
Hugh Grant is chairman and chief executive
officer of Monsanto Company, which helps
farmers sustainably nourish our growing world.
Mr. Grant joined Monsanto in 1981 and
has since worked on three continents in
a variety of positions, including Executive
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and
President. He has held the roles of Chairman
and CEO since 2003.
Monsanto and Mr.Grant have been recognized
by numerous groups for innovation, corporate
responsibility and business leadership during
his tenure. Monsanto has recently been
named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens
by Corporate Responsibility Magazine; one
of the World’s Most Admired Companies by
FORTUNE Magazine; one of the Top 25 World’s
Best Multinational Workplaces by the Great
Place to Work Institute and a top 50 company
for diversity by DiversityInc. Mr. Grant has been
named on Barron’s list of Most Respected
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CEOs, the Harvard Business Review’s Top 50
Best Performing CEOs and recognized as “CEO
of the Year” by Chief Executive Magazine. In
2015, employee reviews also earned Mr. Grant
an honor on the Top 10 Highest-Rated CEOs
list by Glassdoor.com.
Mr. Grant is the lead director of PPG Industries,
Inc. He serves on the Executive Committee for
The Business Council and serves as chairman
of Civic Progress in St. Louis. Mr. Grant also is on
the Board of Trustees of Washington University
and has been inducted as member of the
American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
Born in Larkhall, Scotland, Mr. Grant earned
a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural
zoology with Honors at Glasgow University.
He also earned a post-graduate degree in
agriculture at Edinburgh University and a
Master of Business Administration degree at
the International Management Centre in
Buckingham, United Kingdom.
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I enjoy getting to spend my days working with smart
people using science to better the world. I want
my company to do its part to help ensure future
generations of scientists are able to do the same.
And I also want us to do our part in making sure those
who don’t choose STEM careers still get access to
STEM coursework and learning.
This isn’t entirely altruistic. Improving STEM education
benefits everyone. But it benefits companies like
mine, specifically. That’s because our core driver is a
talented and scientifically sophisticated workforce.
We employ hundreds of biologists, botanists,
geneticists, data scientists and more, working in
countries all around the globe to help uncover
scientifically driven solutions to some of society’s
biggest challenges.
One of the biggest of these challenges is feeding a
world population expected to grow by almost two
billion people by 2050. We will need to boost global
food output – massively. But we’ll need to do so with a
limited amount of fresh water. And we’ll need to do so
in the face of the extreme weather and temperature
shifts brought about by climate change. Finding
ways to help farmers solve this interlinked challenge
is going to take a lot of smart, creative scientists,
working closely with farmers – and the world won’t
have those scientists without robust STEM education.
We compete with a lot of other companies for those
talented STEM graduates. From our view, the more
STEM graduates there are, the better we are able
to fill the labs, data centers and research fields our
company needs to develop the next big innovation
in agriculture.
What is Monsanto doing to help advance STEM education?
We support STEMconnector’s Feed, Nourish, Thrive
campaign, aimed at increasing the number of
young people who choose STEM education so they
can pursue careers in agriculture. Our America’s
Farmers campaign awarded more than $2 million to
rural school districts to advance STEM education just
last year. The Monsanto Fund also provides annual
scholarships to more than 1,500 students through the
America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders program. And
through our Monsanto Beachell-Borlaug International
Scholars Program, we’ve helped more than 80 Ph.D.
students worldwide pursue careers in plant breeding.
I truly believe everyone can benefit from creating a
more science-literate world. That is partly because so
many challenges require extraordinary innovation.
But it’s also true because in some cases, even
recognizing and acknowledging these challenges
requires a baseline level of scientific literacy.
Take climate change for example. On the surface,
it seems hard to believe human activity could shift
something as massive as a planetary climate and
weather system. But when you look at the scientific
evidence, it becomes plain that in this case, the
science is decisive and clear.
At Monsanto, we trust science. We have studied the
science on climate change and recognized that it is
happening. And we are doing what we can to use
science to face it and address it. Last year, we set an
ambitious goal for ourselves: By 2021, our operations
will be carbon neutral. That means our net carbon
footprint will be zero. How will we accomplish this?
With science.
Using data science and modeling, we’ve been
able to leverage farming methods that sequester
carbon in the soil, equal or even greater than
the carbon emitted by growing those crops. With
the advancement of science and our collective
understanding of the criticality of mitigation and
adaptation, we are going to augment our own efforts
by enlisting farmers to use conservation practices
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We plan to
collaborate with farmers to use the greenhouse gas
reduction value to offset our own footprint.
While I think the world faces daunting challenges,
I have confidence that, if harnessed, science can
help us confront and surmount even the biggest
of them. But only if people understand it, believe it
and use it. That’s why I want students to have access
to STEM education. I want them to have the same
opportunity I had as a young student to fall in love
with the scientific method. I think it will do the same
for them that it has done for me: help me stay curious,
remain skeptical and question my own assumptions.
Those are the traits that help people move science
forward. And – not coincidentally – they’re also the
traits that help people understand and embrace
scientific advances.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 154 Monsanto
I have always been drawn to science. When I was an
undergraduate at Glasgow University in Scotland, I
chose to major in molecular biology and agricultural
zoology. That decision started me on a path to where
I am today – at Monsanto, an agriculture company
that uses cutting-edge science to help farmers raise
more crops to feed a growing planet.
Dr. James
Truchard
President, Chief Executive Officer and
Co-founder
National Instruments
NI equips engineers and scientists with systems that accelerate productivity, innovation, and discovery. For 40 years, NI
has worked with engineers and scientists to provide answers
to the most challenging questions. Through these pursuits, NI
customers have brought hundreds of thousands of products
to market, overcome innumerable technological roadblocks,
and engineered a better life for us all. If you can turn it on, connect it, drive it, or launch it, chances are NI technology helped
make it happen. As a technology company that works with
engineers in virtually every industry, NI is uniquely positioned
to make a meaningful impact in STEM education. NI created
the tools the world’s top scientists and engineers—and hundreds of thousands of students—use to create and discover.
To inspire and prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s innovators, NI invests in improving STEM education with
contributions of time, technology, and financial support.
Named an Innovation Agent by Fast Company, James Truchard, president and CEO,
cofounded National Instruments (NI) in 1976
and has pioneered the way scientists and
engineers solve the world's grand engineering challenges. As one of Forbes' America's
Favorite Bosses, Dr. James Truchard, commonly known around NI as Dr. T, has led the
company from a three-man team to a multinational organization.
Elected to the National Academy of Engineering, Truchard has also earned the distinction of being elected an IEEE Fellow. He
was elected to the Royal Swedish Academy
of Engineering Sciences and has also been
inducted into Electronic Design’s Engineering
Hall of Fame.
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Truchard's personal passion for inspiring and
preparing young people to pursue careers in
technical fields has led him to contribute to a
variety of organizations from The University of
Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering,
to FIRST Robotics, and more.
Additionally, Truchard has been recognized
with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate
Citizenship for his work with STEM organizations
in the Central Texas community.
Truchard holds a doctorate in electrical engineering, as well as a master's degree and
bachelor's degree in physics, all from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Completing hands-on, technology-assisted, exploratory projects—“doing engineering”—gives every
student practice solving problems while connecting
theories to real-world concepts. Engaging in engineering early and often feeds natural curiosity and
a desire to tinker, which inspires more students to
pursue STEM majors and careers. For those who do
choose the STEM track, early exposure to engineering makes them more likely to complete their training
and become contributors in their workplaces.
The structures of our global society and economy are
changing and the employment outlook is changing
with them. The total number of STEM jobs is growing
– in fact, it will grow 26 percent between 2010 and
2020. Why?
If students are going to design and build what’s next,
they must design and build today – in school and
outside of school. NI believes students should be
designing and building technology projects at every
level, ideally with the same hardware and software
they will be using throughout their academic and
industry careers. This not only makes them better
students but also provides valuable rehearsal for the
work they tackle at the next level.
The new literacy of technology. The tilt toward
software-based work environments imbues every job
with a technology requirement. The ability to create
and control technology is essential for a thriving
workforce.
The economy of new ideas. Emerging markets and
a new generation of consumers crave entirely new
product categories. The world needs new ideas to
stay in business.
Our grand challenges. Increasing population,
diminishing resources, and the sudden shift to digital
infrastructure all create big problems for our graduates
to solve in their lifetimes. Like multiple “moon shots”
for the new century, these challenges require many
more high-tech workers than we produce now.
To invent and build the next big thing, knowledge is
only part of what it takes to get that degree, job, or
promotion. Young people need the mindset to ask
the right questions, embrace uncertainty, plan whole
solutions, and take a design from idea to creation.
At NI, we know these things as engineering. We
understand the power of tinkering, problem solving
and “doing engineering.”
Just like with sports or music education, the study of
theory is only valuable when put into practice. That
“doing” is essentially engineering. When students
do engineering, they gain real skills they need to
become successful, working adults.
NI has a long history of partnering with organizations
such as For Inspiration and Recognition of Science
and Technology (FIRST), World Robot Olympiad
(WRO), LEGO Education, Project Lead the Way
(PLTW) and many, many more to drive change in
STEM learning. These programs and organizations
teach core engineering concepts, problem-solving
skills, teamwork, and leadership skills.
NI is proud to be a leader in the STEM movement and
contribute technology, volunteer time and financial
resources to help inspire and prepare students to be
successful in STEM subjects and careers.■
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As a company built by and run by engineers, NI is
passionate about inspiring and preparing the next
generation of innovators and scientists to take on
the jobs of tomorrow, and solve the world’s greatest
challenges. Science and technology education
– STEM education - has been a priority for NI for
decades, and will continue to be for years to come.
It’s clear that the world needs more graduates to
choose, and stay in, engineering (STEM) careers. Now,
more than ever before.
Warren M.
Boley, Jr.
Norsk Titanium
Norsk Titanium is the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospacegrade,additive manufactured,structural titanium components.
The company is distinguished in the aviation industry by its
patented Rapid Plasma DepositionTM (RPDTM) process that
transforms titanium wire into complex components suitable for
structural and safety-critical applications. The Norsk Titanium
research and development team is leading a manufacturing
revolution by providing a precision wire deposition technology
embodying disruptive savings for aerospace, defense, and
commercial applications. www.norsktitanium.com
Warren M. Boley, Jr., is the President and Chief
Executive Officer of Norsk Titanium, the leading innovator in bringing structural additive
manufacturing capability to the world’s premier aerospace and defense companies.
Prior to leading Norsk Titanium, Mr. Boley was
the President of Aerojet Rocketdyne and
before that, he served as the President of
Military Engines for Pratt & Whitney – a United
Technologies
company.Boley’s
lifelong
dedication to the creation and advancement
of STEM causes includes currently serving as
a National Board Member of the Challenger
Center for Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math. He was also the founder of the
Aerojet Rocketdyne Space and Aviation
LaunchPad, which successfully debuted at
the California Capital Airshow in Sacramento
and promoted STEM to more than 100,000
attendees and fans.
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Boley has also served as a Board Member
of the Virginia Commonwealth Center for
Advanced manufacturing, and as Director of
Harvard Business School Club of Connecticut.
He is an active member of the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers and the U.S.
Air Force Association.
Under Boley’s leadership, Aerojet Rocketdyne
was ranked #1 of The World’s Top 10 Most
Innovative Companies by Fast Company
and recently he led Norsk Titanium to similar
recognition as a Top 10 Innovation Company.
Mr. Boley holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in Mechanical Engineering from the University
of Notre Dame, a Master of Science degree
in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s
degree in Management from Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute and was a participant in
the management development program at
the Harvard Business School.
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People and excitement are the keys to successfully
leveraging investment in any STEM initiative. When I
launch a new STEM outreach, I’m always mindful of
selecting passionate leaders to execute the program
who have their own STEM successes and failures to
draw from – this makes them both relatable and
credible to the kids and young adults we work with.
We have found that the best STEM programs are tied
to an amazing outcome that excites the imagination
and passions of the participants. It’s hard to convince
a child to “suffer” through more difficult courses than
their peers based solely on reasoning and logic. Not
surprisingly, we have measured the best results when
we tie a program to an exciting embodiment of STEM
such as being an astronaut or stunt pilot. That’s why
I chose to invest in the California Capital Airshow
to design and build a 15,000 square foot STEM
LaunchPad pavilion in 2013.
Aside from having a technical background, when I
look to hire leaders at Norsk Titanium, a major factor
in our selection process is a hands-on science and
technology background – with an emphasis on risk
taken and results achieved. We search for bright men
and women who have overcome obstacles in their
lives, education and work history that demonstrate
their steadfast dedication to finding solutions to
highly complex problems – often under austere
working conditions and preferably while getting
their hands dirty. Encouraging leaders to actually
accomplish engineering tasks, even when high
probabilities of failure exist, is a great way to build a
culture of innovation and risk-taking to underpin a
STEM ecosystem.
between America and Europe has resulted in
uncontained innovation. We celebrate diversity
in our team as much as business and technical
achievements and it is a major component of our
success. Starting with our board of directors all the
way through our ranks, we recruit the finest scientific
minds, particularly women and underrepresented
minorities. In fact, just 17% of our workforce are
Americans with the rest of our international team
comprising scientists and engineers from Norway,
Iran, Canada, China, UK, India Romania and others.
67% of our people hold a college degree, 55% hold a
Master’s degree and 13.5% hold a Ph.D. degree.
Our female colleagues comprise 17% of our
workforce and are growing steeply in both numbers
and technical influence. Dawne Hickton was recently
elected to our board of directors following an
illustrious career as CEO of RTI International Metals,
Inc. which was acquired by Alcoa thanks in large
part to her technical and business leadership.
Hilde Loken Larsen, Ph.D. is our top metallurgist and
head of research & development. We also recruit
leaders with proven STEM backgrounds to inject
energy and excitement to the organization and
our STEM initiatives. Our CCO Chet Fuller was a
decorated U.S. Navy pilot. Our Vice President of Sales
Steve Carrington was a US Navy F/A-18 Pilot and Top
Gun instructor and our Vice President of Marketing
Chip Yates holds 18 World Records in electric vehicles
he designed and created.■
I have embraced diversity throughout my career and
especially in my role as CEO of Norsk Titanium. We
have an incredible mix of talent in our U.S. organization
as well as from our Norwegian technology team. The
mixing of cultures, ideas and creative approaches
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Wes Bush
Chairman, President and Chief
Executive Officer
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company
providing innovative systems, products and solutions in
autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and
modernization to government and commercial customers
worldwide. The Northrop Grumman Foundation, a charitable
giving arm of Northrop Grumman Corporation, is committed
to supporting diverse and sustainable programs that create
innovative education opportunities for our nation’s youth.
The priority is to provide assistance to national-level STEM
programs that span pre-school through collegiate levels and
put an emphasis on reaching diverse populations. Northrop
Grumman employees actively volunteer in support of many
STEM organizations, causes, and programs. In 2015, Northrop
Grumman, the Northrop Grumman Foundation and the
employees of Northrop Grumman collectively donated
more than $31.7 million to the community. Through Northrop
Grumman Contributions and the Northrop Grumman
Foundation we donated more than $17.4 million to fund STEM
programs and projects globally that make a difference for
students and their teachers, while providing opportunities to
engage our employees.
Wes Bush is chairman, chief executive
officer and president of Northrop Grumman
Corporation, a leader in global security.
Bush was named chief executive officer and
president in January 2010, and elected to
the company’s Board of Directors in 2009. He
assumed the role of chairman in July 2011.
Bush previously served as the president and
chief operating officer of the company.
Before that, he served as the corporate vice
president and chief financial officer, and,
earlier, as the president of the company’s
Space Technology sector. Prior to the
acquisition of TRW by Northrop Grumman,
he had served since 2001 as president and
chief executive officer for TRW’s UK-based
global Aeronautical Systems. Bush joined TRW
in 1987 as a systems engineer, and served
in engineering, program management and
business development roles in TRW’s Space
& Electronics business. Prior to joining TRW,
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he held engineering positions with both the
Aerospace Corporation and Comsat Labs.
Bush earned a bachelor’s degree and a
master’s degree in electrical engineering from
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He
also completed the University of California, Los
Angeles’ Executive Management Program.
Bush serves on the board of directors of Norfolk
Southern Corporation, as well as the boards of
several nonprofit organizations, including the
Aerospace Industries Association, BusinessHigher Education Forum, Conservation
International and the U.S. Naval Academy
Foundation.
Under Bush’s leadership, the main focus of
Northrop Grumman’s philanthropy effort
continues to be expanding and bettering the
pipeline of talented mathematics, science,
technology and engineering students in the
communities where we live and work – in the
U.S. and globally.
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Across the country, the number of young students
interested in STEM falls short of the projections of the
talent our nation will need to propel our economy. This
is causing a growing shortage of STEM-based talent
in our workplaces and universities, and it represents a
serious problem for our nation. STEM-based expertise
is at the heart of our high-technology culture, society
and economy. If we are not able to draw on a
substantial and growing infusion of that expertise,
America will be unable to sustain its leadership
position in an increasingly competitive world.
Beyond Standards, what are the first steps we should
A critical step in building a diverse, STEM student
pipeline is making science and math fascinating and
applicable for students. We must particularly reach
out to women and minority students, where the lack
of STEM involvement is detrimental to our society.
To do that, we need to support educators who are
excited about what they do and can bring unique
learning opportunities into their classroom. That is
where Northrop Grumman has focused its efforts.
I am very proud of all our STEM activities and also the
involvement of our employees. Here are some of our
activities.
• The CyberPatriot program, a Northrop Grumman
partnership with the Air Force Association inspires
students toward careers in cybersecurity. The
program features the National Youth Cyber Defense
Competition for middle and high school-aged
students, cyber summer camps and an elementary
school education program. At the CyberPatriot
VIII National Finals Competition held in April 2016,
Northrop Grumman awarded $50,500 in scholarships
to high school students on the winning teams.
This was the sixth year Northrop Grumman has
provided scholarship funds, committing more than
$300,000 in total scholarship funds over this period.
The CyberPatriot VIII National Finals Competition
featured 28 high school and middle school teams,
selected from a record 3,379 teams, a 55 percent
increase over last year.
•
Cybersecurity outreach programs Northrop
Grumman or the Northrop Grumman Foundation
fund include the University of Maryland Baltimore
County (UMBC) Cyber Scholars program and the
University of Maryland Advanced Cybersecurity
Experience for Students program.
•The Wolf Trap Early Learning Childhood STEM
Learning Through the Arts program is a unique
endeavor supported by the Northrop Grumman
Foundation that integrates elements of the performing
arts into existing school curriculum to teach science
and mathematics to young children.
• In 2015 we celebrated Manufacturing Day at
20 Northrop Grumman sites across the country
to draw attention to outstanding opportunities in
manufacturing and to showcase the company’s
capabilities. At 12 of our facilities, employees assisted
STEM students from area high schools with a prosthetic
hand assembly project. Traditional prosthetic hands
can cost thousands of dollars, whereas the studentconstructed devices cost $40 or less and can be
made using advanced, additive manufacturing. The
hands went to Enabling the Future, a nonprofit that
specializes in providing prosthetics to children around
the globe.
•
Professional development programming for
educators that enhance their understanding of STEM
education and teaching techniques is a focus for
the Northrop Grumman Foundation. For example,
in 2015 the Northrop Grumman Foundation and the
National Science Teachers Association launched
the 2015-2016 Teacher Fellows in the Northrop
Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy. Selected
from targeted areas across the country, the 25
middle school teachers will participate in a yearlong immersion to enhance teacher and classroom
excellence in STEM including understanding the
skills needed for a scientific workforce. Also, we
completed our $1 million investment to the Virginia
Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement
(VISTA) to improve science teaching and student
learning in elementary and secondary schools. VISTA
was a statewide partnership among 80-plus Virginia
school divisions, six state universities, the Virginia
Department of Education and the U.S. Department
of Education. And, this is our fifth year, in collaboration
with Conservation International, supporting ECO
Classroom. It’s a unique program assisted by the
Northrop Grumman Foundation, that gives science
teachers an intensive, two-week program in Costa
Rica designed to stimulate their knowledge and
interest in environmental science, and prepare them
to inspire their students to pursue STEM.
But perhaps the most important effort we support is the
countless hours our employees spend volunteering in
their local communities in the U.S. and globally. This
hands-on, direct engagement means a great deal
to these communities.■
•The Northrop Grumman Foundation was the
presenting sponsor of the 2015 VEX Robotics World
Championship. A total of 850 teams, culled from more
than 12,000 teams worldwide, qualified to compete
in five divisions for ages 8 to 18-plus. Overall, more
than 8,000 students from 29 countries participated.
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Why do you believe STEM education and workforce development is critical to our nation's future?
Michael J.
Dowling
President and Chief Executive Officer Northwell Health System
The Northwell Health System recognizes the importance of
STEM education in promoting the economic and physical
health of our region. Healthcare requires a highly skilled and
educated STEM workforce to provide the highest standard
of quality care. Northwell Health has taken the lead as the
steward of the regional STEM initiative on Long Island, collaborating with internal and external partners to host system-wide
STEM career programs, provide teacher education opportunities and foster transnational education through the creation
and support of Career Academies. Northwell Health student
programs help educate and promote the wide scope of career paths and opportunities available within healthcare. Two
notable examples are the first Career Exploration Camp implemented in partnership with Girl Scouts of Nassau County;
and Medical Marvels, a collaborative research competition
established by the health system’s Feinstein Institute for Medical Research for Long Island students in grades 9 and 10
As Northwell Health System’s President and
Chief Executive Officer, Michael J. Dowling
oversees the largest integrated health care
system in New York State. Prior to becoming
president and CEO in 2002, Mr. Dowling was the
health system’s executive vice president and
chief operating officer. Before joining Northwell
Health in 1995, he was a senior vice president
at Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Mr. Dowling
served in New York State government for 12
years, including seven years as state director
of Health, Education and Human Services
and deputy secretary to the governor. He
was also commissioner of the New York State
Department of Social Services.
Mr. Dowling has supported a variety of
initiatives throughout the health system in
support of STEM. Under his leadership, the
Center for Workforce Readiness (CWR) was
created. Through collaboration with internal
and external partners, CWR strives to enhance
Northwell Health position as a leader and
innovator in promoting healthcare career
pathways in STEM. In addition, Mr. Dowling
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has been personally involved in initiatives that
focus on highlighting
healthcare careers,
educational support, and job opportunities
to young people.
Mr. Dowling is a member of the Institute of
Medicine of the National Academies and
Chairman of the North American Board of
the Smurfit School of Business at University
College, Dublin, Ireland. He also serves as a
board member of the Institute for Healthcare
Improvement (IHI) and board member and
Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine.
He is also the former Chairman and current
board member of the National Center for
Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), the Greater
New York Hospital Association (GNYHA),
the Healthcare Association of New York
State (HANYS) and the League of Voluntary
Hospitals of New York.
Mr. Dowling grew up in Limerick, Ireland. He
earned his undergraduate degree from
University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, and
his master’s degree from Fordham University.
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Despite high unemployment rates, the current
labor supply is simply not a good match for current
openings. A review of enrollment at our regional
colleges and universities reveals that only a small
percentage of students are pursuing degrees in
STEM. STEM education can help us be less reliant
upon a workforce imported from other parts of the
world, and enhance our economic vitality through
homegrown talent and innovation.
In 2012, Northwell Health created the Center for
Workforce Readiness (CWR), which is part of the
Corporate Human Resources talent management
team. The Center’s mission is to equip students with
the knowledge, skills and experiences necessary
to meet the health system’s staffing needs. By
aligning organizational needs and required skill sets
with education, CWR is positioned to influence our
future workforce and create a pipeline of skilled
and educated workers to meet Northwell Health
projected staffing needs. CWR engages internal
and external strategic partners to collaborate in
developing programs and creating opportunities
that both encourage and empower participants to
pursue healthcare and STEM-related careers.
Northwell Health is leading the charge on ”igniting”
student interest in STEM healthcare careers by
partnering with local high schools to have their
students participate in the SPARK! Challenge. Through
this challenge, Northwell Health introduces students
to a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical careers
that require competencies in STEM skills. During
our inaugural year, employees at 30 health system
sites hosted 500 high school students to showcase
their careers including opportunities for hands-on
experiences. Following the Spark! Challenge visit,
student teams were required to collaborate and
produce a short documentary video recapping
their day and describing what they learned about
specific healthcare careers. This project continued
the dialogue well past the site visits. Prizes were
awarded to the top videos and corresponding sites.
The program exceeded our expectations in that it:
• Sparked student interest in STEM healthcarerelated careers;
• Allowed the students to explore different
careers through realistic job previews;
• Taught students how to identify potential
career paths and assess their compatibility with
their personal career goals;
•
Provided
relevance
between
school
coursework and its application in real work
settings;
•Established relationships between North
Shore-LIJ and our future workforce; and
• Engaged and empowered employees who
were proud to share their career choice and
demonstrate their pride in the organization.
Northwell Health is invested in the physical as well as
the economic health of the region we serve. Along
with Brookhaven National Laboratory, we co-steward
the Long Island STEM Hub, one of ten hubs forming
throughout New York and within the Empire State
STEM Learning Network. It is a coalition of industry
and academic leaders who are committed to
developing strategies to prepare students for college
and careers while ensuring alignment to STEM-related
industries that are driving the local economy. This is a
community effort to keep our region competitive and
ensure that our students have the education, skills
and connections to thrive in STEM careers with local
companies that need and want them as employees.
Several key initiatives of the Long Island STEM Hub
include:
• Professional Development Day- This is a regionwide initiative that engages educators in exploring
and understanding the broad spectrum of STEM
career paths as well as the skills and education
needed for employment. Its goal is to provide a
variety of industry-based opportunities to teachers
from all disciplines and to school districts who are
looking to create a project-based curriculum with
relevant industry examples that have a positive
impact on student learning. Additionally, teachers
create relationships with industry partners for
continued interactions and resources. This helps level
the playing field for underserved districts with limited
resources
• Career Academies –These are a transformative
and highly effective means of delivering STEM careerthemed education in existing classrooms. Students
who have participated in a Career Academy
show greater levels of academic and career
achievement. Northwell Health offers a variety of
resources to local Career Academy schools, forging
a connection between what students are learning
in the classroom and the application of subject
matter in the workplace. Subject matter experts
from across the organization, including the health
system’s High Potential Program alumni, volunteer
to enhance Career Academy students’ experience
in a number of ways. These include on- and off-site
presentations, NorthWell Health facility tours, career
day participation, and shadowing and mentoring.
Students receive in-depth information about different
career paths in healthcare and have direct access
to professionals in the field.
• Regional Industry Councils – These councils are
structured forums that facilitate communication
between industry-specific leaders and educators.
Their focus is on sharing trends, meeting needs and
resources so everyone can benefit.■
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STEM education/workforce development is critical to
the future of our nation. Our country needs a highly
trained, diverse workforce to satisfy business needs;
attract new industries; and enhance economic
viability. Long-term economic growth relies on
the preparation of workers with demonstrable
capabilities in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM). Unfortunately, too few students
pursue careers in STEM.
Glenn Kellow
Peabody Energy
Peabody Energy is the world’s largest private-sector coal
company. Peabody is BTU, and Btu is energy. Peabody serves
high-growth markets, lighting lives and fueling economies
in 25 nations on six continents. Peabody is the only global
pure-play coal investment and a global leader in clean coal
solutions. From mine to rail, rail to ports and ports to plants…
Peabody is fueling the world with energy essential to sustain
life and grow economies.
Glenn Kellow is President and Chief Executive
Officer of Peabody Energy. Peabody is the
world’s largest private-sector coal company
with a workforce of more than 8,000. The
company owns interests in 26 active coal
mining operations located in the United
States and Australia at a time when coal is the
world’s fastest growing major fuel. Peabody
also engages in trading and brokerage
activities from offices in China, Australia, the
United Kingdom, Germany, India, Indonesia
and the United States.
Since joining Peabody in 2013, Kellow has led
an operational team that has significantly
improved safety, productivity and costs, while
also overseeing corporate strategy, marketing
and business development.
Kellow has worked across a broad range of
commodities spanning three decades. Over
a 28-year career with BHP Billiton, he held
multiple leadership posts on three continents.
He most recently served as president of the
multinational aluminum and nickel business,
with operations in South Africa, Australia,
Mozambique and Colombia. He has held a
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number of executive, operating and financial
positions in the coal, copper, base metals,
steel and petroleum sectors in the United
States, Australia and Chile.
Kellow is the former Chairman of Worsley
Alumina in Australia, Chairman of Mozal in
Mozambique, and Chairman of the global
Nickel Institute. He is a former director of the
World Coal Association, the U.S. National
Mining Association, and a past member of the
executive committee of the Western Australian
Chamber of Minerals and Energy and the
advisory board of the Energy and Mining
Institute of the University of Western Australia.
Kellow holds a master’s degree in business
administration and a bachelor’s degree in
commerce from the University of Newcastle
in Australia. He completed the advanced
management program of the Wharton
Business School in the United States and is a
Fellow of CPA Australia. Kellow was awarded
an Honorary Doctorate in Science from South
Dakota School of Mines & Technology and
the Alumni Award for International Leadership
from the University of Newcastle.
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Peabody Energy’s operations reflect the company’s
focus on operating 21st century coal mines
through continual improvement in mine planning
and engineering, use of advanced technologies,
operational best practices, environmental care and
carbon management. Around the globe, advanced
coal technology fuels clean, affordable electricity,
and offers energy access for millions while continuing
to provide improved emissions. In fact, in the U.S. since
1970, coal used for electricity has increased more than
170%, as GDP more than doubled and key emissions
per kilowatt hour decreased 90%. This decline has
been achieved through use of modern technologies
that allow coal-fueled electricity generating plants
to produce more power with fewer emissions. Stateof-the-art technologies reduce key emissions by using
lime or limestone-bases solutions to scrub sulfur dioxide,
advanced coal burners and catalysts to reduce
nitrogen oxides, and electrically charged plates for
fabric filters to remove particulates. A combination
of all these technologies, plus the use of sorbent
injection systems, enables highly efficient mercury
removal. These advanced coal technologies are a
major environmental success story, yet there is still
more to be done. Continued investment in research
and development to advance next-generation
technologies, including commercialization of carbon
capture for various uses, will move us toward the
ultimate goal of coal-fueled power that is virtually free
of emissions.
How do you translate your work into innovation?
Peabody Energy today is the world’s largest private
sector coal company and a global leader in sustainable
mining, energy access and clean coal solutions, and in
recent years we have worked to elevate global energy
poverty as a key priority among world leaders. Energy
poverty is a global crisis with 3.5 billion people lacking
enough power for basic needs that are essential for
human development and quality of life – a human
and environmental crisis. Peabody has created the
innovative Advanced Energy for Life global campaign
to build awareness and support to eliminate energy
poverty, increase access to low-cost electricity and
improve emissions through advanced clean coal
technologies. We believe that increasing access to all
forms of affordable energy – including coal – is key to
the solution. And the goal of affordable energy goes
hand-in-hand with our environmental goals. Innovative
clean coal technologies, which include high efficiency
supercritical coal plants combined with the collection
of emission controls, provide the path to a low-carbon
global economy, delivering affordable and reliable
power with a significantly lower environmental footprint.
STEM education with future workforce needs?
Through partnerships with select universities, Peabody
continues its investments in research and development
in advanced 21st century coal mining. Since 2008,
Peabody has been a lead and integral partner in
establishing the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization
(CCCU) at Washington University in St. Louis. The CCCU
is a center for advanced coal research, including
studies of carbon capture, utilization and storage.
Peabody’s mission in the partnership is to encourage
and
coordinate
university-wide
and
external
collaborative research on energy, environment, and
sustainability. Goals of the Consortium are to advance
technologies for clean coal utilization, develop solutions
to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, improve public
understanding of the role of coal as a source of energy,
and train a motivated, talented workforce that is
capable of addressing the future challenges of utilizing
coal. In recent years Peabody has also supported the
Advance Coal Technology Laboratory at the University
of Wyoming’s Energy Innovation Center, funding
economic and energy analysis, supporting advanced
coal utilization research and education programs for
energy-related careers.
What STEM initiative has your company supported?
In Peabody’s headquarters city of St. Louis, Missouri,
we are a founding and funding member of STEMpact,
a collaborative network of regional businesses,
academia and charitable foundations that work with
school districts to improve the caliber of St. Louis science,
technology, engineering and math educators, so that
these teachers can create STEM-capable learners.
STEMpact’s goal – to empower students to graduate
with skills to enter high-demand careers in STEM fields
– aligns with the needs of our business: We recognize
that planning for the next generation workforce in the
STEM fields is a business imperative for future growth. To
this end, we’ve also supported a number of initiatives
related to enhancing STEM education, including a
major partnership to outfit the University of Missouri
St. Louis’ Peabody Energy Physics and Environmental
Engineering Laboratories, and smaller but still significant
investments like enabling employees to visit regional
school classrooms to facilitate conversations about
coal in the energy mix.
What is your vision for the future of STEM careers, through
diversity?
Peabody’s global inclusion and diversity vision is to
maintain a global workforce comprised of varied
backgrounds, while promoting the power of inclusion
and diversity as a competitive advantage to deliver
exceptional results. We also realize that we operate
in a competitive market for key science, technology,
engineering, math and mining talent and that the
coal industry’s workforce is aging. We’ve responded
with a comprehensive workforce planning effort with
robust learning and development at its foundation.
Our initiatives include training programs, mentoring
programs, succession planning, and partnerships
with universities, junior colleges, and vocational and
technical schools. A number of scholarship and training
programs to develop STEM talent exist across Peabody’s
global business units, including technical scholarship
programs to identify and develop maintenance
talent for high demand operations, and employing
recent graduates in rotational roles across mining,
engineering, environmental, mechanical, electrical
and related fields. From 2012 to 2014, Peabody saw a
12 percent increase in its U.S. minority workforce, and
in our Australian Business Unit, the number of women
employed increased 45 percent from 2013 to 2014.■
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What role does STEM play in your industry?
Pedro Padierna
President
PepsiCo Mexico
PepsiCo is one of the world’s leading food and beverage
companies with over $63 billion in net revenue and a global
portfolio of diverse and beloved brands that includes
22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales. In Mexico, we have been
accompanying Mexican families for over 100 years with delicious products that are healthier each day, such as Quaker,
Gamesa, Gatorade and Sonric's. At the heart of PepsiCo is
Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and
shareholder value. Along with Million Women Mentors, PepsiCo is mobilizing 100 mentors within the US, expanding it
globally in 2015 in order to mobilize 1000 mentors in 2016.
PepsiCo and STEMConnector launched the Mexico City pilot
program to mentor first-year girls studying in the STEM fields.
This program aims to be replicated by other universities, high
schools and companies in 2016.
At PepsiCo, Pedro heads the Global Potato
Center of Excellence and is a member of
the Extended Executive Committee.
Previously, he worked for the Mexican Ministry
of Tourism, Banamex (Citibank Mexico) as well
as Procter & Gamble.
He began his career at PepsiCo in 1987 as VP
of Marketing, later becoming Vice President of
Research and Development at Sabritas. Since
then, he has held various positions, including
Mexico’s Commercial Senior VP, and held
the National Sales vice presidency. He also
headed the Sabritas team in Mexico, Central
America and the Caribbean.
Currently, he is President of the Board of
Trustees of the Iberoamericana University, his
alma mater. He also served as Chairman of
the Executive Council of Global Companies
(CEEG) in Mexico from 2011 to 2015.
He currently serves as a PepsiCo ambassador
in Mexico, developing strong relationships
with key partners, including government
officials, clients, media and NGO’s.
He was founder and President of the Sabritas
Foundation, and currently serves as President
of the PepsiCo Mexico Foundation.
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He is founding partner and former President of
ConMexico (the Mexican Industry Council of
Consumer Products). He served as President
of the International Advertising Association
and acted as Chairman of the Board of
Trustees at the Communication Council (CC).
In 2012,Pedro was awarded with the prestigious
PepsiCo’s Global Steve Reinemund Diversity
& Inclusion Leadership Legacy Award.
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Nowadays, the heavily globalized economy is in
need of people with knowledge and skills that drive
innovation. Most of Mexico’s economic progress
gained over the recent decades is attributed to
enhanced productivity through innovation. People
that have brought innovation to the table are those
equipped with STEM abilities and skillsets and we
need them in order to enable the companies to
keep up with the rapid pace of change.
Therefore, the challenge for companies is not only to
attract young STEM talent, but to help them peruse a
STEM career. STEM skills are crucial to our business. We
employ STEM professionals who play a critical role
in enabling the company’s success. For example,
growing crops sustainably and optimizing yields
requires expertise in agronomy, crop physiology,
among others. There is a great amount of math
involved in projecting how to source the ingredients
needed to produce food and beverages for over 200
countries and territories. Making more nutritionallyadvantaged foods requires expertise in exercise
physiology, metabolomics, computational analysis,
and nutritional science.
Also, to reduce our carbon footprint, PepsiCo engineers are constantly developing new foodproduction technologies, lighter packages and better
ingredients. For this and many reasons more; is why
we work tirelessly to supporting young talent of STEM
fields to become leaders of the future.
We at PepsiCo benefit from the economists who
work with researchers on technical transfer, and
the engineers who build the state-of-the-art equipment for our businesses, so we can perform our duties, thanks to cutting-edge technologies and this in
turn, reduces workloads, carbon footprints, energy
consumption, and optimizes our processes.
Therefore, we support STEM education through
PepsiCo's STEM Innovation Task Force which develop programs, according to our own corporate
strategic priorities, to accelerate sustainable STEM
careers through innovation science and excellence.
For this task force, mentoring is a very important
aspect of promoting STEM careers. That is why
PepsiCo joined MWM and implemented a pilot
program in Mexico, where PepsiCo Mexico fosters
mentoring for college-aged women in STEM fields
at the Iberoamericana University and UNITEC
University by providing the mentees with one-on-one
meetings guided by PepsiCo STEM professionals to
identify, define and nurture hard and soft skills such as
leadership, communication, innovation and digital
capabilities. These mentoring programs enable
us to leave a legacy, accelerate personal and
professional growth, and act as a seed for talent.
Supporting women STEM students is not only an
essential part of PepsiCo’s strategy to innovate;
it is also important to women themselves. According
to “STEM Facts on Women & Girls” by MWM, women
in STEM jobs earn more than those in non-STEM
occupations and experience a smaller wage gap
relative to men. Also, STEM careers offer women
the opportunity to engage in some of the most
exciting realms of discovery and technological
innovation. Increasing opportunities for women in
these fields is an important step towards realizing
greater economic success and equality for women
across the country.
Recently, the Washington Post noted that Mexico
was graduating from its universities and specialized
high schools, 130,000 engineers and technicians a
year, more than Canada, Germany or even Brazil,
a country with nearly twice the population of
Mexico. During the 2006 to 2012 administration, the
government built 140 schools of higher learning, with
120 of them dedicated to science and engineering,
while capacity was expanded at 96 other public
campuses.
A study by Mexico’s Department of Labor and
Social Welfare showed that, on average, university
graduates in aviation and marine transport engineering have the highest starting salaries in the country, followed by Mexican physicists, ecology/environmental
engineers and biomedicine graduates. This serves as
a perfect indicator that we must move forward
with broader STEM initiatives. That is why I believe
that the most important action a corporate leader
must take to advance STEM initiatives is to tie them
closely to the various functions within the business
and across different regions. For example, at PepsiCo, our STEM-oriented functions work closely together with global groups set up to drive innovation
platforms around the world. This allows us to widely
spread our best ideas and practices across different
markets, as this multiplies the impact that our functional teams can have on the global business
while enhancing their value to our company.
Enhancing STEM is not solely a call for PepsiCo
but for all multinationals that streamline innovation
through its human capital. In this sense, the private
sector needs to do a better job of communicating
the huge array of jobs that require STEM education
and skills. At PepsiCo, this array could range from
product development to packaging design to
the creation of sustainable agriculture programs
–all of these are incredibly stimulating jobs that give
people the opportunity to make a real impact
on the world. We need to do a better job of
creating the demand by advertising our jobs and
career paths more effectively.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 166 PepsiCo Mexico
Around the world, there’s a shortage of qualified
engineers, scientists and mathematicians to meet
current and future society’s needs. As we know, this
imbalance threatens to slow the pace of innovation,
productivity and economic growth in years to come
at a global scale. If we consider that, according to
MWM, by the year 2018, 71% of all jobs globally will
require STEM related disciplines or skills; it is crucial for
us to identify how these professions will be impacting
industries, institutions and societies in general.
Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn
President and Chairman
Peritus Partners, Inc.
Peritus Partners, Inc. builds global market leaders and increases
the valuation of companies,leading to the next level growth
or liquidity (IPO or M&A). Peritus Partners and its employees
continue to reciprocate and contribute back to its community through the donation of time and resources into STEM-educational programs and environmental advocacy. Focus on
inspiring and preparing nextgen leaders is reflected through
its support of the YWCA TechGyrls, Women in Technology
International, mentoring, T3 “ teach the teacher training” professional development programs, and youth education outreach programs integrating technology and arts at the San
Jose Symphony and Villa Montalvo Park and Cultural and Arts
Center. Environmental commitment to accelerate innovative
energy efficient and IT solutions is reflected through its executives assuming Advisory Board roles with the Nevada Institute of
Renewable Energy and with joint private, public, and government partnerships including Clean Tech and Sustainable Industries, and Energy Star.
Dr. Cheemin Bo-Linn, CEO and President, Peritus
Partners,Inc.and Board of Director Dr. Cheemin
Bo-Linn, a global business executive, has over
25 years in technology, from digital marketing
to IT infrastructure operations, complemented
by transformational leadership expertise.
Currently, she is CEO of Peritus Partners,
Inc., recognized for leading companies to
market leadership and increasing valuation.
Running multi-billion dollar businesses, she
has held multiple executive roles from Vice
President of IBM Corporation to former Chief
Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer
for NetLine Corporation. Leveraging her
experience serving as Board of Director
and Audit Chair for public companies and
Director for private, she is on the faculty of
Stanford University Director’s College and the
National Association of Corporate Directors,
where she is also a Leadership Fellow. In
2015, she was inducted into the “Women in
Science and Technology Hall of Fame,” a US
based program supported since President
Clinton’s administration, in recognition of her
innovation and ability to link strategy to
financial results leveraging SMAC-C (social,
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mobile, analytics, cloud + cyber) technologies.
Prior, she was invited to speak at the United
Nations on global growth and recognized as
one of the most outstanding executives in
California, receiving the Silicon Valley Business
Journal “Woman of Influence Award,” YWCA
“Tribute to Women in Industry Award,” and
AACI Asian “Star Award”.
Dr. Bo-Linn, a business technology trailblazer,
is committed to supporting women and girls.
Under her leadership, over $2M was quickly
raised for community programs with the
YWCA Silicon Valley including TechGYRLS
for STEM education and careers. She also
received the Open- A- Door- Foundation’s
“SHE DOES- Women Changing the World” 2015
Award. She holds a Doctorate degree in
“Computer based Management Information
Systems and Organizational Change” from
the University of Houston and completed
Stanford
University Graduate School of
Business Executive Program and Harvard
University Leadership Program.
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We achieved our goals because others before
us helped paved the way. Our responsibility is to
reciprocate and take action with a sense of urgency.
We can’t wait for the “perfect” world to evolve. "It’s
far better to take action and learn than no action."
Especially in Silicon Valley, success comes with taking
risk and creating opportunities without hesitation. As
change agents, we need to embrace this “call to
action” to focus on STEM. "There have been select
initiatives focused on each of the individual fields of
science, technology, engineering, and math. The
potential to leverage the integrated learnings of all
these fields into real world applications creates
critical thinkers and innovative leaders, key to
success. " In these United States and as individuals,
our preeminence in STEM must be established.
There is a widening gap between the STEM job
demand and future skilled employees, especially
amongst under represented women and minorities.
As corporate leaders, we envision our future growth
path and required transformations. Our future
business needs are framed around the impact
of STEM on our products and diverse talent needs,
as we address the needs of our global customer
base. However, to build a support foundation
requires investments. Educational curriculums with
cool websites, challenges, games, camps, and
contests need continuous development. The fusion
of different STEM experiences must be engaging...
STEM fun! Such education complemented with
critical infrastructure and three-way partnerships
amongst corporations, community, and federal
agencies, are key. Future success can be
facilitated by creating teacher corps, research
labs, and innovation networks with dedicated
multiyear government and philanthropic initiatives.
Economic viability and our future business success are
highly dependent on such an ecosystem including
knowledge worker education and training.
One such example that demonstrates our united
front is the creation and multimillion dollar fundraisers
for TechGYRLS, the “Hands-on” STEM program
for school girls from marginalized communities.
With a focus on upgrading STEM literacy, students
are introduced to technology, robotics,
and
programming. The students relate education to
problem solving with applications across both the
arts for music creation and sciences. Choices and
life options now abound.
Roadblocks are eliminated so girls can advance
in their studies and careers. It started with a local
commitment to our community. Economic equality
and curbing the STEM education crisis can be
achieved. Through our employees we focus on
inspiring youth to use their newly developed
problem solving skills to answer seemingly impossible
challenges. As corporate officers, we can extend
class learning by inviting youth onto our corporate
campuses. The continuum of education must
overcome the current fragmentation of education.
Instead, a continuum of exposure and experiences
must extend from elementary to high school to
college students and young professionals. Seize the
opportunity to further ignite interest by getting
youth and college students involved in projects
where applications of science, engineering, or
technology can be visualized in real life research
and commercial applications. Extend the reach to
young professionals. One such program includes role
model shadowing, and beyond mentoring, to select
sponsorship opportunities. Inspire, engage, and stay
connected.
Technology has made it possible that we are all
connected. We may live thousands of miles apart.
However, we can come together through this
common goal of global connectedness without
border restrictions. For the last 25 years, I have
worked in the intersection of technology and
connectivity, with a continued commitment to
influencing how global connections improve lives
and make positive changes quicker. Technology
provides a collaborative platform. This brain trust
drives economic growth as I reflect on my
executive experience in the digital economy.
Leading companies through transformational growth,
my teams and I work with innovative “Internet of
things” smart device interconnectedness, cognitive
computing driven by big data analytics, and
digital marketing for rapid customer acquisition and
brand loyalty. Technology has helped set the stage,
but the human touch is critical to create this new
world of STEM-rich youth:
• Imagine all things connected to improve people’s
lives, countries and organizations.
• Imagine with connected devices, brilliant minds
across the globe and the US can quickly inspire,
connect, and capitalize on market opportunities
together.
• Imagine via our phones, building personal
relationships, understanding, and caring which is
essential in this interconnected world, connecting
a face to a name Imagine unleashing the
potential of our youth and achieving economic
and personal success through our STEM focus.
We together can be very powerful.
We can ensure “innovation makes imagination a
reality.” Together, when I’m connected to you, I know
We CAN!■
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“Innovation makes imagination a reality”. This is a theme
that I have shared with multiple companies undergoing
transformation in today’s competitive world. Envision a
world where our future leaders, equipped with STEM
skills, are parachuted across the globe, changing
the world, and making a positive impact. To make
this dream a reality, we need to inspire, prepare, and
support our youth now. Each wave of innovation and
transformation requires new skills and education. To
innovate we must educate first.
Nina Vaca
Chairman and
Pinnacle Group
Pinnacle Group was founded in 1996 as an information
technology services provider with deep roots in the
telecommunications sector. Over the past 20 years, this
foundation has allowed Pinnacle Group to grow into an
award-winning workforce solutions powerhouse. With four
distinct services lines, Pinnacle is committed to meeting
the talent needs of many of the country’s most innovative
companies.
Information technology services have
continued to form the core of Pinnacle’s largest division,
Pinnacle Talent Solutions, which has won numerous awards
for excellence in client service. Pinnacle MSP and Pinnacle
Payrolling have grown rapidly over the past several years in
both size and reputation and are on the leading edge of
workforce analytics and operational excellence. In 2011
Pinnacle acquired Provade, a software company delivering
an enterprise-class Vendor Management System (VMS) for
global workforce spend management serving clients in over
60 countries.
Nina Vaca founded Pinnacle in 1996 and
has grown it into the powerhouse it is today.
She continues to serve as Pinnacle Group’s
Chairman and CEO, while also pursuing her
passion for civic leadership and philanthropy.
Ms. Vaca is a vocal advocate for minority &
women business owners & entrepreneurs, and
has a special interest in promoting women in
STEM fields. She currently serves as a Presidential
Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship
(PAGE), as Chairman Emeritus of the United
States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and
as Chairman of the USHCC Foundation where
she helped found the At the Table initiative,
promoting women’s leadership in business.
Because of her many successes with
Pinnacle, and the respect she has earned
within the business community, Ms. Vaca has
been elected to serve as a director of three
publicly traded companies, and has won
numerous awards both for Pinnacle and
as an individual. She is a recipient of the
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coveted Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the
Year award for the Southwest Region and has
been called one of the country's 100 most
intriguing entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs.
Vaca has appeared on CNBC Squawk Box,
FOX News, CBS News and has emerged in
Fast Company Magazine as one of the Top
25 Women Business Builders in America.
Vaca has been named one of the most
influential Latinos in the U.S. for the past
eight years, and has represented the U.S.
internationally in numerous transatlantic
leadership forums. She served as both a
German Marshall Memorial Fellow, as a BritishAmerican Project Fellow, and as a mentor in
the Peace Through Business program.
She is a graduate of Texas State University
with a B.A. in Speech Communications
and Business Administration where she was
honored as the youngest Distinguished
Alumna in university history.
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Because of these advancements, we now find ourselves
living in the most interconnected time in human
history, but also the most competitive time. I began
to witness this on a global scale two years ago, when
I was appointed by President Obama to become a
Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.
I was assigned to help inspire business professionals
abroad, and to embolden women across the world to
live up to their potential, awaken their entrepreneurial
spirit, and go as far their talent -- and the latest
technological tools accessible -- can take them.
Around the world, the opportunities abound. But there’s
a caveat: challenges also loom large, as the ubiquitous
access to technology has made STEM education and
workforce development an absolute necessity for
American workers and entrepreneurs who must outcompete, out-build, and out-produce the rest of the
world to secure America’s role as a global power.
There is a lot at stake for the America’s workforce and
business community. So what role can industry leaders
play to ensure American workers develop the skills they
need to lead successful lives in the 21st century? Our
most important role is that of a role model.
When I began Pinnacle Technical Resources in 1996, I
put down $300 and went to work. I studied the industry,
kept my finger on the pulse of the latest cutting-edge
technological trends, and made sure I was primed and
ready to begin pitching my business. In four short years,
we were able to capitalize on the dot-com revolution
and Y2K tech boom, positioned ourselves as a reliable
IT consulting company for various Fortune 500s, and
generated $3.4 million in revenue in 2000 alone.
Today, Pinnacle group is America’s fastest growing
woman-owned enterprise, largest Latina-owned
business, and a leading technology, workforce solutions
provider. In 2015, our company generated over $1
billion in revenue, making it the largest Latina-owned
business in the United States.
I share this story with my mentees, not to impress them,
but to impress upon them the first rule to succeeding
in this globally competitive business world: never stop
learning.
Role models don’t just give good advice; they mobilize
resources and use the abundance of their own
experiences to enrich the lives of others.
I firmly believe that “you can’t be what you can’t
see.” That’s why as Chairman, I’ve positioned the US
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation
to become an institution of servant leadership, offering
myself and my colleagues as role models and giving
back to the next generation of STEM innovators.
Personal mentorship is an effective way to help STEMrelated professionals reach their full potential. An
alternative corporate model has been ERGs.
Each year, the USHCC convenes an Employee Resource
Group (ERG) Summit and Corporate Challenge, where
STEM education is the leading topic of discussion.
Over 100 corporations have actively competed in
the previous four years of the Corporate Challenge,
including JPMorgan Chase, AT &T, Ford Motor Company,
Aetna, Johnson & Johnson, Bank of America, Verizon,
and ExxonMobil. These companies' ERGs compete
based on their impact on the career advancement of
minority professionals, alignment of ERG initiatives and
corporate objectives, community involvement, and
cultural advancement within their firms.
While the ERG Summit is open to all diverse communities,
Hispanic professionals to have a high affinity towards
STEM education. In fact, studies show that Hispanics
over-index in the use of technology, and the number
of Hispanic students studying STEM is increasing rapidly,
by a factor of 33 percent.
Emphasizing STEM education in America an absolute
must, but our work doesn’t stop there. Over the years,
Pinnacle has done its part to invest in STEM education
on a national scale but more importantly in local
communities where it matters and is needed most.
We’ve devoted time and resources to pro-growth
initiatives such as the Dallas Blueprint for Leadership
and the Mayor’s Intern Fellows programs, donated
technology for more than ten years to the parents
of STEM students of the Dallas Independent School
District (DISD), which is the third largest employer in
the city of Dallas, and helped build tech libraries for
day care centers so that children can get a head start
familiarizing themselves with technology.
As business leaders, we can shape the future of this
country, by ensuring the next generation and our
children have the resources they need to succeed,
everyone has a world-class STEM education within their
reach, and employees and employers alike have the
guidance they need to punch their ticket to success.
Together, we can help every hard working man or
woman reach their pinnacle.■
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As the founder and owner of a technology-driven
workforce solutions provider, I’ve spent the past 20 years
evolving with, and working alongside business partners
such as Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, HP, and many other
industry leaders to help make the “World Wide Web”
live up to its name. The result: over 3.2 billion consumers
and business owners across the globe now have access
to affordable, efficient, and secure online services. The
advent of modern technology has literally put the world
at our fingertips -- all at the click of a button, the swipe
of a screen, or a simple question to Siri.
James
Heppelmann
PTC
PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) is a global provider of technology platforms and solutions that transform how companies create,
operate, and service the “things” in the Internet of Things
(IoT). The company’s next-generation ThingWorx® technology platform gives developers the tools they need to capture,
analyze, and capitalize on the vast amounts of data being
generated by smart, connected products and systems. The
company’s field-proven solutions are deployed in 26,000 businesses worldwide to generate a product or service advantage. PTC’s award-winning CEO, considered an industry
thought leader, co-authored the definitive guides to the impact of the IoT on business in the Harvard Business Review.
James (Jim) Heppelmann is the president
and chief executive officer (CEO) of PTC,
responsible for driving the company’s global
business strategy and operations. During
Mr.
Heppelmann’s
leadership
tenure,
PTC has assembled the industry’s most
comprehensive
technology
capabilities
that enable companies to create, connect,
operate, and service smart, connected
products. He also serves on PTC’s Board of
Directors.
Honored as 2014 Internet of Things (IoT) CEO of
the Year, Mr. Heppelmann is seen as a thought
leader in the IoT space. He co-authored two
articles with Harvard Professor Michael E.
Porter on the Internet of Things, including the
November 2014 issue of Harvard Business
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Review, called “How Smart, Connected
Products are Transforming Competition”
and the second in the October 2015 issue
called “How Smart, Connected Products are
Transforming Companies.”
Mr. Heppelmann also speaks regularly around
the globe on the subject and was recently
a featured speaker at Brookings Institution
regarding the role of digitization in
America’s advanced industries. He has been
published and quoted in numerous global
business and trade media, including The
Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg
Businessweek. Mr. Heppelmann is a member
of the board of directors at SENSATA, a world
leader in automotive and industrial sensors
and controls.
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To further this idea, we believe our future and
the sustained success for our customers depend
on each new generation of students. Having
access to a strong STEM and modern product
development and IoT education designed
around real-world challenges is paramount to
that success.
PTC is a thought leader in the Internet of Things
(IoT)—working with 26,000 customers to deliver
smart, connected products—and is dedicated
to delivering an educational advantage with
academic packages on IoT that include software,
curriculum and projects so educators, students,
makers and researchers can develop smart,
connected products right in the classroom. For
example, PTC recently released a series of online
courses available worldwide through Udemy,
an established provider of MOOCs (Massive
Open Online Courses.) The courses focus on
general product development and business
strategies associated with the IoT and include
presentations, demos and use cases and were
created to offer unique, focused education for
today’s engineering, data science and computer
science students.
We also sponsor programs that prepare students for
every career by providing real world tools to inspire
the next generation of innovators. One example
is FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of
Science and Technology), whichreaches an
estimated 300,000 students annually and offers
an accessible, innovative, mentor-based STEM
programs for K-12. These programs inspire young
people to think, design and create something
physical using their engineering knowledge and
skills. As a FIRSTStrategic Partner, PTC donates
product development software and easy-to-use
training curriculum as well as hosting ROBOTalk,
a weekly webinar offered September through
November to all FIRST teams that cover topics
from fundraising to “How to Model Almost
Anything.”
Too few high school and college students
invest their careers into STEM fields today. The
first challenge is to inspire students toward
STEM education, in effect to make it cool again.
The second challenge is to deliver a quality
educational program. PTC strives to deliver and
support programs that capture the imagination
of students, and then cultivate their aspirations
creating a new source of tomorrow’s innovators,
entrepreneurs and technologists.■
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America was built on innovation and
entrepreneurship, and there is nothing more
important than a continued focus on these
efforts. By getting students passionate about
careers in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics, we create a pipeline of
talent necessary to strengthen our national
competitiveness which is the backbone of our
economy, our security and our quality of life.
Robert E. Moritz
Chairman and Senior Partner
PwC US
PwC US helps organizations and individuals create the value
they’re looking for. As a member of the PwC network of
firms in 157 countries with more than 208,000 people, we are
committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory
services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by
visiting us at www.pwc.com/US. Our firm has a long-standing
history of delivering exceptional services to our clients and
providing an incomparable professional experience for our
people. At PwC our Purpose is to build trust in society and
solve important problems. Corporate Responsibility (CR) is
a key element of our Purpose. It’s important that we play a
role in constructing and delivering solutions to the immense
challenges faced by society. At the heart of our CR strategy is
PwC’s Earn Your Future, our five-year, $190 million commitment
to better prepare students to make responsible financial
decisions and contribute to a healthier U.S. economy.
Bob Moritz is the Chairman and Senior Partner
of the US firm of PwC. He is also a member
of the PwC global network leadership team,
which includes the senior partners from the
network’s four largest territories. Prior to July
2009, Bob served as the Assurance Leader of
the US firm from 2006 to 2009; and from 2004
to 2006 was the Managing Partner of the New
York office and New York Metro Region.
Bob joined the firm in 1985 and became a
partner in 1995. From 1998 to 2001, he served
as the New York Metro Region Financial
Services Leader. From 2001 to 2004, he led the
Financial Services Audit and Business Advisory
practice, which includes the banking, capital
markets, insurance, investment management,
and real estate sectors.
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Bob served a three-year tour in PwC Tokyo,
providing audit and advisory services to
numerous European and US-based financial
services organizations operating in Japan.
He is a graduate of the State University of
New York at Oswego and is a member of
the American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants, the New York State Society of
CPAs and the New Jersey State Society of CPAs.
He is the chair of the Center for Audit Quality
Governing Board and board member of the
Oswego College Foundation. Other board
memberships include the Atlantic Council, the
Conference Board and the Partnership for New
York City.
Bob resides in Westchester County, New York
and has two children.
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Youth education is one of the most important issues
facing our country today. At PwC, we are leveraging
our greatest asset – our people – to make a real,
tangible difference in the lives of millions. We create an
environment that enables our people to succeed by
providing quality learning and development programs,
a flexible work environment, and opportunities to
develop leadership outside of work by supporting
philanthropic interests both in and out of the office.
More than ever before, partners and staff want to make
a difference and help solve social issues. Creating
opportunities for them to do so only increases their
level of engagement with the firm and helps them
to better identify with our Purpose, which is to build
trust in society and solve important problem. Through
PwC’s Earn Your Future, we’re providing opportunities
for our people to bring their passion and skills into the
community and demonstrate leadership through
diverse educational and life-building experiences
that inspire them. With PwC’s support, our people are
serving on local youth nonprofit boards, teaching and
mentoring students and delivering pro bono services to
nonprofits, all of which provide greater opportunity to
engage more of our professionals in giving time and
talent. This shared value—the benefit to the individual,
our local communities as well as the brand of PwC—is
the foundation of our investments.
In June 2012, PwC launched Earn Your Future, a fiveyear, $160 million commitment of funding, skills-based
volunteering, teacher training opportunities and nocost curricula developed by experienced educational
researchers. In April 2015, PwC extended Earn Your
Future by an additional $30 million, increasing its overall
commitment to $190 million. It’s a commitment unlike
any we’ve made before at PwC, and what makes me
most proud is that it puts our people in front of it. Rather
than participating in activities with short-term outcomes,
our focus on youth education revolves around
leveraging the time and talents our people to make
long-term, meaningful impact. Through this initiative,
we’re providing hands-on instruction teaching students
in the classroom, reaching them virtually via a college
and career readiness mobile app, delivering pro bono
work and measuring our efforts along the way. Working
with Knowledge@Wharton High School, we’re helping
educators increase their confidence and teaching
skills around financial and business education. Ours is
a comprehensive approach, authentic to who we are
as a firm that extends across the learning continuum,
starting with learning readiness and availability of
learning resources, core math skills, financial education,
college and real-world engagement preparation and
lifelong-learning that empowers students.
The intersection of technology and education continues
to be a key driver of innovation and a necessary
component sustaining healthy and innovative societies
and economies. In order to grow our economy, we must
continue raising the education bar and drawing youth
to STEM-related disciplines through real and relevant
experiences that excite them. This requires vested
interest and thoughtful collaboration to advance
access and opportunity for students from a diverse set
of backgrounds. As an example, the PwC Charitable
Foundation, Inc. is investing in the Marine Corps
Scholarship Foundation to provide higher education
need-based scholarships to children of Marines and
Navy Corpsmen, of which 45 percent of the recipients
are pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering
and mathematics and health sciences.
We can encourage students by collectively stepping
up to the plate and taking the long view on making
investments. We believe the first step is increasing
students’ beliefs in their own abilities to succeed in
STEM-related subjects and careers through inspiring
and engaging STEM-related experiences. For PwC, we
use our employees' core skill set to focus on improving
financial literacy -- skills our future leaders need for
tomorrow, regardless of the positions they might hold.
Our Earn Your Future initiative helps to not only improve
students’ core math skills, but develop self-confidence
through positive mentoring experiences ith our staff
and exposure to engaging content, making learning
fun. Other companies might offer internships and jobshadowing programs, allowing youth to experience
the types of promising careers that await them. By
increasing their confidence, we have the opportunity
to change student outcomes and improve the
abilities or potential of our future workforce. Another
area where we all can improve is mentoring and
developing talent, and creating opportunities for this
talent within organizations. One example of this at PwC
is Women In Technology, an internal resource group,
which is designed to be an accelerator for enhancing
inclusiveness and supporting our internal culture of
innovation aroundtork.■
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Helping students develop fundamental 21st century
and STEM-related skills is critical to the health and
competitiveness of our economy. According to PwC’s
19th annual Global CEO Survey, strategic thinking and
adaptability were cited by an overwhelming number of
business leaders as critical skills needed by tomorrow’s
CEOs.The combination of critical thinking,analytical skills,
communication and creativity associated with STEM
education will not only help students with important life
decisions, but will also better prepare students to rise
to the challenge of job demands. Tomorrow’s leaders,
businesses, educators and communities must come
together to provide solutions and introduce STEMrelated courses to today’s students at an early age, and
with greater frequency. It’s an economic imperative,
and a personal one each of us must own.
Steve
Mollenkopf
Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated is a world leader in mobile computing, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and next-generation wireless
technologies. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm’s ideas and
inventions have fueled major technology trends, transforming
the way people work, live and play. Qualcomm is committed to encouraging STEM education for students of all ages,
expanding opportunities for underrepresented students, and
reducing the engineering gender gap. Qualcomm does this
through programs like the Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab , a makerspace where students from all cultural and socio-economic
backgrounds access hands-on experiences in engineering.
Qualcomm also supports FIRST globally as a sponsor and
strategic partner, providing employee volunteering and
mentorship, and implementing new technologies into the
competitions. Additionally, Qualcomm supports the Institute of International Education and engages with other organizations to advance the Women Enhancing Technology
(WeTech) program, a Clinton Global Initiative commitment
that links girls to university scholarships in engineering, leadership and technical opportunities.
Steve Mollenkopf is chief executive officer of Qualcomm Incorporated and serves
on the Company’s board of directors. Mollenkopf began his Qualcomm career as an
engineer more than 20 years ago and since
then has helped define and implement Qualcomm’s strategy and technologies, propelling smartphones and mobile technology
into the mainstream. During Mollenkopf’s tenure as president and chief operating officer,
Qualcomm became a leader in mobile technology, including computing, graphics and
multimedia. The Company also expanded its
3G and 4G modem leadership position under
Mollenkopf’s guidance.
Mollenkopf supports Qualcomm’s commitment to fostering STEM education at all levels, including initiatives like the Qualcomm®
Thinkabit Lab and FIRST® (For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and Technology), a
non-profit organization focused on inspiring
young people's interest in science and technology.Prior to his role as president and
COO, Mollenkopf led the Company’s chip-
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set business. Under his leadership Qualcomm
became the world’s largest mobile chipset
supplier and a global leader in WCDMA, LTE
and smartphones.
He also spearheaded Qualcomm’s acquisition of Atheros, which helped expand
the Company’s business far beyond smartphones, and accelerated the adoption of
Qualcomm’s technologies in new segments.
Mollenkopf is a published IEEE author and holds
patents in areas such as power estimation and
measurement, multi-standard transmitters,
and wireless communication transceiver
technology. Mollenkopf serves as chairman
of the Global Semiconductor Alliance and
as a member of the board of directors for the
Semiconductor Industry Association. He holds
a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical
engineering from Virginia Tech and a Master
of Science degree in electrical engineering
from the University of Michigan.
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Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab has received recognition
and acknowledgement outside of Qualcomm.
The Mayor of San Diego, Kevin Faulconer, called
Thinkabit a model to increase the exposure to
STEM education and careers, and has encouraged
other major companies in the region 1 http://www.
bls.gov/opub/mlr/2009/11/art5full.pdf to replicate
five labs inspired by it. Schools, libraries and other
companies are reaching out to us to adopt our
model in their facilities.
At Qualcomm, we know that STEM education is
essential for the future of innovation, and that it
is critical to dedicate resources to nurture STEM
education at all levels. If we are to have a chance
of succeeding in addressing this STEM challenge,
it’s necessary that the private sector, government
and educators work together. At the Thinkabit
Lab, we see every day how collaboration pays off.
Located at our San Diego headquarters, Thinkabit
provides middle school students the opportunity
to gain exposure to different types of engineering
and non-engineering careers, needed to support
technology companies. By collaborating with school
district superintendents, principals and teachers, we
make sure that the sparkle that Thinkabit ignites in
the students, remains alive and continues growing
when they go back to their schools.
Currently, we are in the process of expanding
our Thinkabit Lab to the National Capital Region
through a collaboration with Virginia Tech’s
Department of Engineering Education and School
of Education, bringing the lab to the Virginia Tech
Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church, Virginia.
There are so many success stories we can tell about
our students! At one school, an elective robotics
class went from 13% to 40% girls’ attendance after
a Thinkabit Lab experience. Students who have
been disengaged in school, come back energized
and inspired to become engineers. We have hosted
classes for students with special needs, and they
have the same engaging experience and achieve
the same great results as the rest of our students. The
Thinkabit Lab also hosts our Qcamp for Girls in
STEM, a program developed in collaboration with
the Institute of International Education and the
University of California, Berkeley. Qcamp aims to
inspire middle school girls to remain interested
in STEM as they go through middle school; this is
often the time when girls lose interest in STEM-related
topics. The first cohort of Qcampers attended in 2014,
returned to the program in 2015, and will come back
in 2016 for their third consecutive two-week camp.
Throughout the school year we connect with them
for other engaging activities to keep their interest
high. Preliminary results show that Qcamp helps girls
develop the dispositions, practices and knowledge
that enable success in future STEM learning.
Knowing that there’s a great opportunity to reach
more students, we kicked off the expansion of the
Thinkabit Lab to initially three schools in San Diego.
The expansion is not only about creating a space
that resembles the one in our headquarters, but
we also work with the schools by collaborating with
teachers on content and coursework development
and sharing best practices.
At an international level, our offices in Shanghai and
Beijing hosted Thinkabit experiences. In Shanghai, we
worked with a local non-governmental organization,
Shanghai Adream Charitable Foundation, and
invited students from 12 schools to participate. In
Beijing, we held a Lab for students from Dandelion
Middle School, which serves children of migrant
workers. At both experiences, Qualcomm employees
volunteered as instructors, and students practiced
coding and created their own robotic crafts. After
their experience, many students expressed interest
in the possibility of pursuing engineering careers.
Our plans to expand the Lab also includes an online
component to give kids who attended the Thinkabit
Lab a chance to access resources and reconnect
with their Lab experience to inspire their ongoing
interest in STEM. We are also providing access to
our programs through the University of California,
San Diego, which will share Thinkabit content via
UCTV’s STEAM Channel.
There is still much to be done, but we are going in
the right direction. We know that the Thinkabit Lab
model works, and that we are having a meaningful,
long-lasting impact. The students that are visiting us
today, will be the inventors of tomorrow. We know we
are affecting change in our STEM future!.■
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More than 6,500 middle school students have
received a crash course in coding in robotics in the
past two years, thanks to Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab .
This makerspace—part engineering lab and part art
studio—encourages 6 backgrounds to collaborate,
invent and present their robotic creations (or
“Robo-crafts”) while experiencing hands-on learning
in an integrated, student-centered environment.
Qualcomm created this program because we are
inventing the technologies that will shape tomorrow,
and we don’t take invention or inventors for granted.
It’s easy to assume that technology will always march
on, and that our devices will always get better, faster,
and cheaper. But we need skilled technologists to
make that happen. And there are not enough of
them. Although STEM jobs are growing fast, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 1.2 million
high-skilled positions will be unfilled by 20181 due
to a shortage of qualified workers.
Linda Galipeau
Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding
nv, a $22.9 billion global provider of HR services. As one of the
largest staffing organizations in the United States, Randstad
provides temporary, temporary-to-hire and permanent
placement services each week to over 100,000 people
through its network of more than 900 branches and clientdedicated locations.
Employing over 5,300 recruiting experts, the company is a top
provider of outsourcing, staffing, consulting and projects and
workforce solutions within the areas of Engineering, Finance
& Accounting, Healthcare, Human Resources, IT, Legal,
Manufacturing & Logistics, Office & Administration, Pharma
and Sales & Marketing. Learn more at www.randstadusa.com
and access Randstad’s panoramic U.S. thought leadership
knowledge center through its Workforce360 site that offers
valuable insight into the latest economic indicators and HR
trends shaping the world of work.
Linda Galipeau continues to position
Randstad as one of the dominant HR services
organizations in the United States,Canada and
the United Kingdom. Informed by her global
perspective and the increasingly powerful role
of technology in the staffing industry, Galipeau
leads with a focus on continual improvement
and organizational agility. Exemplifying this
focus is Galipeau’s recent oversight of the
acquisition of RiseSmart, a technologyled virtual outplacement organization that
offers a progressive, personalized alternative
to traditional career transition services. The
addition of RiseSmart to Randstad’s portfolio
allows the company to provide clients with
a more comprehensive suite of services that
address the full workforce continuum through
a single integrated approach. Additionally,
in her role as executive board member
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of Randstad Holding nv, Galipeau chairs
the Randstad Innovation Fund, a strategic
corporate venture fund that invests in early
to expansion-stage technology companies
with the goal of accelerating HR technology
advancements that impact how employers
engage the workforce. A respected speaker
on women’s leadership issues, Galipeau
believes her role as a leader is to help others
rise in their careers, and she is particularly
committed to advancing women into
executive-level positions. She also supports
Randstad’s Hire Hope program, which assists
underserved and at-risk women with careerreadiness training, apprenticeship programs
and employment services. Galipeau recently
was named to SIA’s Global Power 100 –
Women in Staffing list.
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STEM and diversity
As a global leader of human resources and staffing
services, our organization provides human capital
solutions to employers of all sizes across myriad
industries in both metropolitan business hubs and local
communities. Within every sector we serve, whether
it be finance and accounting, manufacturing,
IT, healthcare or others, the opportunities and
challenges presented by emerging technologies
critically impact our clients’operational strategies and
workforce readiness, and, by extension, the broader
economic landscape. At a minimum, every company
needs professionals who can maintain and address
ongoing STEM-related issues impacting everyday
business. In the larger picture, STEM professions infuse
the innovation, solutions and growth necessary for
enterprises to create new products, deliver optimum
services and remain competitive in their fields. Within
our own industry, disruptive technologies present
new protocols for what essentially is a very humantouch profession: bringing people together to
create successful employer/employee relationships.
We see daily how U.S. businesses demand a strong
STEM-talent pipeline, and Randstad is committed to
infusing resources and investment dollars to cultivate
both technology solutions and STEM talent that will
help shape the world of work.
This is an interesting question because research
shows tremendous opportunity in cultivating a
diverse STEM workforce. What we observe, however,
is that many companies have yet to fully embrace
the potential of underrepresented populations on
their workforce. For example, the current discussion
around gender-biased language in recruiting
literature and job descriptions illuminates how even
simple word choices can influence the applicant
pool. Biased language, however, is only one reflection
of a company or department’s true culture, and that
true culture ultimately determines if diversity suffers
or thrives. Companies effectively benefiting from a
diverse workforce understand and adjust how they
present themselves to all employees and reflect a
commitment from senior leadership to embody a
nonbiased environment.
Addressing the STEM talent gap
As a provider of human resources solutions, we
are acutely aware of the STEM talent gap and
work closely with clients to implement compelling
strategies to attract the limited pool of STEM
candidates and engage and retain these valuable
employees over the long term. To inform both our
clients’ and our own talent strategies, we look at
existing workforce trends, such as the high dropout
rate of women in IT and how unconscious bias
in recruiting and hiring diminishes the appeal of
STEM careers for particular employee populations.
Additionally, we see how more traditional companies
must create exceptional STEM talent strategies when
going head-to-head with exciting, young start-ups or
other organizations touting innovative cultures and
dynamic work environments. Our teams therefore
help employers assess their recruiting practices,
employee engagement and employer brand so as
to level the playing field when it comes to attracting
candidates with the necessary technical skills.
Promoting STEM in schools
Of the many opportunities available to impact
STEM education, Randstad currently focuses on a
partnership with the nonprofit organization Nepris.
The Nepris platform virtually connects working
professionals to K-12 classrooms.These industry experts
bring real-world relevance to curriculum topics and
can provide the inspiration for students to pursue STEM
subjects. The Nepris partnership is an excellent fit, as
our vast network of STEM talent provides Nepris with
access to the subject matter experts they need. We
have also conducted research targeting youth aged
11–17 to uncover what external influences impact
their interest in studying STEM subjects or pursuing a
STEM career. We plan to share this information with
educational institutions and employers to help inform
their STEM activities.
Women Powering STEM
One of the fascinating aspects of being in a line of
business tied directly to the evolving workplace is
our ability to chronicle the STEM-related talent issues
common to so many organizations. Recognizing and
discussing these commonalities is a fundamental
starting point for improved coordination between
STEM stakeholders. It was with this coordination in mind
that Randstad last year piloted a Women Powering
STEM network group. This forum meets periodically
by conference call and allows executive women
STEM leaders across the country to discuss subjects
in confidence and glean best practices that support
both their organizations’ STEM initiatives and their
own careers. Participants represent disciplines across
the STEM spectrum, and they have enthusiastically
responded to this neutral communication platform and
the ability to gain peer insight on common STEM issues.
Investing in the STEM ecosystem
We’ve realized strategic STEM investments through
our global corporate venture fund, the Randstad
Innovation Fund. We invest in human resources
technologies to ensure innovative solutions, make
processes more efficient and bring fresh answers
to HR challenges. We intend to build a portfolio of
complementary minority investments with a focus
on social sourcing, online platforms, virtual solutions,
gamification and big data analytics. By capitalizing
growth companies within the human resources
technology space, we aim to create relationships
in which Randstad’s expertise complements
entrepreneurial spirit and technological excellence.
Additionally, we recently held our first digital showcase
event that brings together employers and HR
technology innovators to discuss and demonstrate
disruptive technology solutions. We believe that
by providing technology entrepreneurs access to
our established business-to-business network, we
reinforce the impact of our investment dollars by
providing critical business development support.
Ultimately, our goal in participating in the STEM
ecosystem is to help both employers and employees
navigate and succeed in today’s dynamic and
changing workplace. ■
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Building the STEM workforce
Dr. Thomas
Kennedy
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000
employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader
specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity
solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years,
Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission
systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing,
effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80
countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass.
Dr. Thomas A. Kennedy is Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Raytheon. Kennedy joined
Raytheon in 1983 to develop advanced radar
systems, while completing his doctorate in
engineering from UCLA. During his more than
32 years with the company, he has developed
a deep understanding of the company’s
operations, technologies and customers
through various leadership positions. Before
adding the responsibilities of Chairman to his
position in October 2014, Kennedy became
CEO in March 2014, and he was elected to
Raytheon’s Board of Directors in January
2014. Earlier in his Raytheon career, Kennedy
was a program manager for several radar
and electronic warfare systems development
programs. He holds several patents related
to those technologies, and received the
Aviation Week Laureate Award in 2003 for his
achievements on the Active Electronically
Scanned Array program. Beyond his business
focus, Kennedy supports education programs
in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM). He continues to support
and spearhead Raytheon’s MathMovesU®
initiative, a program committed to increasing
student interest in STEM education by engaging
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them in hands-on,interactive activities.Kennedy
also initiated Raytheon’s $10 million pledge to
support initiatives aimed at empowering service
members and their families through education
opportunities. In 2015, Kennedy announced
the first of 20 “Centers of Innovation” at Boys
& Girls Clubs affiliated Youth Centers on U.S.
military installations and at Clubs that support
military families. The centers are being outfitted
with modern technology and will offer expert
mentors to lead members in projects that
apply STEM principles. As another part of
this commitment to military personnel and
their families, Raytheon provides employee
volunteer mentors to American Corporate
Partners, which helps military veterans build
civilian careers, and Raytheon also provides
resources, career support and mentoring to
Student Veterans of America to help a new
generation of veterans connect their service to
rewarding careers. Kennedy is also engaged in
supporting STEM at the higher-education level.
He is a member of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology Presidential CEO Advisory
Board and the Rutgers University School of
Engineering’s Industry Advisory Board.
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For the last decade, our MathMovesU® initiative
has encouraged students to develop an interest in
math and science at an early age and then sustain
that interest through their studies. With MathMovesU,
we address the STEM education pipeline from
kindergarten through higher education. Getting
students excited about math and science today will
help grow the STEM talent pipeline of tomorrow.
We have invested more than $125 million to improve
math and science education since we launched
MathMovesU in 2005 – on programs directly run
by Raytheon and those that leverage strong
partnerships we have formed. For instance, every
year more than 200 of the brightest middle school
math students in the United States take part in the
Raytheon MATHCOUNTS® National Championship
– an intense, elite math meet that showcases their
abilities and introduces them to students who share
their skill. This is the eighth year Raytheon has served
as the competition’s title sponsor, and it is my privilege
to serve as the honorary chairman.
Engineering is Elementary® shows schoolchildren
how different kinds of engineers build things to solve
real-world problems. Developed by the Museum
of Science, Boston, this program takes the tack
of “training the trainer,” providing teachers with
engaging lessons and activities for kindergarteners
through fifth graders. Raytheon has provided
scholarships for nearly 500 teachers to receive the
training, and the program has reached more than
10 million students around the U.S. Over the years,
MathMovesU has evolved with new and innovative
programs to address the STEM talent pipeline
challenge. Our newest efforts reflect our desire to
empower military service members and their families
through STEM education.
Calling upon my experience in the military and
Raytheon’s close work with our defense customers,
last year we pledged $5 million to bring STEM-focused
“Centers of Innovation” to Boys & Girls Clubs affiliated
Youth Centers on U.S. military installations and at
Clubs that support military families. The centers are
bringing advanced technology, mentors and afterschool STEM programming to the children of military
families.
As a veteran, I know firsthand that our servicemen
and women have much to offer when they leave the
military. So we have expanded our partnership with
Student Veterans of America through a $5 million,
multiyear commitment to help military veterans
succeed in higher education and beyond. With a
new generation of veterans transitioning back to
civilian lives, the investment will empower student
veterans to reach their higher education and career
goals, particularly in high-demand STEM fields.
We have also launched a military tour for our popular
traveling exhibit, MathAlive!®. Designed for families
and students, the exhibit brings to life the actual math
behind things kids love – video games, sports, fashion,
music, robotics and more – through interactive,
immersive experiences. As part of this new tour, the
exhibit is visiting various cities across the U.S. with
military bases and communities into 2017.
Another area where STEM education and our
defense needs intersect is in cybersecurity. Modern
life has become increasingly dependent upon the
conveniences of a connected world. At the same
time, our systems are under threat from ever more
sophisticated and aggressive hacks and attacks.
What is needed is a new cybersecurity workforce
with a strong STEM skill set.
The challenge is that today’s students are not
even aware that this is an attractive career option.
Raytheon recently conducted a survey of millennials,
in partnership with the National Cyber Security
Alliance. We learned that 62 percent said no
guidance counselor ever brought up cybersecurity
as a career option. The message was clear: We must
do more to get the word out.
To that end, Raytheon supports the National Collegiate
Cyber Defense Competition, which challenges teams
to protect a network against cyber threats – exactly
the kind of work they’d be doing in the jobs we hope
they’ll fill after college. Events like the competition are
important not only because they teach critical skills,
they also provide an early look at the kind of talent
industry and government hopes to hire.
Raytheon also supports STEM at the higher education
level by partnering with more than 65 universities and
their students to sponsor research in cybersecurity
and many other areas like advanced materials
and additive manufacturing, signal processing and
nanotechnology. These partnerships help develop
and drive technology in exciting new areas, and also
allow us to collaborate with the wide range of talent
coming out of universities.
Beyond these programs and efforts, I am also deeply
committed to making sure our STEM efforts support
diversity and inclusion. An atmosphere where
everyone feels welcome, valued and empowered is
an atmosphere where people are doing their best
work. Promoting education, diversity and inclusion
isn’t just the right thing to do. It also provides us
a competitive advantage, helping us retain and
attract world-class talent for world-class innovation.■
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Every engineer’s career starts at a different time and
for different reasons. Mine started when I was in the
United States Air Force, working on high technology
systems that kept our nation and allies safe during
the Cold War. Serving in the military gave me a deep
appreciation for aerospace and defense technology.
It also allowed me to continue my education
and earn a doctorate in engineering from UCLA.
Throughout my service, my studies and more than 32
years at Raytheon, I have seen time and again the
incredible innovations that arise when engineers and
scientists work together. Raytheon has always been a
company of engineers, and we want to remain that
way for generations to come.
Timmothy
Boettcher
Realityworks
Realityworks, an employee owned company, provides products and
services to improve and enhance social, emotional, and physical
health by enabling educators to show the probable outcomes of
behaviors and choices using experiential learning technologies.
Most famous for RealCare® Baby infant simulator (formerly known
as Baby Think it Over® or BTIO) they have developed several other
programs that address career preparation areas like business
management, finance and entrepreneurship, and a RealCareer®
Welding Solutions line. With products in 62 percent of U.S. school
districts and programs in more than 90 countries around the world,
Realityworks customers depend on their innovation and knowledge
of the latest technologies to provide the most effective and valueconscious solutions for their needs. Realityworks products are based
on the most relevant and valid scientific information available.
Realityworks measures their global impact by how many lives are
changed in positive ways as a result of their efforts.
Originally recruited in 1998 as a software
engineer to design and develop cutting edge
technology for new products, Mr. Boettcher
assumed leadership for Research and
Development and then Engineering before
being named President of Realityworks in
2005. Responsible for total operations, he has
driven significant understanding of market
opportunities, gatekeepers, and funding in
education, healthcare, and public service
markets; bolstered production and supply
chain efficiencies; acquired and launched
new age technology; rebuilt leadership
competencies; led growth into the Company’s
62% US school system and over 90 country
presence; and led the implementation of
the Company’s ESOP to build on the societal
mission of the Company and further the family
oriented culture to reward employees for their
success in achieving the mission and efforts to
drive growth. Focused on high market growth,
he has led the Company’s turnaround
and achieved double-digit top line growth
simultaneously with dramatic profit and cash
flow improvement.
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Mr. Boettcher brings more than 20 years of
engineering, product development, and
global operations experience in education,
advanced technology, manufacturing, and
distribution industries. Prior to joining Realityworks, he held positions at Cray Research, a
leading manufacturer of the world’s fastest
supercomputers and Wal-Mart Distribution,
the world’s leader in distribution and logistics.
Mr. Boettcher strives to promote and change
the perceptions about career opportunities
in the Career and Technical Education (CTE)
and Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) fields. He is passionate
about building effective connections between
our countries workforce development system,
economic development programs, and
education infrastructure. A solid connection
between these systems is needed to ensure
our youth and workforce are prepared to be
globally competitive and ready to take on
the challenges and needs faced by industry.
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STEM education and workforce development are
critical to the future of our nation because STEMrelated jobs are vital to our economic strength and
global competitiveness. However, STEM education
faces a number of roadblocks: more than 50% of
the current science and engineering workforce
is nearing retirement; increasing numbers of high
school graduates lack the knowledge and skills
to pursue post-secondary STEM degrees; and
enrollment in post-secondary STEM degree programs
is down. Workforce development programs that
feature collaboration between industry and
education can help prepare participants for these
vital, in-demand jobs by helping develop gateways
to STEM careers, promoting the availability of STEM
pathways to young people of all backgrounds and
ethnic groups, and working to ensure that STEM
programs focus on specific job skill development.
Furthermore, programs that recognize STEM’s
commonality with career and technical education
(CTE) programs, which encompass both job-specific
technical skills and rigorous academics, will be even
more successful in providing strong foundations
for further post-secondary STEM education and
helping participants develop the critical thinking
and problem-solving abilities, teamwork, creativity
and personal accountability that employers in and
out of STEM fields need.
What traits do corporate leaders need to effectively
support and advance STEM education today?
To effectively support and advance STEM education
today, corporate leaders need to be willing to use
available resources to collaborate with educators
and school districts. They need to help ensure that
STEM and CTE programs are in place and that
those programs are helping participants hone the
technical, job-related skills and critical thinking,
problem-solving skills they need to seek and succeed
in post-secondary STEM education. Mock interviews,
business tours, job shadowing opportunities, youth
apprenticeships and educator externships are
a few ways corporate leaders can give young
people hands-on career experiences; they can also
collaborate on curriculum development to ensure it
meets industry standards and supports community
business opportunities, help fund necessary
training tools so students’ learning experiences are
authentic and take steps to change the image of
STEM by publicly promoting the many benefits of
these careers.
What counsel would you provide on “collaborating to
achieve success” in STEM education and the workforce?
Collaboration between industry leaders and CTE
and STEM educators is natural; after all, the origins
of CTE included apprenticeships and on-thejob training opportunities. Although only a small
percentage of today’s business leaders partner with
educators, such collaboration is vital to ensure that
STEM and CTE educational programs are aligned to
the opportunities created by industry. The Industry
Workforce Needs Coalition (IWNC), which I chair,
aims to foster new and improved business and
education partnerships to help this happen across
the country. Businesses such as Siemens, Hypertherm,
PGS and UPS – IWNC founding members – are all
examples of businesses that have collaborated
with area educators to ensure that local STEM
and CTE programs provide industry recognized
credentials, feature up-to-date training equipment,
and provide internships and other hand-on job
training opportunities. Such collaboration also
helps engage program participants with the topics
they’re studying and inspires them to continue
those career exploration pathways. As the U.S. faces
declining high school and college graduation rates
– in fact, the National Math & Science Initiative
reports that although the U.S. led the world in high
school and college graduation rates 25 years ago,
we have dropped to 20th and 16th place – this
engagement becomes an important benefit of
industry-education collaboration. To those who wish
to get involved and collaborate to achieve success,
I recommend starting at the IWNC’s website, iwnc.
org, where numerous case studies, research and
other resources on establishing such partnerships
are readily available.
What challenges and opportunities do you see in the
way we teach technology?
Today’s 21st Century students are digital natives,
having always lived in the world of technology, and
they have come to expect additional technologies
to lead them in their education and careers. This
fact presents an opportunity for STEM and CTE
educators to ensure that the technologies they
are incorporating into their programs engage
students in meaningful ways. That’s why Realityworks
is committed to developing experiential learning
products, like the RealCare® Baby infant simulator and
the guideWELD® VR welding simulator, that engage
students in the learning process and enable them to
evaluate and analyze their decisions, understand the
consequences of their actions, apply the concepts
they’ve learned in the classroom and connect those
concepts with real-world understanding. Additionally,
simulation experiences of failure or victory help
students remember what to do differently or what to
replicate. Such technologies can be used to teach
real-world job skills and encourage the exploration
of potential STEM-related careers – fields that the US
Department of Commerce estimates will grow 17% by
2018, nearly double the growth for non-STEM fields. ■
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Siobhan Mullen
SAS Games, Inc
SAS Games, Inc. is the parent company of TiViTz. Formed in
2004, SAS Games is led by CEO Siobhan Mullen, a former
aerospace executive and entrepreneur, in partnership with
TiViTz creator, Stephen Scully. TiViTz games are designed to
motivate students and encourage them towards careers in
Science, Engineering, Technology and Math (STEM). TiViTz is
as easy to learn as checkers, but as challenging to master
as chess. TiViTz is adaptable to multiple themes, subjects, skill
levels, languages and platforms from computers to tablets
and smartphones. TiViTz has won multiple awards including Dr.
Toy, Parents’ Choice, Creative Child and National Parenting
and has been used by more than 400,000 students and
10,000 teachers.
Past TiViTz tournaments have been hosted by NASA, Ripken
Baseball, NHL teams, Schwarzenegger Youth Foundation,
Boeing, McDonald’s, Museums, SeaWorld, Colleges and
Major League Baseball teams. Tournaments build confidence
in students and reinforce math skills in an exciting way.
Siobhan Mullen is the Founder and CEO of
SAS Games, Inc., the parent company of the
award-winning educational game TiViTz. In
her role, she heads the strategic growth and
development of the popular TiViTz games
for kids, designed to motivate students to
improve their math skills.
A former aerospace executive and entrepreneur, Siobhan has extensive experience
in start-up and early-stage ventures, as well
as management and growth of significantly
larger organizations. Prior to founding SAS
Games and launching the TiViTz games,
she was a founder of and consultant to The
ARGOS Foundation, a mobile satellite solutions company, as well as to Jean-Michel
Cousteau’s Global Ocean Network, a provider of real-time environmental data. Before
the Cousteau project, she was a Special Assistant for International Commercial Issues to
the Administrator of NASA.
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Siobhan was also formerly the Founder,
President and CEO of AKJUIT Aerospace and
its three subsidiaries: SpacePort Canada,
SILA Communications and AKJUIT DataLink.
SpacePort Canada was a privately-funded
commercial launch site company, developing
with state-of-the-art technology an “airport
for rockets”. SILA Communications designed
low earth orbit, high-speed data satellite
constellations. Akjuit DataLink was a global
data provider company using high latitude
ground stations. Mullen was also a program
manager for Hughes, TRW and Honeywell.
Siobhan holds an MBA from the Wharton
School of Business at the University of
Pennsylvania, a Master of Arts in International
Studies from the University of Pennsylvania,
a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics and
Bachelor of Science degree in Optical
Engineering from the University of Rochester.
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large aerospace companies and with my own smaller
companies. This afforded me a front row seat to watch
the attrition rate in the high tech industries go up, while
the number of students entering the STEM fields went
down significantly. As a result, I took a hiatus from my
space career to found a company that would help
students prepare for the STEM subjects by motivating
them to want to speak the language of math.
According to the OECD, the US is ranked 36th in the
world in math with nearly 70 percent of our 8th graders
unable to do the math of their grade level. This critical
loss of STEM knowledge capital is significantly reducing
basic scientific research that leads to innovation and
growth. Over the last decade, more than half of US
patents were awarded to non-US companies. We are
fast losing our competitive edge.
The core product of the company is a math game
engine adaptable to multiple platforms, skill levels,
themes, subjects and languages. The game is used
as a supplemental teaching tool in the classroom,
after school clubs and at home. For the best results,
the game is used in a tournament setting to build
confidence in students and to reinforce their math
skills in an exciting way. Past TiViTz Tournaments have
been hosted by NASA, Ripken Baseball, NHL teams,
Arnold Schwarzenegger Youth Foundation, Boeing,
McDonald’s, Museums, SeaWorld, Colleges and Major
League Baseball teams.
The STEM gap is also costing Americans jobs and
money. Sixty percent of new jobs worldwide in this
century will require STEM skills, currently possessed by
only 20 percent of the workforce. However, despite the
need for STEM graduates, the United States will be short
three million high-skills workers by 2018. The US faces a
STEM crisis that should not be a surprise, as we award
only a third the number of bachelor degrees in science
and engineering as do the Asian universities.
Our current lack of STEM skills, particularly in math,
has already cost us more than five percent in GDP
as estimated by economists. However according to
a Harvard study, we could increase our GDP growth
by simply enhancing our students’ math skills. The study
concluded that over an 80 year period, economic
gains from increasing the percentage of math
proficient students to Korean levels would increase the
US growth rate by 1.3 percentage points, yielding over
$75 trillion.
The key to improving our STEM knowledge capital
is MATH, the language of all things STEM. But, how
do we increase that percentage of math proficient
students? We must be creative in how we motivate
our youth to engage in math, particularly in the 3rd
through 5th grade before they enter middle school.
In middle school, we need to reinforce those basic
math skills to ensure their success in higher math and
the introductory STEM subjects. In high school and
college, we need to mentor those students who show
an interest in following the STEM path.
My Company is now taking those successful
tournaments online as a nationwide TiViTz Math Bee
to motivate and to reinforce math skills with even
more students. The nationwide TiViTz Math Bee will
follow the model of the national Spelling Bee, but with
students playing in teams to qualify. Winning teams will
advance to the regional, state and national levels and
the national championship team will win a college
scholarship of $1 million!
The third element of success in the STEM career path
is to mentor the student and the young adult in the
workplace. Nurturing the student or young adult
by helping to navigate their path forward and by
providing a safe environment to make mistakes and
learn from them is critical to their success. I was lucky to
have several mentors from my childhood through my
many entrepreneurial ventures. Those mentors ranged
from my theoretical physicist father to a college
physics professor to a communication satellite payload
chief scientist to the CEOs of two major aerospace
companies. Without them, I would not have been able
to achieve the successes in my academic pursuits, in
my chosen space career or in my own companies. My
STEM skills and my mentors helped me make my “mark”
on the world.■
With a background in physics and optical engineering,
I pursued a career in the space industry building
satellites, launch vehicles and launch sites working with
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The US is no longer the dominating leader in science
and technology as it once was in the 20th century.
Our students are not keeping up with those in other
countries in math and science. To remain competitive,
we must educate our youth and young adults in
the STEM fields in order to upgrade our workforce, to
pioneer new inventions and to meet the future needs
of this Information Age.
Jim Goodnight
SAS
SAS is the leader in analytics and focuses its philanthropic efforts on education initiatives geared toward increasing the
STEM-skilled workforce. SAS uses a multi-pronged approach
to provide support through many channels and uses its resources to develop creative instructional materials. Examples
of this approach include providing free interactive, standardsbased curriculum software for K-12, as well as free SAS software to university students, professors and researchers. SAS
collaborates with higher education institutions around the
world to create degree and certificate programs in analytics
and related disciplines, including the first Master of Science in
Analytics program at North Carolina State University. By supporting efforts that prepare more graduates for college, work
and success in the 21st century, SAS continues to play a vital
role in the global community.
As the CEO of SAS, the world’s leading analytics vendor, Jim Goodnight has led the company since its inception in 1976, overseeing an
unbroken chain of revenue growth and profitability that is unprecedented in the industry.
Renowned for its innovation and corporate
culture, SAS is a fixture on best workplaces lists
worldwide, including having ranked No. 1 on
the Fortune list for the US and No. 1 on the Great
Places to Work Institute’s multinational ranking.
A reputation for innovation has secured SAS
among the world’s largest software companies. Goodnight continues this commitment to
breakthrough technology by reinvesting about
a quarter of total revenue each year in research
and development, nearly double the percentage of other large software companies.
Born in Salisbury, NC, Goodnight has strong
and dedicated ties to his home state. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in applied
mathematics and his master’s in statistics from
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North Carolina State University. He also earned
his doctorate in statistics at NC State, where
he was a faculty member from 1972-76. His
passion for learning led him to endow several
NCSU professorships and make education
the focus of SAS' philanthropy.
In 1997 Goodnight co-founded Cary Academy,
an independent college preparatory day
school for students in grades six through 12,
with the goal of creating a model school for
integrating technology into education.
However, he found the digital curriculum
available on the market at the time to be
lacking. As a result, Goodnight guided the
creation of free online educational resources
that help K-12 schools meet the challenges
of the new millennium. He also launched free
SAS® software and training for adult learners
and higher education institutions.
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This is of great concern for me not only as a citizen,
but especially as CEO of SAS, an analytics company
that relies on, and whose customers rely on, STEM
talent. Analytics careers demand strong proficiency
in many STEM disciplines, including math and statistics.
Analytics is the key to analyzing and deriving value
from big data, which is critical to competition,
productivity and innovation for companies in the US
and around the world.
We need to help students understand the value of
a STEM degree and the tremendous career opportunities it provides. A May 2015 report from Georgetown’s Center on Education and the Workforce, The
Economic Value of College Majors, revealed a significant disconnect between the popularity and earning potential of degrees.
Nine of the 10 highest-paying majors are in
engineering majors, and some of the highest-earning
degrees are in the fields of computers, statistics and
mathematics. But applied mathematics and statistics
both ranked near the bottom in popularity.
SAS helped establish the first analytics master’s program in the country at North Carolina State University.
Upon graduation, the class of 2015 averaged three
job offers per student, and the mean base salary was
more than $96,000.
We need to bolster STEM education all the way down
to pre-K so that students have the confidence to
pursue what are often seen as intimidating majors.
In today’s world, STEM skills are important for almost
any occupation, whether it requires a technical certificate, a two-year degree, a four-year degree or beyond. To reverse that gap, we need to understand
what is happening in our education system. Data
and analytics can provide that understanding.
We need to stop analyzing our education system in
silos. Longitudinal data analysis is important across
the entire education continuum, starting with strong
early learning programs and on into the workforce.
Student data can be analyzed to understand the
incoming academic preparedness of students before
they enter the classroom, whether for kindergarten,
middle school, high school and beyond. Student data
helps in understanding academic growth patterns
while that student is in the classroom.
Student data can also be used to identify students
in need of early interventions, mitigating the later
need for remedial coursework. Conversely, data can
identify students who are ready for more rigorous
academic opportunities to help them reach their
potential. Data can be used to pilot innovative
interventions and scale approaches that prove the
most successful.
The importance of data and analytics does not
end with the education system. Workforce data tied
to educational data is critical to reversing the skills
gap. For example, data about the workforce needs
of businesses will help colleges design curricula,
certificate and degree programs that actually meet
employer demands.
SAS has launched several initiatives, and has a history of partnering with educational institutions and
organizations to generate more STEM and analytics
talent.
SAS® Curriculum Pathways® offers free digital resources and mobile learning apps for K-12. It is now
used in schools in all 50 states by more than 1 million
teachers and students.
Two years ago we launched SAS Analytics U, a global
initiative offering students, professors, independent
learners and researchers free and easy access to
SAS software, training and online communities.
The response has been tremendous. More than
500,000 people worldwide have downloaded SAS
University Edition, which offers valuable experience
with SAS foundational technologies to anyone,
anywhere, for free.
SAS OnDemand for Academics makes it easy for
professors and students to use SAS statistical analysis,
data mining, and forecasting software at no cost. We
now have more than 39,000 active users, and last
year expanded the program to make it available
through the Amazon cloud.
SAS has partnered with colleges and universities to
create and launch nearly 40 masters and undergraduate degrees, as well as 90 certificate programs
in analytics and related disciplines.
Other STEM-related initiatives include an annual
Math Summit where hundreds of teachers gather to
improve math instruction; STEM Career Days, where
SAS volunteers get young students excited about
analytics; 1:1 laptop initiatives; award programs for
students doing interesting work with analytics; and
support of Computer Science Education Week and
the Hour of Code.
It will take a comprehensive effort by the public and
private sectors to create the STEM talent we need
to close the skills gap. I believe a mere 10 percent
increase in STEM graduates will accomplish that.
Surely, with America’s leadership position at stake, we
can work together to achieve that. ■
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We are facing a STEM skills gap that jeopardizes
America’s position as the world’s foremost country in
innovation. The US continues to lag behind countries
such as China and India in producing STEM graduates
for the nation’s workforce. As more innovation moves
overseas, the US risks becoming a service-based
economy.
Carmen Castillo
SDI International Corp.
SDI International Corp. is one of the largest certified diversity
and woman-owned Procurement Outsourcing Organizations
in the world. With mature outsourcing delivery models
handling US$2.5 billion annually, SDI has consistently driven
long-term sustainable and tangible benefits to Fortune
500s for over 22 years. The company provides its clients with
fully scalable global indirect procurement solutions (tailend) centered on Procure-to-Pay and Source-to-Pay. These
programs are designed to manage large numbers of small
suppliers handling non-critical/non-catalogue transactions
that are often untracked, resulting in inefficiencies in process
times, compliance and costs. SDI lowers transactional costs
via innovative category management, cycle time reduction,
increased business controls, risk mitigation, business analytics,
and real-time spend visibility. With global operations and
sourcing teams, SDI’s model has multi-continent coverage
with cross-border capabilities handling most primary
languages and international currencies.
Carmen Castillo is the President and CEO
of SDI International Corp. (SDI), which she
founded in Florida in 1992. The company
provides its clients with fully scalable global
indirect procurement solutions for the tail-end,
centered on Procureto-Pay and Source-toPay. These programs are designed to manage
large numbers of small suppliers handling
noncritical/ non-catalogue transactions that
are often untracked, resulting in inefficiencies
in process times, compliance and costs. SDI’s
managed spend has increased by 130% over
the past five years, now managing in excess
of $2.5 billion annually.
“We make ourselves indispensable to our
clients by building globally and acting locally,”
Carmen states emphatically. Her mantra is
evident in SDI’s global footprint, which includes
Centers of Excellence in the U.S., Argentina,
Belgium, Canada, China, India, Bratislava, the
United Kingdom, Poland, South Africa, and
soon in Mexico. SDI has distinguished itself
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as a provider of robust process efficiencies,
driving repeatable hard cost savings through
cutting-edge technology, risk assessment,
quality policies and a dedicated team,
fostering long-standing business relationships
with its Fortune 500 customers.
As part of her responsibilities as President/
CEO of the firm, Carmen is hands-on with the
overall coordination of company operations,
global advertising, business development
and marketing programs, along with
proposal strategies and preparation. From
the advocacy perspective, Carmen acts as a
Board Member of the United States Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) and leads
their Audit and International Committees.
She is also Vice Chair of the International
Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC),
and collaborates with the boards of many
other Minority- and Womanowned business
organizations.
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As a global company that relies heavily on
technological innovation as the foundation of our
business, unequivocally supporting inclusion in STEM
is imperative for SDI. Over the past 20 years, I have
seen an explosion in the demand for IT staffing needs,
particularly for technical services professionals
who demonstrate proficiencies in data analytics,
cybersecurity, and cloud architecture. And while
many of these positions are eventually filled, they are
often only by men.
Further: At home and in school, we must encourage
curiosity in girls — curiosity about the
world around us and how it works. With curiosity
comes discovery, understanding, and knowledge.
With knowledge comes power, and the power for
women to take control of their lives, their businesses,
and generate global innovation in technology and
science.
Mentoring and apprenticing may not appear to be
particularly novel ideas, but effective mentoring can
generate tremendous results. When young girls and
women work closely with supportive, successful role
models, they unlock opportunity otherwise thought
off limits. Not to mention defying gender stereotypes.■
A dedicated approach to foster inclusion and close
the gender gap in STEM participation would yield
countless engineering, scientific, and technological
resources. Early, recurring exposure and mentorship
are two strategies that would ultimately expand
critical 21st century skills among women, whether it’s
for building rockets, erecting bridges, or designing
video games.
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It begins with curiosity, exposure, and exploration
— and ends with discovery, innovation, and
empowerment. The importance and influence of
STEM studies simply can’t be overstated.
David Etzwiler
Siemens Foundation
The Siemens Foundation has invested over $90 million to
advance U.S. workforce development and education
initiatives in science, technology, engineering and math.
Its mission is inspired by the culture of innovation, research
and continuous learning that has been the hallmark of
global technology powerhouse, Siemens AG, for more than
165 years. Siemens Corporation, with $22.2 billion in fiscal
2014 revenue, is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, which
had fiscal 2014 worldwide revenues of approximately $98
billion. Approximately 50,000 of the company’s 343,000
employees are located throughout all 50 states and Puerto
Rico. Together, the programs at the Siemens Foundation
are narrowing the opportunity gap for young people in
the U.S. when it comes to STEM careers, and igniting and
sustaining today’s STEM workforce and tomorrow’s scientists
and engineers. Follow the Siemens Foundation and Siemens
USA on Twitter, Facebook, and Siemens’ U.S. Executive Pulse
leadership blog.
David Etzwiler was named CEO of the
Siemens Foundation in 2013, a new role
charged with expanding the organization’s
reach and impact. The Siemens Foundation
ignites and sustains today’s STEM workforce
and tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.
Under David’s leadership, the Foundation has
increasingly focused its STEM efforts on U.S.
middle skill workforce development.
Prior to joining Siemens, David led the Decade
of Discovery in Diabetes, a partnership of the
Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and
the State of Minnesota to improve health and
drive economic growth.
David’s leadership has frequently been at
the intersection of business, government,
and philanthropy. He spent thirteen years
with Medtronic, Inc., most recently as VP of
Community Affairs, and Executive Director,
Medtronic
Foundation. David
aligned
philanthropy with the company’s global
business strategy, building value for both
organizations and society by fully leveraging
Medtronic’s people, products, and programs.
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His tenure included leading state government
affairs efforts for Medtronic’s headquarters
and serving on the board of its PAC.
A graduate of Northwestern University, David
earned his Masters of Public Policy from The
Claremont Graduate University and his JD,
cum laude, from the University of Minnesota
Law School. Prior to taking on leadership roles
in the field of philanthropy, David practiced
law, with an emphasis in charitable giving,
estate planning, and non-profit management.
David has been an active member of numerous boards throughout his career, including
the National Council on Foundations, where
he chaired the Corporate and Global Philanthropy Committees and co-chaired the 2012
Task Force on the Future of Corporate Philanthropy. He has served on the boards of the
National Urban Fellows, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Council
on Foundations, and the Children’s Theatre
Company. David is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Siemens Foundation and the
World Affairs Council in Washington, D.C.
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While the answer was a resounding yes to much of
our work, we knew we could do better. As a result, we
charted a course to revamp the foundation’s vision
and portfolio. Today, we’ve aligned the mission of the
Siemens Foundation with the people, products, and
programs of the Siemens Corporation to address the
STEM needs of society.
The Siemens Foundation ignites and sustains
today’s STEM workforce and tomorrow’s scientists
and engineers. Siemens Science Day aligns the
knowledge and expertise of our employees with the
natural curiosity of kids in kindergarten through sixth
grade. Siemens employees take time out from their
work days to share a well-designed STEM curriculum
with elementary school students and to help them
understand how STEM impacts their daily lives. Thanks
to our partnership with Discovery Education, teachers
have twenty-four hour access to 140 STEM modules
aligned to national standards they bring to life in their
classrooms.
Our redesigned Siemens Competition continues
to set the standard for high school STEM research
competitions. Offering scholarships ranging from
$10,000 to $100,000 to the best and the brightest high
school scientists, the Siemens Competition is helping
to ensure our country has the engineers, scientists,
and researchers it needs to be innovative and to
prosper for generations to come. Last year, we
added new features such as an innovator’s lounge
featuring entrepreneurs in STEM fields and hosted
by CNN’s Fredricka Whitfield. This year, leveraging
the power of technology, we are excited about the
next phase of our redesign – hosting our regional
competitions virtually. Collectively, these changes
bring the Siemens Competition into the 21st century.
The Siemens STEM Middle Skill initiative is our newest
program in workforce development. Focused on
developing the technical skills required for STEM jobs
requiring a high school degree but not a four-year
degree (jobs often referred to as “middle-skill” jobs), the
initiative targets young adults in the U.S. Young people
in the U.S. face significant barriers to education and
employment and are struggling to compete with their
international peers. Some 5.6 million young people
in the U.S. are not in school and are not working.
According to a recent study by the Educational
Testing Service, U.S. millennials are struggling when it
comes to numeracy and literacy skills compared to
our international peers. In literacy, the U.S. scored lower
than 15 of the 22 participating countries. In numeracy,
the U.S ranked dead last. These are challenges we
cannot afford to ignore.
At the same time, recent research shows great
opportunity in STEM middle-skill jobs. According to
a 2013 Brookings report, 20 percent of all U.S. jobs
are STEM jobs – requiring a high-level of knowledge
in at least one STEM area. That’s double the share
of STEM jobs since the industrial revolution. Half of
those jobs don’t require a four-year college degree
and pay $53,000 on average – that’s 10 percent
higher than non-STEM jobs with the same credential
demands. Importantly, the same research found that
STEM-oriented metropolitan areas perform better
on an array of economic indicators – from lower
unemployment, to higher wages, and the rate of
exports. This is an accessible pathway that makes a
difference in the lives of young people, their families,
and our communities.
The gap between where too many young adults
find themselves today and the opportunities possible
with STEM middle-skill jobs is simply too wide for us to
accept. It is an area where we think the Siemens
Foundation can make a difference and why we
decided to add this new program to our Foundation
portfolio. Here’s our strategy for helping close this
opportunity gap.
First, we must change the perception of middle-skill
job opportunities in this country from a “fall back
option” to a “career pathway of choice.” These are
great jobs accessible with low to no student debt
and unlimited potential. With our partners at the
Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program, we’re
supporting the Aspen Prize for Community College
Excellence and launching the Siemens Technical
Scholars program, which will profile successful STEM
technical scholars to increase awareness about
these great career pathways and debunk the myth
that these are “dirty,” “loud,” or “dead end” jobs.
Second, we’re identifying, championing and scaling
proven workforce training models. Knowing full well
that states are essential to scaling, we are working
with the National Governors Association Center for
Best Practices to identify what makes work-based
learning models effective, how to bring them to scale
for young adults and how to move them into STEM
fields. The closer the connection between workforce
training and the demands of the employer or an
industry, the more likely that training will lead to a
job and advancement. It is an underutilized method
that we believe holds the promise of opportunity and
is ripe for growth.
Comprehensively, the revamped portfolio of the
Siemens Foundation is working to address STEM
talent pipeline needs at multiple points – from early
awareness, to technical training, to supporting
the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Together, our work is playing a vital role in closing the
opportunity gap for young people in the U.S. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 190 Siemens Foundation
When I joined the Siemens Foundation as CEO in 2013,
my board – comprised of Siemens business leaders –
and I took a hard look at our philanthropic portfolio
and asked hard questions: Does our work fully leverage
the company’s business assets? Are we addressing a
real societal need in STEM education and workforce
development? Are we leveraging Siemens’ expertise
and brand to best serve society?
Nick Pinchuk
Snap-on Incorporated
Snap-on Incorporated is a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair
information and systems solutions for professional users. Products and services include hand and power tools, tool storage,
diagnostics software, information and management systems,
shop equipment and other solutions for vehicle dealerships
and repair centers, as well as customers in critical industries,
including government, aviation, natural resources and power
generation. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a $3.4 billion, S&P 500
company headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Snap-on embraces technical education and careers as
a national priority, particularly as it relates to STEM skills. The
Company advances STEM competencies through extensive
involvement with SkillsUSA, the National Coalition of Certification
Centers (NC3), and schools at all levels. Snap-on is committed
to arming the American workforce with STEM and other critical
capabilities necessary to compete in the global economy.
Nick Pinchuk is chairman and chief executive
officer of Snap-on Incorporated. He was
named president and chief operating officer
in April 2007, when he was also appointed
to Snap-on’s board. Nick was elected chief
executive officer in December 2007 and
chairman in April 2009. He joined Snap-on in
2002 as senior vice president and president
of Snap-on’s Worldwide Commercial and
Industrial Group.
Before joining Snap-on, Nick was president,
global refrigeration operations, a multi-billion
dollar business unit of Carrier Corporation, a
subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation.
Prior to that, he served in executive and
operational capacities within Carrier and
United Technologies. Previously, he was with
the Ford Motor Company. He also served in
Vietnam as an officer in the United States Army.
Nick received an M.B.A. from Harvard, and
master and bachelor of science degrees
in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute. He currently serves on the board of
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directors of Columbus McKinnon Corporation;
on the board of directors for the National
Association of Manufacturers; on the Board
of Trustees of the Manufacturer’s Alliance for
Productivity and Innovation; on the Senior
Advisory Board of the Syracuse University
School of Management; and on the Board of
Trustees of Carthage College.
Nick is an outspoken leader on STEM, workforce development, and technical education and careers. Recognizing his role in the
formation of our nation’s technical education
agenda, the Career and Technical Education
Foundation named Nick National Business
Leader of the Year in 2011. SkillsUSA named
him Champion of the Year in 2012, recognizing his extensive support for the growth of a
skilled American workforce. The International
Technology and Engineering Educators Association recognized Nick in 2015 for his farreaching professional contributions. Recently,
Nick was named to the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame.
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America is in the midst of a global competition…for
jobs…for prosperity…and for the future. STEM/technical education is our primary weapon in this conflict.
In fact, the up-skilling of the American workforce is
the seminal issue of our time. No path to prosperity in
America is possible without a manufacturing renaissance. And, no ongoing prosperity is possible without
a strong middle class.
But, our middle class is under pressure and the American Dream is under question. Media across our
Country are screaming that the middle is shrinking…
it’s eroding…it’s at risk. This is a big problem because
it’s the great middle, advanced by the American
workforce, which has created the extraordinary society we enjoy today. But, in the current environment,
there is increased competition from committed and
energetic workforces in other countries…places like
China, Brazil and India. Jobs have always gravitated
to the most capable workforce. In that regard, American workers have been and are still formidable, but
others are catching up…taking jobs…creating pressure on our middle.
To win this battle, we need to differentiate our workforce by out-skilling the competition. Enabling Americans in this conflict is a job for all of us…business, education and government. It requires focus, effort and
commitment.
Where do you see the biggest area of opportunity in
advancing STEM, especially as it relates to technical
careers?
Our schools must become more effective in making
the time and the money invested more worthwhile.
Furthermore, whether we want to recognize it or not,
STEM-related technical education and technical
careers have a heck of a PR problem. Too often
those who enroll in technical education and pursue
associated careers are seen to have settled for the
consolation prizes of our society. In effect, we have,
in America, lost the respect for the dignity of work.
Our young pass on technical careers seeking lives
in other disciplines, often resulting in a mountain of
debt and disappointing prospects.
The erosion of respect has not only threatened the
middle class, it’s created a significant skills gap.
The National Association of Manufacturers says
600,000 jobs go unfilled because employers can’t
find qualified workers. This shortfall exists largely
because those entering the workforce today don’t
see technical careers and their associated STEM
competencies as something to aspire to or that can
provide a good living.
What STEM initiatives that your company has supported
Driven by innovation, technology and human capital,
the STEM partnership between Snap-on and Gateway
Technical College in Kenosha is a national model for
educators, community leaders and employers. This
partnership is both a comprehensive and strategic
relationship with national scope and a shared belief
in the importance of career and technical education
and the expansion of STEM learning. The National
Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) was formed
as a result of the collaboration and Gateway began
training and certifying high school, community
and technical college instructors in diagnostics
throughout the nation. It has quickly expanded to
include other companies and many certifications
that cut across industries. The number of schools and
students continues to grow exponentially. Today:
•More than 250 active high schools and colleges
are delivering one or more of the now 86 stackable,
portable, and industry-endorsed NC3 certifications.
•Over 1,000 high school, community and technical
instructors have been NC3 certified, along with
almost 33,000 certified students.
and technical careers?
First,business and education must work collaboratively
to ensure curricula match what’s needed in the
workplace. Companies can provide apprenticeships
and internships, but it’s also essential that school
coursework mirrors what is required in industry.
According to NAM members, the number one
factor in locating a plant is the presence of a skilled
workforce. But without matching education to the
capabilities needed, a manufacturing renaissance
and the accompanying expansion of opportunity
cannot occur. We can all help to ensure schools,
particularly community colleges, are a more certain
path to a great job.
The second solution is more difficult. We have to fix
the PR problem. We have to broadly recognize the
essential nature of an enabled middle. We must
characterize STEM-related technical careers as
what they have always been – the building blocks
of American prosperity. We need to enlist our young
people in technical careers as a national calling…
capturing their enthusiasm as soldiers in continuing
American preeminence.
We have to restore the image of the American
Dream as something attainable through a technical
career…an endeavor worthy of dedication and
energy, deserving of pride and dignity and essential to
the American future. We must banish the impression
that these jobs are consolation prizes. We all need
to encourage and to celebrate the dignity of work.
We have to demand that our leaders do so as well.
You can’t change attitudes without leadership, and
champions from the local, state and national levels
are critical. We must all endorse and embrace
technical education as the top national priority…
and act like we believe it.
STEM and technical educators do make an
extraordinary difference. They enable the American
workforce, and their success or failure will decide
the future of the middle class and our entire country.
In this effort, some say the American workforce is a
question. But, I say the American workforce is the
answer, and schools, particularly community colleges,
are the key to unlocking that power. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 192 Snap-on Incorporated
Lorna C.
Donatone
Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo
Schools Worldwide &
President, Sodexo North America Sodexo
Sodexo, Inc., leading Quality of Life services company in
the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, delivers On-site Services
in Corporate, Universities, K-12 Schools, Hospitals, Seniors,
Government,and Remote Site segments,as well as Benefits and
Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo,
headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative
costs for the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable
organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more
than $27 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America.
Visit the corporate blog at SodexoInsights.com. Like Sodexo
on Facebookand follow on Twitter @SodexoUSA.
Lorna Donatone is President of Sodexo
North America and CEO of Sodexo Schools
Worldwide. As CEO of Schools Worldwide,
she is responsible for a business with 33,000
employees, 3,535 client sites in 42 countries. She
is a member of the Sodexo Group Executive
Committee and Chair of the Sodexo North
America Regional Leadership Committee.
Sodexo is the 18th largest employer in the
world and the leader in delivering integrated
facilities management, food service operations
and recognition programs in 80 countries.
With $9.8B in annual revenues in the U.S.
and Canada, Sodexo’s 133,000 employees
provide more than 100 unique services that
improve performance for 9,000 clients and
improve Quality of Life for 15 million consumers
every day. Previously, Ms. Donatone was Chief
Operating Officer and President of Sodexo
Education in the U.S. She led Sodexo's business
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at nearly 500 public school districts and more
than 850 college and university campuses,
overseeing more than 70,000 employees.
Prior to that, she held several key leadership
roles in the company, including President of
School Services and President of Spirit Cruises.
Ms. Donatone began her career in public
accounting with Deloitte & Touche in Dallas,
TX, and has worked in the airline, banking
and high-tech industries. Ms. Donatone was
honored with the 2015 Trailblazer Award
from the Women’s Foodservice Forum and
Chairs the National Restaurant Association
Educational Foundation. She is on the Board
of Directors of Jamba Juice, is a trustee of the
Culinary Institute of America, serves on the
Tulane Business School Council and Chairs the
TCU Business School Board.
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There’s a lot of long-term incentive to get girls interested in STEM early: according to Forbes, careers in
STEM industries offer better compensation and more
career advancement opportunities. In fact, women
who hold STEM positions earn 92 cents to the dollar versus 77 cents for women in other fields. Yet the
STEM workforce in the U.S. remains 74% male.
The problem is complex and there is not a singular
solution. However, one strategy to plant the STEM
seed in girls early and address negative stereotypes
head-on is through mentoring. Mentoring has the
potential to create the radical paradigm shift we
need to ignite girls and young women’s interest in
STEM early and encourage them to pursue STEM
careers later. Mentoring holds tremendous potential
to grow the number of girls and young women in
STEM and grow them quickly. It also offers a flexible
approach that can be adjusted to meet girls and
young women where they are and where their individual interests naturally gravitate to. Mentoring is
an easy and comfortable way to introduce, nurture
and encourage interest in science, math and engineering.
en’s academic accomplishments, it’s not a lack of
ability. While women have broken a lot of barriers,
there are still barriers in pursuing STEM careers. An
article in the New York Times by a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Yale is a disturbing revelation,
illustrating why even women who receive STEM degrees may not pursue careers in these fields or stay
in STEM professions. There are obstacles all along the
way starting in childhood with “scientists as geeks”
stereotypes discouraging all but the most determined girls. In other cultures, a gift for math is often
seen as demonstrating that a person is intuitive and
creative. Sadly, this is not the case in the U.S. and it
needs to change, fast.
By creating a pathway that begins in elementary
school and goes through middle school, high school
and continues into higher education, and early career, women can establish and maintain a foundation of knowledge and support that will sustain them
into their career. And, since only 41% of the women
who enter the workforce continue in the same kind
of job 10 years later, mentoring relationships can
provide the stability and encouragement during
their early career phase. Programs such as Tech Trek,
a week-long summer camp for girls and Tech Savvy,
career conferences for girls, help breakdown stereotypes about the traditionally male-dominated
STEM fields and teach girls that these fields can lead
to successful, exciting and lucrative careers.
The female pioneers in STEM careers were determined to forge ahead despite discrimination. They
were helped by the demand for experts during
World War II, when men were drafted or enlisted, for
top-secret research projects. Americans recognized
that science and scientists were valuable, and opportunities opened up for women. We have the opportunity again to support and champion young
women interested in science, technology and innovation – to excite and inspire them about the possibilities. Everyone benefits when our girls and young
women can make full use of their abilities and supporting STEM mentoring is a clear win-win. ■
By 2022, the U.S. will need more than 9 million STEM
professionals to fill projected job openings. With only
18% of bachelor’s degrees conferred in core STEM
subjects, the talent gap is huge. Clearly, given wom-
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Women have made huge strides in their pursuit of
higher education and now earn more associate,
bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees than men.
Girls are studying and excelling in science and mathematics. Yet, according to the American Association
of University Women (AAUW), the dramatic increase
in girls’ educational achievements in scientific and
mathematical subjects has not been matched by
similar increases in the representation of women
working as engineers and computing professionals.
In fact, they remain noticeably absent from STEM careers despite strong job growth in the past decade
and solid projections for continued growth. Just 12
percent of engineers are women, and the number
of women in computing has fallen from 35 percent
in 1990 to just 26 percent today. The numbers are
especially low for Hispanic, African American and
American Indian women. Black women make up 1
percent of the engineering workforce and 3 percent
of the computing workforce, while Hispanic women
hold just 1 percent of jobs in each field.
Michael Norris
Chief Executive Officer of Healthcare
Sodexo North America
Sodexo, Inc., the leading Quality of Life services provider in
the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, delivers On-site Services in
Corporate, Education, Healthcare, Government and Remote
Site segments, as well as Benefits and Rewards Services and
Personal and Home Services. Sodexo, Inc. is headquartered
in Gaithersburg, Md. and funds all administrative costs for the
independent and charitable Sodexo Foundation — granting
more than $27 million since 1999 to end childhood hunger in
America. Visit the corporate blog at SodexoInsights.com. Visit
Sodexo on Facebook and follow on Twitter @SodexoUSA.
Michael Norris is CEO of Healthcare for
Sodexo North America with responsibility
for $3.2 billion in annual revenues. He is a
passionate and visionary leader for Sodexo,
the 18th largest employer in the world and
the leader in delivering integrated facilities
management, food service operations and
recognition programs in 80 countries.
Mr. Norris began his career with Sodexo in
2005 as Chief Operating Officer and Market
President of its $9 billion Business & Industry
and Sports & Leisure Divisions in North America.
In 2007, Mr. Norris was appointed Group
President of Sodexo’s International Large
Accounts, guiding growth and development
of the company’s the largest and most
complex global accounts. Shortly after joining
Sodexo, Mr. Norris led the development and
implementation of SodexoMAGIC, LLC; a joint
venture partnership with basketball legend
and business entrepreneur Earvin “Magic”
Johnson. He has an impressive background in
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various industries, with a proven track record
of driving sustainable sales growth and
increasing market share.
Before joining Sodexo, Mr. Norris served
as President and CEO of Loews Cineplex
Entertainment (a Sony retail company) with
annual revenue of $2 billion. He gained
experience in the restaurant and hospitality
industry both domestically and internationally,
as a partner and President & COO of Chili’s
Bar & Grill in Asia. Earlier in his career, he
held positions of increasing responsibility
at General Mills Restaurants, Inc., rising to
become Director of Operations throughout
the U.S. and Canada.
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Move Beyond People Skills: Instruct Students on the
“Art” of Social Influence and Persuasion – I firmly
believe that the ability to be persuasive—as well as
using social influence appropriately and ethically—
are some of the key skill sets today’s students need to
be successful in the future, along with:
• Goal setting
• Evidence-based decision making
• Data visualization
• Storytelling (as an art of persuasion)
Over the past few years, there has been a concerted
effort to encourage young people to choose STEM
educational and career paths, partly due to fears
that there will be a shortage of workers in these fields
in the future. In fact, US News & World Report states
that STEM education is the key to the U.S.’s economic
future. The time has come for business leaders, industry
experts and academics to collaborate to develop
a solid, sustainable strategy that ensures the next
generation of STEM-educated leaders is prepared
for the jobs of tomorrow. Just like an Olympic athlete
who invests years of training to prepare for an event,
our talent development strategy must reach future
employees long before they enter the workforce.
To cultivate interest in STEM fields, business leaders,
industry experts and academics share a responsibility
to provide relevant and exciting examples of STEM
job opportunities to students. Recently, I spoke to
the head of the National Facilities Management
Association, who noted that if we provide a “big
picture” simulation of the roles and responsibilities
of engineers and facilities managers, we would
generate more interest in the field, rather than lessons
plans about the tactical aspects of the day-to-day
jobs.
I am passionately committed to developing the
next generation of STEM leaders and for that matter,
helping to prepare all young leaders entering
our workforce to be successful. With the global
marketplace expanding at unprecedented rates,
demographic shifts and emerging global trends
playing an ever-increasing role in the U.S. economy,
it has become apparent that we as business leaders,
industry experts and academics can offer a more
comprehensive approach to preparing our future
leaders to successfully enter the workforce.
Employers and institutions of higher education must
work together to fill the STEM pipeline and advance
the economy. Based on my own learnings, shaped
by a range of experiences across different industry
sectors over the past 30 years, I have five essential
recommendations for business leaders who want to
better support students considering a career in the
STEM fields.
Apply Theory to Practice – No age is “too early”
to expose children to how education aligns with
jobs. STEM students need exposure to practical
applications of their subject matter in STEM fields. One
idea is to involve students in STEM Career Accelerator
Day, a nationwide event that brings students into
major STEM facilities to experience firsthand the
excitement and potential of a STEM career.
Stay Relevant
Actively Seek Educational Partnerships
The first step for any business leader is a commitment
to understand the mission, goals and strategies being
pursued by potential STEM partner organizations.
Visiting high schools, vocational schools and
community colleges is a must, and listening to their
frustrations and aspirations is required. Only then can
you look for ways to establish a mutually beneficial
partnership.
Be a Mentor!
Research on mentor-student relationships shows
dramatic impact on a mentee’s performance.
We must challenge students with meaningful
engagement, treat them with respect and ask
for their ideas. Feedback and recognition of their
success can capture the attention and imagination
of these young minds.
I am so enthusiastic about the promise of our
future leaders and the opportunity we share to
serve as catalysts for long-term success. I hope
my recommendations open a dialogue among
stakeholders who are committed to creating a better
future by developing a more engaged workforce,
stronger communities and a vibrant economy.■
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The dynamics of the global economy are evolving
and to achieve sustained economic growth, business
and education must place a stronger emphasis on
science, technology, engineering, and math fields.
In the 21st century jobs-driven economy, companies
are demanding a workforce armed with STEM skills,
along with effective team building, communication
and problem-solving ability. Many of the most
valuable and useful innovations and advancements
are coming from industries and occupations focused
in these areas.
Thomas Fanning
Southern Company
With more than 4.5 million customers and approximately
46,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based
Southern Company is the premier energy company serving
the Southeast through its subsidiaries. A leading U.S. producer
of clean, safe, reliable and affordable electricity, Southern
Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing
competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics
and wireless communications. Southern Company brands
are known for excellent customer service, high reliability
and affordable prices that are below the national average.
Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation,
Southern Company and its subsidiaries are inventing
America's energy future by developing the full portfolio
of energy resources, including nuclear, 21st century coal,
natural gas, renewables and energy efficiency, and creating
new products and services for the benefit of customers.
The company is continually ranked among the top utilities
in Fortune's annual World's Most Admired Electric and Gas
Utility rankings.
Thomas A. (Tom) Fanning is chairman,
president and chief executive officer of
Southern Company, one of America’s largest
producers of electricity.
Elected by the board of directors in July
2010, Fanning became president of Southern
Company in August 2010 and assumed
the additional responsibilities of CEO and
chairman in December 2010.
Fanning has worked for Southern Company
for more than 35 years and has held 15
different positions in eight different business
units, including numerous officer positions with
a variety of Southern Company subsidiaries in
the areas of finance, strategy, international
business development and technology.
Most recently, Fanning served as chief
operating officer, where he was responsible
for Southern Company’s generation and
transmission, engineering and construction
services, research and environmental affairs,
system planning and competitive generation
business units.
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Fanning serves as chair of the Federal Reserve
Bank of Atlanta and vice chairman of the
Edison Electric Institute, and is a member of the
Business Roundtable. Fanning also is a chair of
the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council,
which serves as the principal liaison between
the federal government and the electric
power sector to protect the electric grid from
threats that could impact national security.
Fanning earned bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in industrial management and
also was awarded an honorary doctor of
philosophy degree from Georgia Tech. He is
on the Georgia Tech College of Management
advisory board and the board of trustees for
the Georgia Tech Foundation.
His executive education includes programs
at the International Institute for Management
Development in Lausanne, Switzerland, the
Harvard University School of Business and the
University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
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We see our jobs as about more than selling a product.
Energy supports the economy and gives us a way to play
offense to grow jobs, grow personal incomes and make
lives better. As the energy industry continues to transform
itself in an era of widespread technological innovation
and changing customer expectations, we need to
make sure the next generation of employees has the
imagination and skills necessary to thrive in a world of
new challenges and opportunities. STEM is indispensable
for preparing America’s youth for that world.
We are encouraged when we hear, as one 12-yearold in Florida told us recently after attending a career
expo co-sponsored by our Gulf Power subsidiary, that
the experience had for the first time sparked an interest
in someday having a job in the energy industry.
At a time when men still outnumber women in STEM
fields, we are especially committed to help clear the
path for girls to reach their full potential. Many of our
efforts are targeted to overcoming the notion that
STEM is “not for girls.”
Michele Jordan, a Southern Nuclear engineer working
on the Plant Vogtle 3 and 4 construction project in
Georgia -- which is leading the revival of nuclear
power in America -- is among those who have given
their time to be positive examples for girls.
Despite some obvious benefits to pursuing a STEMrelated career – for example, according to 2014 data
from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average
wage for all STEM occupations is $85,570, nearly double
the average for all other occupations – there continue
to be obstacles to getting young people interested
in STEM. Not the least of these is lack of awareness or
negative perceptions about the reality of working in
STEM fields.
“I love having the opportunity to talk to young girls and
encourage them to go into technical fields,” she said.
“When I was in college, I had professors telling me I
couldn’t do it, and I want them to hear that they can.”
As important as it is for Southern Company’s continued
success to create a pipeline of qualified STEM workers
within our own ranks, the real priority is to connect
STEM outreach with our larger mission of making the
communities we serve better off because we’re there.
That’s why so much of the STEM outreach conducted
across the Southern Company system involves handson, experience-oriented activities that also put students
-- from pre-K to college -- up close and personal with
people who do the real work of improving lives through
the better use of energy.
We continually ask ourselves: What do our communities
need to succeed and how can we help? Supporting
education, and STEM in particular, just makes good sense.
And we emphasize to students that a STEM career offers
a diversity of opportunity. In the electric utility industry
alone, that could include, among other things, working
as a chemical, electrical, mechanical, civil, computer,
environmental, nuclear or industrial engineer; biologist;
chemist; programmer; data and information manager;
environmental scientist; geologist; forester; physicist;
line worker; plant operator; welder; or instrumentation
and controls technician.
Across our primary service area of Alabama, Florida,
Georgia and Mississippi, we support STEM programs
by engaging students and providing educators
with resources to motivate them toward pursuing
STEM-related careers. Southern Company system
employees regularly visit classrooms to talk with
students about their careers. We host career expos,
camps, technology demonstrations, robotics teams
and competitions. We partner with schools to develop
curricula and award teachers who develop creative
and effective approaches. Perhaps most important,
our employees serve as mentors and role models. These
and other efforts have helped expose thousands of
young people to the opportunities presented by STEM,
while also letting them in on a little secret – STEM is fun.
There is a direct link between STEM, which prepares
young people for good, well-paying jobs, and broader
economic development that can help improve the
standard of living for everyone. In the Southeast, the
manufacturing, defense and high-tech industries are
vitally important, and STEM learning aligns perfectly
with their ongoing need for highly skilled workers.
The growing new marketplace of jobs in the digital
economy only underscores the importance of STEM.
Science, technology, engineering and math have
been so fundamental to the energy industry’s ability
to make lives better through advances that made
the simple act of turning a switch to light and heat
our homes an everyday reality that we often take for
granted. Today, STEM is leading the use of robotics,
unmanned aerial systems and other amazing new
technologies that are ushering in the future of energy.
We at Southern Company are proud to support STEM
education and are excited to think about what those
students, in STEM classrooms today, will come up with
tomorrow. ■
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Our business, energy, touches the lives of every family in
America. And STEM touches every part of our business.
So supporting STEM education is simply fundamental
to our mission of providing clean, safe, reliable and
affordable energy to the customers and communities
we’re privileged to serve.
Natarajan
Chandrasekar
Chief Executive Officer &
Managing Director
Tata Consultancy Services
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is one of the world’s top IT
services and consulting organizations, providing business
solutions and digital technologies to many of the world’s largest
enterprises to strengthen and transform their businesses. It
provides the industry’s highest level of satisfaction through
a deep commitment to its clients and employs 344,000 of
the sector’s best trained computer scientists, programmers,
data analysts, and designers In North America, TCS is heavily
invested in cross-sector efforts to expand diversity and
access to computer science education. From its founding
partnership of STEM mentoring programs (e.g., US2020 and
Million Women Mentors) and ongoing partnerships and
pro-bono tech platforms (e.g., NPower, US2020, LeadCS.org,
STEMconnector®, IMPACT2030); to computer science industry
roundtables and TCS’ signature K-12 CS education program,
goIT, which teaches computer science, programming and
design in middle/high schools in 32+ cities to prepare the
next generation of digital innovators.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran (‘Chandra’)
is the CEO and Managing Director of Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global
IT solution and consulting firm.
With revenues of $ US $15.5 billion in 201415, TCS is among the fastest growing IT
services companies globally, with its market
capitalization crossing $80 billion during 201415, making TCS the most valuable company
in India. With over 344,000 consultants – a
third of whom are female – TCS has become
the largest private sector employer in India
and one of the world’s largest employers of
female IT talent in the world.
Chandra personifies TCS’ commitment to its
culture of customer centricity, its reputation
for high service quality and tradition of
innovation. He was appointed as the
Chairperson of the IT Industry at the World
Economic Forum, Davos for 2015-16. He is also
a member of Indo – US CEO Forum. Chandra
has been playing an active role in helping
the Indian government expand trade and
enhance business relationships with several
countries.
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Under his guidance, the company has refined
its corporate sustainability program to focus
on education, wellness and the environment.
TCS is now the title sponsor of the TCS New
York City and Amsterdam Marathons, and
tech sponsor of the London, Boston, Chicago,
Mumbai, and Bangalore Marathons.
However, specific to STEM education,
Chandra has spearheaded notable TCS
initiatives in various global markets to create
sustainable solutions toward closing the
education and skills gaps. For example, TCS’
goIT in-school computer science, technology
and design programs in 30+ North American
cities and its partnership with STEMConnector
regarding Million Women Mentors and the
STEM Innovation Task Force; TCS IT Futures in
the UK to inspire young people to embrace
technology and digital experiences; the
Go4IT Work Experience Program in Australia to
increase gender diversity in STEM education;
and the IT Employability Project in India to
increase employability skills and provide more
opportunities to girls.
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Going Digital is no Longer an Option; It’s the Default.
The Internet of Things (IoT) will transform every industry
and society. This is the third wave of the connected
economy. First came the World Wide Web, connecting
disparate sources of information. Second came the
social web, allowing individuals to connect. And now
IoT connects billions of devices across homes, offices,
factories, and cities.
This digital revolution is led by the individual
consumer, who values experience over functionality.
Today’s pervasive usage of digital technologies
means consumers demand personalized services —
‘the segment of one.’ Social networks give them a
strong voice, individually and collectively, to amplify
opinions. Their networks are the biggest influences on
buying behavior, replacing mass media.
Today, we have data analytics to understand and
address customer needs in a very personal way. But
to succeed in the smart world, enterprises need to
retool themselves – where work doesn’t flow, but
quickly gets done. Now, with real-time data available
on all aspects of business — from customers and
inventory to sales and employees — decisions can
be made and executed in real-time.
Though much has been made about digital
technologies
like
automation
and
artificial
intelligence (AI) making jobs redundant or people’s
skills outdated, fears are overstated. We must build
organizational cultures and infrastructures that allow
employees to learn anywhere and ‘just-in-time’
through social gamification and evaluations that are
used to improve ‘learner’ performance rather than
merely assess it.
At TCS, we embarked on one of the most challenging
and largest ever transformations of skills over the past
18 months. We trained 105,000+ employees in digital
technologies and had 1.8 million learning days, with
89% of content delivered through our digital learning
platform – resulting in employees gaining 200,000+
certifications. Our employees posted over 1 million
blogs and we crowdsourced over 10,000 ideas
through Knome, our social collaboration platform.
The digital world is unleashing unprecedented human
potential and creativity. But roles will change. Given
the forces at play, the 21st century worker needs to
have a transdisciplinary set of skills and a foundational
knowledge of STEM disciplines, combined with an
artistic and creative mind.
Careers in STEM disciplines provide a unique
opportunity for gender diversity, wage equity,
economic growth, and social prosperity. Last year,
600,000+ high-paying tech jobs across the U.S. that
were unfilled, and by 2018, 51 percent of all STEM
jobs are projected to be in computer science fields.
Computer and data science are not only important
for the tech sector, but for so many industries. Such
occupations are among the highest-paying jobs
for new graduates, yet fewer than three percent
of college students graduate with a degree in
computer science.
This challenge can be solved if we broaden the base
of American students interested in STEM, increase
persistence and retention from K-12 to college, and
create career readiness for a truly diverse workforce.
And industry, government, nonprofit, and education
sectors need to collectively create effective, scalable
solutions to build these skills. Along with our partners in
the STEM Innovation Task Force, we have developed
the STEM 2.0™ framework, identifying, defining and
communicating employability skills, innovation
excellence, digital fluency, and industry specific hard
skills as capabilities and skill sets needed in the future
workforce.
I am very proud that TCS is leading cross-sector
efforts with partners, customers and industry peers to
inspire young boys and girls, from ethnic minorities,
marginalized groups and low income families, toward
STEM education and careers. Through TCS goIT, our
employees, partners and educators teach computer
programming, design theory, robotics, and app
development, and mentor youth to increase STEM
education and career awareness. goIT is offered
free of cost to middle and high school students,
covering hands-on technology education and
teacher/educator trainings and parent orientations.
Since 2009, TCS goIT has reached more than 10,000
students across 27 US cities and five Canadian cities.
STEM and Computer Science (CS) have increasingly
become topics of national interest, helping many
grassroots level initiatives gain visibility, build capacity
and scale. So, at a macro level, there is a surge
towards providing students access to STEM education
and careers. But at a micro level, a more dramatic
turnaround requires an all-hands-on-deck approach
to:
• Create interest among middle school students in
CS
• Increase the number of schools offering STEM and
CS courses
• Prepare and develop enough CS teachers
• Provide schools with course material and resources
• And involve industry mentors to show the tie-in
between CS education and career opportunities
across all sectors
•
Our vision is for a future where every student,
irrespective of race, color, gender, or economic status
has access to learn digital technologies and build
fulfilling careers. Let’s make it happen together! ■
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In today’s world, digital technologies are evolving
rapidly. This is presenting tremendous opportunities
for the future, while forcing every business to
reimagine and rethink their products, services and
business models in order to deliver superior customer
experience and remain competitive.
Alka Dhillon
Technalink
Technalink is a Certified Women and Minority Owned
(EDWOSB), 8(a) and 8(a) STARS II IT Services and Management
Consulting Firm located in the DC Metropolitan area.
Technalink helps Federal agencies meet their Administrator’s
Strategic Initiatives and has earned awards for our stellar
performance and deployment. We use Agile methodology
for our Software Development in both our Federal and
Commercial projects to ensure stakeholder engagement,
have predictable schedules and costs, and the ability to
course correct thereby creating efficiencies. Technalink is
committed to being a part of the evolutionary process of
empowering women and girls through STEM related careers,
and contributing mindfully to it. Learn more about us at:
www.technalink.net
Alka Dhillon is the founder and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of Technalink, Inc., one of
the leading technology companies in the
Washington Metropolitan area.
In addition to her responsibilities as CEO of
Technalink, Ms. Dhillon uses her passion for
technology as platform to give back. She is
a keynote speaker to the Girls in Technology
organization (GIT) on Entrepreneurship and
STEM to inspire more girls to pursue STEM
related careers. Ms. Dhillon is actively involved
in the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship
(NFTE) and serves as a board member.
Ms. Dhillon has been honored with numerous
awards not only for her professional
achievements, but also for her commitment
to serving her community. Her accolades
include receiving the 2012 BRAVA! Women
Business Achievement Award presented
by SmartCEO, the Top 100 Women Leaders
in STEM, the 2013 Locally Grown honor by
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)
and the Abe Veneable Legacy Award for
Lifetime Achievement presented by the U.S.
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Department of Commerce’s Minority Business
Agency (MBDA). She is also the recent
recipient of the Global Technology and
Innovation Leaders Award of the Decade
presented by the Women’s Economic Forum.
Ms. Dhillon is the author of the book “The
OM Factor®: A Woman’s Spiritual Guide to
Leadership: 7 Essential Tools and 7 Key Traits to
Cultivate for Your Success and Well-Being. This
book provides you with essential tools to deal
with stressful situations in the workplace realtime, and also teaches how to cultivate key
traits to limit those scenarios from arising so
often. The OM Factor has received the Bronze
Medal from Axiom Business Book Awards as
one of the Best Business Books of 2016 in North
America.
Ms. Dhillon holds B.A. degrees in Economics
and Spanish from the University of Virginia.
She contributes to The Huffington Post, Today.
com & NBC Universal, and offers OM Factor
related merchandise and advice at www.
alkadhillon.com.
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The two groups that can really drive change and
make an impact in STEM related careers are Women
and Minorities. They are important to STEM careers
because more women are naturally matriculating by
exponential numbers into the workforce every minute.
If those 2 vital groups do not have the proper STEM
education or training we will be doing a dis-service to
our progression as a nation first, and globally second.
We will never be able to advance at the rates necessary
to keep up with innovation and growth. STEM is not the
future, it is part of our everyday lives now, and we need
to be able to participate effectively.
We can ensure more women leaders in STEM by
starting to instill the belief and confidence in our little
girls that they can actually have a future in the STEM
world. We must let them know that they can dare to
dream and those dreams will manifest. Once they
have this solid belief, they will be properly equipped
and passionate about learning about STEM. Then,
we as a nation need to give equal opportunities to
girls and women to actually gain experience in STEM
related jobs and allow them to become leaders as
they would in any other field. In order for this to happen,
we need to commit to mentorship and sponsorship.
Organizations like Million Women Mentors are making
that solid commitment and they are making their
commitment scalable, which is so admirable. They
are building partnerships and getting commitments
from Corporations globally to commit to mentorship.
The corporations have the platform and resources
to commit to making mentorship a priority and by
committing to this they are effectively shaping our
future competitive landscape to be filled with more
women and minorities in these innovative careers.
Mentoring isn’t a job title, it’s a lifestyle. It is something
you practice every day by living a life of imparting your
knowledge and leveraging your platform to benefit
another. Mentors commit to walking the path of humility
and selflessness because they are not thinking that by
sharing their network they are losing anything; they
completely see it as a collective gain. Believe it or not,
the kids that got the “O” for outstanding in the category
of “shares well and plays with others” on their report
cards in elementary schools make the best mentors.
Surprisingly, it’s not the ones that got accolades for
their leadership. Mentors are Connectors. They do not
need to be in the limelight. They may happen to be by
virtue of their profession or achievements, however it is
not something they need. They see the opportunity in
connection. They thrive on finding synergies between
entities and getting them together to create a greater
good and benefit everyone, not just looking at “what’s
in it for me?”
Edie Fraser, CEO of STEMconnector, is my STEM role
model. She is also my mentor and embodies the
true essence of what mentorship should be. Her
irrepressible spirit and unwavering commitment to
women and girls in STEM related fields is unrivaled.
Many people jump on the STEM bandwagon because
it is the hottest show in town at the moment. Edie truly
champions this movement and lives her life to mentor
and advance women and girls in their careers. She
gives opportunities and open doors that would have
remained closed for so many women. She is a true
inspiration to humanity and it is an honor to be in her
presence and her friend.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 202 Technalink
I feel that focusing on advancing our upcoming
generations through STEM enables us to Seize The
Evolutionary Moment. All that is evolving hinges on
innovation and creativity which are the building
blocks of STEM and therefore those of our future. The
creative aspect of STEM gives me passion. Creativity
is the seed for innovation and manifestation. I love
that there are no boundaries with STEM. Anything that
one can imagine can become a tangible reality and
allow us to progress in a way that positively impacts
the planet. STEM allows us to grow consciously and
productively so that we can truly make a difference
in the experience we have during our journey through
life. Evolution may be a fact and something that is
inevitable, however how we evolve is completely up to
us. We can choose to evolve from a fear based state
of trying to compete and keep up with our global
competitors. Or, we can take a more conscious and
unique approach and exercise our creative muscles.
This latter method of evolution is where true innovation
is birthed. Here, there is no comparing or contrasting
and taking old ideas or ideas that once served us and
simply rehashing them to come up with version 5.12.
This method cleans the slate and allows us to go within
and tap into the field of infinite possibilities.
Richard (Rich)
K. Templeton
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor
design and manufacturing company that develops analog
ICs and embedded processors. For more than 80 years, TI has
used increasingly complex technology to change the world.
Today, TI is changing the world, one chip at a time. TI’s analog
and embedded processing products power electronics
across every industry and help make the world smarter, safer,
greener, healthier and more fun. TI believes that one mind
is powerful, but a team of minds is limitless. With more than
30,000 TIers in more than 30 countries around the globe –
each bringing a unique set of backgrounds, experiences,
and ideas – TI employees are tackling problems and pushing
boundaries to create innovative products that help to
improve the world around us. TI is committed to creating an
ecosystem that drives innovation through its support of K-12
and post-secondary options.
Richard (Rich) K. Templeton is chairman,
president and chief executive officer of Texas
Instruments (TI). He became chairman of
the board in April 2008, and president and
chief executive officer in May 2004. Under
his leadership, TI has emerged stronger, with
better technological and product positions in
its core businesses.
In addition to his TI duties, Templeton has
focused much of his external energies on
public issues and initiatives that advance
technological
innovation
and
STEM
(science, technology, engineering, and
math) education. In April 2016, Templeton
was inducted into Junior Achievement’s
Dallas Business Hall of Fame, where he was
recognized for his contributions to furthering
youth STEM education. During the 2012-2013
United Way of Metropolitan Dallas campaign,
Templeton served as chair and led the first ever
North Texas CEO service project with almost
40 C-level executives participating in a “STEM
in the Schoolyard” project with fifth graders
at an elementary school in southwest Dallas.
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The event successfully increased awareness
by engaging the area’s top corporate
stakeholders through direct interaction with
students. And in 2012, Templeton received
the Robert N. Noyce Award from the
Semiconductor Industry Association citing
his service as a “vigorous advocate for
STEM education and longtime champion of
research and innovation.” With Templeton’s
direct involvement, TI’s top philanthropic
priority is the positive transformation of the
K-12 public education system within the
communities where employees live and work.
Over the past five years, TI has contributed
more than $150 million to STEM-based
education programs. In the United States,
the company’s STEM focus is especially
directed toward improving programs in
under-resourced communities and for
underrepresented minorities (Hispanics and
Blacks), and girls. This is increasingly important
because these underrepresented groups
comprise less than 30 percent of all electrical
engineering degrees obtained each year.
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Innovation is the key to our company’s and our
nation’s future, and to innovate, TI and other
American companies must be able to hire highly
skilled, STEM-capable engineers and technicians. But
the demand for STEM workers is great, with the U.S.
STEM workforce is expected to grow through 2018,
to an estimated 8.65 million workers. To ensure the
quality of our future workforce and stay globally
competitive, we must support advancements in STEM
education.
We engage directly with students as tutors and mentors
to help them prepare for success beyond high school.
We support teachers by providing training, and we
provide awareness for parents of under-represented
minorities and girls. We want to show them that
providing a strong foundation in STEM will help students
succeed in a global workforce.
coordinate such initiatives. The cross-functional,
cross-departmental engagement helps align various
initiatives with the company’s overall strategy and
focus investment and involvement on effective
programs. Outcomes and data from this team are
shared broadly with our more than 33,200 employees
via our intranet system.
We must move from being great philanthropists to
being strategic investors who are looking for return
on investment –with the ROI in this case being
student achievement. We identify outcomes-based
organizations focused on root causes. We look for
programs that have direct link to student achievement
and can prove it. The key is recognizing that solutions
take more than money. It takes investment and
involvement. We align volunteerism with giving, inspiring
our employees to get directly involved in education as
contributors, volunteers, mentors, tutors and advocates
It’s important that we help our education stakeholders
tell their story as well.
Among the ways we influence the study of STEM
subjects:
We must stick with it. We have supported education
since TI’s founding more than 80 years ago, and it’s as
important today as any time in our history.
• Robotics: We support the FIRST, BEST and VEX
robotics competitions where our employees serve
as coaches and organizers where sports-like
teams of students build robots and compete in fun
and educational games. By providing hands-on
experiences like robotics, we see students get
interested in and begin to consider STEM careers.
Finally, we must collaborate with others who share our
goal of quality STEM education for every child. We
believe that every child can and should have the
educational foundation to succeed regardless of
race, geography, native language, gender or income.
• Teacher Development:
TI recognizes that to
increase the number of math- and sciencecapable students equipped to enter into and
graduate from STEM-based disciplines, we must first
invest in teachers. The TI Foundation has funded
programs such as Teach for America and UTeach
to increase the number of math and science
teachers in Dallas’ traditional and charter public
schools.
STEM?
Business cannot act alone. A collaborative effort is
required for systemic change. It’s the responsibility
of business to join other key education stakeholders
– school districts, higher education, non-profits, city
governments, and others –to work together with a
shared agenda for collective impact. Together, we can
solve STEM education challenges and achieve largescale systemic change through collective impact. ■
How can we do a better job to strategically coordinate
all those engaged in STEM across the company? (Across
different departments)
At TI, we have established an Education Stakeholders
Team that meets regularly to bring together key
employees whose jobs involve K-16 education
and workforce development to discuss and
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 204 Texas Instruments
Why do you believe STEM Education/workforce development is critical to our nation’s future?
Marc Casper
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving
science, with revenues of $17 billion and approximately
50,000 employees in 50 countries. Our Mission is to enable
our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer.
We help our customers accelerate life sciences research,
solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient
diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Through
our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems,
Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer
an unmatched combination of innovative technologies,
purchasing convenience and comprehensive support.
Fulfilling our Mission depends on developing bright young
talent to push the boundaries of our existing technologies
and innovate for the future. Any chance to work with students
is an opportunity to ignite the spark that may inspire them to
pursue a career in science. Our philanthropic efforts focus on
promoting STEM education so we can help develop the next
generation of employees or customers.
Marc Casper has been president and chief
executive officer of Thermo Fisher Scientific
since October 2009.
He joined the company in December 2001,
serving as president of the Life and Laboratory
Sciences businesses. He was named senior vice
president in 2003, and assumed responsibility for
all of the company’s operating divisions shortly
thereafter. In 2006, Mr. Casper was named
executive vice president of the company
and president of its Analytical Technologies
businesses. He became chief operating officer
two years later and served in that role until
being named president and CEO.
Prior to joining Thermo Fisher, Mr. Casper
served as president, chief executive officer
and a director of Kendro Laboratory Products.
Previously, he worked for clinical diagnostics
provider Dade Behring Inc., serving as
president–Americas. Mr. Casper began his
career at Bain & Company and Bain Capital.
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Mr. Casper earned an MBA with high
distinction from Harvard Business School and
is a graduate of Wesleyan University, where he
received a bachelor’s degree in economics.
As President and CEO of the world leader in
serving science, Mr. Casper believes we have
a responsibility to support STEM education,
not only for the continued success of Thermo
Fisher but also for the competitiveness of
our nation. Under his leadership, Thermo
Fisher’s commitment to STEM education has
significantly increased through our expansion
of a variety of company-wide programs,
including our science scholarships, corporate
grants, global employee volunteer groups,
and internally developed initiatives that
involve our employees and products to inspire
children at local schools.
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During this period of transformation,the United States has
been at the forefront of many of these developments.
However, our position as a global leader in innovation
is not guaranteed, and in fact is constantly being
challenged in today’s highly competitive landscape.
Our country is facing two obstacles as we strive to
maintain our leadership position in innovation. First, our
investments in STEM education are inadequate. And
second, investments in basic research are at risk.
Over the last two decades, the United States has seen
a gradual decline in the preparedness of youth in
STEM fields. According to the World Economic Forum,
the U.S. ranks 48th in the quality of math and science
education globally. The problem is complex, but an
important driving factor is the inadequate pipeline of
teachers who are proficient in teaching STEM subjects.
As a result, students are unprepared going into higher
education and later, into the workforce. It is more
important than ever to invest in the STEM fields to equip
our youth with the skills to solve tough problems, gather
and evaluate evidence, and integrate the information
that leads to discovery.
All innovation, whether it supports faster computers
or new cancer-fighting medicines, is borne from
investments in basic research. Take personalized
medicine, for example. This revolutionary approach
to healthcare promises to individualize treatment
of disease based on individual genetics. Today, for
example, women diagnosed with breast cancer can
be genetically screened and receive personalized
treatment if their specific cancer type is identified. This
would not be possible without investments in basic
research and advances like the Human Genome
Project. Yet, despite the importance of basic research
in promoting innovation, our nation has not been
committed to adequately invest in the institutions
that are driving this research in the U.S., namely the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National
Science Foundation.
Congress recently approved a $2 billion increase in the
NIH budget – the largest in 12 years. The increase in
funds is a step in the right direction and demonstrates
that Congress understands that investments in the
NIH and basic research are a good investment in our
future. Discoveries made through these investments
drive applied research and the development of new
technologies that benefit society. At Thermo Fisher
Scientific, everything we do begins with our Mission —
to enable our customers to make the world healthier,
cleaner and safer. Customers worldwide, including the
NIH, trust the tools and solutions available through our
premier brands to help them accelerate innovation
and enhance productivity. From mass spectrometers
that allow for more comprehensive sample analysis
in pharmaceutical drug research to genetic analysis
systems that may lead to better cancer diagnostics,
we are supporting our customers and setting new
industry standards for innovation.
Our innovation strategy depends, in part, on
empowering our colleagues around the world with
the tools and environment to promote the cuttingedge thinking that fuels innovation. For example, our
Intensifying Innovation program is aimed at bringing
highly aspirational products and solutions to market.
This program provides cross-functional teams with
seed funding to jointly embark on highly innovative
projects. Our goal is to create a culture that not only
embraces organic innovation but also positions Thermo
Fisher even more prominently as a thought leader in
developing and implementing novel and disruptive
technology.
As the world leader in serving science, we embrace
our responsibility to promote STEM education and
inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators.
Through our Thermo Fisher Foundation for Science, we
invest in philanthropic program that promote STEM
education, including partnering with nonprofits to
extend after-school learning opportunities, providing
scholarships to students pursuing STEM disciplines
and providing in-kind donations to promote handson learning. Moreover, our Community Action
Councils (CACs) empower employees to give back
to their communities by organizing, promoting and
coordinating STEM-related volunteer activities at the
local level. Through our CACs and individual volunteer
efforts, our U.S.-based employees volunteered 20,000
hours in 2015. I am very proud of the work each one
of our colleagues – and perhaps one of our future
scientists – does to promote STEM education in order
to best serve our customers and fulfill our Mission. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 206 Thermo Fisher Scientific
We are living in one of the most exciting periods
in human history. Over the last century, we have
witnessed transformational changes in our lives and
the economy. Computers, for example, first appeared
early in the 20th century and over the course of a
few decades have become small enough to fit in our
pockets and smart enough to understand spoken
language. Similarly, in medicine, the germ theory of
disease did not become widely accepted until the
late 19th century. Since then, we have mapped the
human genome, developed vaccines against some
of the worst maladies, and invented instruments that
enable us to peer into the human body without making
a single incision. These and many other achievements
have been underpinned by advances and discoveries
in the fields of science, technology, engineering and
math (STEM).
Peter J.
Davoren
Turner Construction Company
Turner Construction Company is a North-America-based, international construction services company and the largest
builder in the United States. With more than 5,500 employees
and an annual construction volume of $10.5 billion, Turner
ranks first or second in most major market segments including
green building, education, healthcare, manufacturing, sports,
commercial and transportation construction.
Peter joined Turner in 1978 and has held a
wide variety of assignments in the delivery
of the company’s work. Peter was named
as Vice President of the company in 1995
and Senior Vice President in 2000. Peter was
appointed President of Turner Construction
Company in 2003 and Chief Executive Officer
of The Turner Corporation in 2007. Under
Peter’s leadership, Turner has expanded
its North America operations into Canada
and Mexico and has increased its presence
in Asia, India and Europe. The company
is consistently ranked as a leader in a wide
variety of building categories including sports,
healthcare, commercial offices, government,
education and entertainment. In addition,
Turner has earned recognition as the leader
in the delivery of green building projects and
for the utilization of Building Information
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Modeling tools. The company has also been
recognized for its supplier diversity program
and as one of the top 50 organizations dedicated to developing multicultural business
opportunities.
Peter is driving the adoption of a lean
culture in the company in order to create
and sustain a positive environment for our
employees and partners, and to deliver
better value to our customers. Peter is active
in industry groups and organizations. He
serves as a Director of the Contractors’
Association of Greater New York (CAGNY)
and Vice Chairman of the ACE Mentor
Program. He is also a member of the Business
Roundtable, the Columbia Engineering Board
of Visitors and was named one of the 100
CEO Leaders in STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math) by STEMconnector.
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One important way to is to connect with students early, and then stay connected. We recognize that the relationships we build with young kids can sow the seeds
of a lifelong love of engineering and construction. But
those seeds also have to be nurtured along the way.
Turner sponsors and participates in initiatives, at both
the local and national levels, with students of all ages,
which take us into classrooms from kindergarten to
college. And we offer a variety of scholarships and internships that bring high school and college students
into our offices and onto our jobsites.
We believe in leadership by example. When our
people go into a school, they bring a range of
backgrounds and experiences. They discuss and
model teamwork and collaboration, diversity and
inclusion, passion for the work we do, and a spirit of
continuous improvement.
We’re concerned not only with our own talent
pipeline, but with the industry’s.
The most qualified job candidates possess more than
classroom experience. They leave college and enter
the workforce having gained hands-on exposure
to their chosen fields through enriching internships.
Turner places a high value on internship experience.
And through our own internship and co-op program,
we strive to identify future leaders for our company.
Beyond the work we do in schools, we hire 400 to
500 summer interns each year. The internship is much
more than merely a summer job. It’s a professional
and educational process that helps to prepare
students for a successful transition to a challenging
and rewarding career. It’s also a chance for Turner
to see students in action, matching the talents and
interests of students to the emerging needs of our
business. The ideal Turner internship candidate is
a student majoring in Engineering, Construction
Management, Safety, Architectural Studies, Finance,
Accounting or Human Resources. Many of the 400
full-time people we hire each year begin as interns.
I think we can do more to communicate with students of all ages the breadth and depth of the impact STEM professionals and companies have on our
society. As technology plays an increasingly large
role in our lives, nearly every business in every industry
needs the skills taught in STEM fields.
Take the construction industry as an example. The
work we do poses unique challenges that call for
unique solutions—the kinds of solutions that need a
strong talent pipeline, now more than ever. Business
standards and norms are changing and there is a
tremendous drive to build better, more efficiently,
and more sustainably. It’s an exciting time to start a
career in engineering or construction management
because there are so many opportunities to innovate,
contribute, and make a difference.
What is your advice to those involved in STEM education?
One way we can support STEM students and prepare
them to enter STEM industries is to establish universityindustry partnerships. I would love to see more
schools, colleges, and universities reach out to the
business community and vice versa. A collaboration
between research, education, and industry can
drive economic development in local communities
and create a workforce prepared to address the
challenges we face today.
In addition to helping students make the conceptual
journey from what they’re studying in class to what
companies like Turner are doing in the real world,
partnerships, collaborations and exchange programs
between STEM companies and schools help students
establish relationships with local business leaders and
potential mentors, learn valuable professional skills, and
make informed decisions about their futures in STEM.
And, from a business perspective, these professional
and educational experiences prepare students to
succeed in their careers beginning on day one. They
also give companies a chance to coach and observe
future leaders in action, allowing them to see how potential hires use their talents and bright minds to serve
the emerging needs of our complex business.■
For example, in New York City, we offer several
scholarship/internships each year to a diverse group
of local high school students. Once they have
been selected, we offer them summer internships
as long as they’re in school and usually extend an
offer of full-time employment when they graduate.
It’s a comprehensive way of engaging with them—
we support their classroom education and we
participate in their practical education, which means
they’re well versed in Turner’s policies and culture by
the time they come on board.
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 208 Turner Construction Company
David Abney
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer UPS
United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) was founded in 1907 as a private messenger and delivery service in Seattle, Washington.
Guided by a vision to connect a global community through
intelligent logistics networks, UPS is now the world’s largest
package delivery company. We deliver an average of 18 million packages and documents each business day (4.6 billion
annually) to customers and consumers in 220 countries and
territories.
UPS is the premier provider of global supply chain management solutions that lower costs, improve service and provide
highly customizable supply chain control and visibility. We are
also a leader in the U.S. less-than-truckload industry.
Leveraging our integrated ground, air and ocean global network, we create value for our customers through solutions that
lower costs, improve service and provide highly customizable
supply chain control and visibility.
David Abney, who began his career as a
part-time package loader while in college,
serves as chief executive officer of UPS. David
was appointed CEO in 2014, and is the 11th
CEO in the 108-year history of UPS. He was
unanimously appointed by the Board of
Directors as Chairman in 2016.
David previously served as chief operating
officer since 2007, overseeing logistics,
sustainability, engineering and all facets of
the UPS transportation network. UPS's global
transportation network serves more than
220 countries and territories, and includes
a ground fleet of more than 96,000 vehicles
and an air fleet of more than 500 aircraft. UPS
operates major air hubs in Louisville, Kentucky;
Cologne, Germany; and Shenzhen, China.
Before serving as COO, David was president
of UPS International, leading the company's
strategic initiative to increase its global logistics
capabilities. During his career, David was also
involved in a number of global acquisitions
that included the Fritz Companies, Stolica,
Lynxs, and Sino-Trans in China.
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Earlier in his career, he served as president
of SonicAir, a same-day delivery service that
signaled UPS's move into the service parts
logistics sector. David began his UPS career in
1974 in a small facility in Greenwood,Mississippi,
while attending Delta State University.
In addition to his corporate responsibilities,
David serves as a Trustee of The UPS
Foundation and chairman of the World Affairs
Council of Atlanta. He is also a member of
the President's Export Council, the Board
of Directors of Johnson Controls, and the
Business Roundtable.
As Chairman and Chief Executive Officer,
David serves on the UPS Board of Directors’
Executive Committee.
A native of Greenwood, Miss., David earned a
bachelor's degree in business administration
from Delta State University. He serves on the
Board of Directors of the Delta State University
Alumni Foundation. He and his wife, Sherry,
sponsor the school’s annual symposium on
international business.
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UPS has a strong culture of promoting people from
within our organization. As a result, we place a high
value on an educated workforce. For example,
we invest several million dollars each year on our
employees through a tuition reimbursement program
called Earn and Learn.
Outside of the company, we invest heavily in various
endowments that support the ongoing needs of
key universities. We also fund scholarships that help
support underserved populations, such as lowincome students from first-generation U.S. families. UPS
is committed to investing in education as a way of
promoting a strong economy and a skilled workforce.
As technology and information continues to change
the way UPS’s customers think and interact with the
rest of the world, more demand is placed on the need
for careers in these areas. To increase interest in STEM
careers among students, it is important for companies
to invest in and support STEM-focused programs and
activities. Some of these activities include:
• Establishing relationships with elementary
schools, universities and engineering societies
to uncover opportunities to encourage STEM
learning through financial donations and
mentorship.
• Participation in career days and robotics
programs to engage students. These activities
allow students to gain a different perspective of
the STEM disciplines. By participating directly with
students and showing them the myriad number
of applications for STEM careers, companies can
help shift the way students think about these
subjects.
• Providing co-operative education programs
and internships to students and teachers to
foster a better understanding of STEM subjects
and applications through real life, hands-on
experiences.
What do we need to do in the United States to continue
to be at the top of global innovation?
to make their dreams of working in a STEM-related
field a reality. There may be a shortage of talent, but
there is not a shortage of people to fill these gaps.
We have to help bridge the gap that currently exists.
UPS is an example of company that has grown and
prospered because of innovation. We have evolved
from a shipping company that uses technology
into a technology company that ships packages.
Technology and analytics are game changers for
our company. People who have STEM-related skills
will provide us with the knowledge and expertise to
continue to evolve and provide the solutions to serve
our next generation of customers.
We have partnerships with several diversity-based
organizations and institutions of higher learning.
These partnerships create pipelines of diverse, new
talent for all areas of the company. Our internships
bring in diverse students in key areas, such as
engineering and technology, with the ultimate goal
of converting these students into full-time employees
upon graduation.
For example, in conjunction with the UPS Foundation,
we have partnerships with several universities and
professional organizations that provide scholarships
and internships to women and minority students in
STEM-related fields of study. Since the late 1980s, the
UPS Foundation has provided $3 million in funding for
STEM programs and projects. At the local level, our
engineers are members of professional engineering
societies where they serve as board members and
visiting professors at colleges, universities and K-12
schools.
Is this a part of your comprehensive strategy?
All of these initiatives are part of a comprehensive
strategy to ensure our workforce continues to reflect
the diverse make-up of the communities we work in,
while making UPS a more challenging and engaging
place to work. Diversity brings new ideas and new
perspectives to the table, which will help UPS prosper
in the future.■
It’s important for the federal government to invest
in curriculums that align careers that support global
innovation. In addition, because these disciplines are
constantly evolving,
It must develop partnerships with companies and
organizations to garner support and expertise in STEM.
Companies have an active role in supporting this
initiative and must assist people at the grassroots
level. This role includes working with underserved
populations to help them understand and embrace
the value of these opportunities, as well as helping
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 210 UPS
Henry Fleches
United Data Technologies
United Data Technologies (UDT) is a leading national provider
of technology solutions and managed services in the United
States. Since 1995, UDT has helped public and private sector organizations to accomplish more through a comprehensive, relationship-based approach to technology. Today, the
company is differentiated by its ability to help clients reduce
the risks, costs and complexity of deploying next generation
technology. More recently, the firm has established itself as a
full-fledged provider of cloud-based managed services and
a noted national leader in the field of K-12 education.
Henry Fleches is CEO of United Data
Technologies Inc. (UDT), a leading national
provider of technology solutions and
managed services in the United States. He
co-founded the company with Gerard Amaro
in 1995 and is responsible for leading the
organization’s strategy, fiscal performance
and culture of delivering excellence to clients.
During his tenure, he has helped transform the
company from a value-added reseller to a
diversified IT managed services business that
assists companies and government agencies
of all sizes. In the area of K-12 education,
the firm is considered a pioneer and among
the best in the country in helping schools
transition to digital learning, and was named
Intel’s Education Partner of the Year in 2014.
Under his leadership, UDT had sustained
significant growth since the 2008 recession,
multiplying its revenues by a factor of 5x and
ending 2015 with $225 million in revenues (a
35% year-over-year growth). Over the past
six years, the company has expanded to
more than 14 locations in seven states. UDT’s
success is attributed in part to Fleches’ ability
to ensure that the company’s resources and
ongoing investments are aligned with its
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customers’ changing needs and the creation
of a relationship-based brand of IT which
emphasizes helping individual clients reduce
the risks, costs and complexities associated
with technology. As an active participant in
the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce,
Henry was instrumental in UDT becoming
a founding member of the organization’s
Hispanic Business Enterprise Program, and
he was recognized with the USHCC’s
prestigious Businessman of the Year Award
in 2015. Henry was most recently named
2016 Executive of the Year by the Greater
Miami Chamber of Commerce. Fleches
holds a Bachelor of Business Administration
from Florida International University and
continues his professional development as
an active member of Vistage International. In
addition, he serves as the chair of HP’s Public
Sector Advisory Council and is a member of
Microsoft’s Global Education Partners Forum.
Henry is active in many youth development
programs and supports various children’s
charities throughout South Florida, including
the Breana Vergara Foundation, 12th Man
Camp, March of Dimes, and local Boy Scouts.
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Considered a pioneer and the country’s best at
transforming K-12 education on a large scale, UDT’s
Digital Learning Convergence practice has earned
the praise and recognition of some of the world’s
largest IT companies, including Microsoft and Intel
(named their Education Partner of the Year in 2014).
Our goal is to create cost-effective and secure
learning environments and systems that empower
educators and students to achieve more.
We count Miami-Dade County Public Schools
(MDCPS) among our most notable successes, playing
a central role in the transition to digital learning for
one of the nation’s largest school districts. Among our
most ambitious projects, UDT was able to supply and
deploy approximately 100,000 new tablets to MDCPS'
9th and 10th graders for the 2015 school year. The
project is considered the largest contract ever signed
by Microsoft and a reseller. By introducing the use of
tablets and digital learning at an early stage, MDCPS
is preparing today’s youth for tomorrow’s workplace.
MDCPS can now monitor and customize the
learning process of each student individually,
facilitating the development of skills in complex
fields such as STEM.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 212 United Data Technologies
UDT has worked tirelessly to develop our offerings in
the field of K-12 education, which has recently faced
major technological changes as schools work to
implement innovative, measurable, cost-effective
and sustainable ways to bring digital learning to the
modern classroom and promote STEM learning.
Sajan Pillai
UST Global
UST Global® is a leading provider of end-to-end IT services and
solutions for Global 1000 companies. We use a client-centric
Global Engagement Model that combines local, senior, onsite resources with the cost, scale, and quality advantages of
offshore operations.
The industry-leading expertise found within our Centers of Excellence (CoEs) plays a key role in our success with clients.
The CoEs deliver pragmatic IT solutions that allow clients to
consistently achieve their most critical business objectives.
Our Partner Program complements the Centers of Excellence.
The program aims to develop strategic relationships with bestof-breed organizations to provide UST Global developers with
advance access to new technology and educational resources.
As CEO, Sajan Pillai provides leadership to all
of UST Global’s professionals while heading
up the company's global business operations.
His responsibilities include acquisitions, client
development, global operations, and service
delivery.
Mr. Pillai brings us his extensive background in
the offshore IT industry, having served as cofounder of Softek Systems in India and as an
engineer in one of top three consulting services companies in India. He has also architected and managed several large software
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systems for MCI Telecommunications in the
United States and subsequently held senior
management positions in Tanning Systems, a
U.S.-based software solutions company.
Mr. Pillai graduated with a degree in computer
science and engineering from the College of
Engineering, Trivandrum, India.
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STEM creates the basic skill sets needed for innovation.
Nations and humanity at large depend on innovation
to solve increasingly complex problems in healthcare,
resource constraints (food, water and air), energy
and shelter. 15 out of 20 growth jobs of this decade
require significant STEM skills; yet less than a third
of the population has any exposure to core STEM
education and significantly less are proficient at STEM
to be able to specialize in jobs. The US is significantly
behind the world leaders in STEM education at the
primary and secondary level. We need an active
collaboration agenda between government, public
agencies, nonprofit organizations and associations
and private sector to drive STEM education themes
forward.
How do you believe STEM education can improve a nation's competitiveness?
In this era of increasing global competition, with the
advent of hyper connectivity and a flatter world,
human capital specifically in STEM will become the
single biggest asset of a nation. Without STEM talent,
our nation would slip further in innovation, which
would be significantly detrimental to the economic
development of our nation in spite of our natural
resources. We are staggeringly behind in STEM
education. We only produce 60,000 top engineering
graduates, which in absolute numbers is 23rd in the
world. Less than 17% of the entire student population
is proficient at Math or science yet the STEM related
job opportunities are growing 300% faster than NON
STEM related jobs. Already, the average STEM job
pays 75% more than average NON STEM jobs and
that difference is increasing. We as a nation have
declared STEM education as a national priority.
However, we need an active education agenda
with the collaboration of academicians, government
agencies and private sector to make the difference.
Corporate leaders have several key and vital roles
to play in STEM education. The most vital of them is
being the advocate for standards at the national
and regional level. Corporate leaders also can
activate parents to be active in the communities in
STEM education. Corporate giving is another area
where with clear and specific focus on ROI, we can
redirect fairly substantial resources to STEM education
agenda.Corporate leaders can also inspire the power
and potential of volunteerism of their employee base
to be effectively engaged in STEM education. They
can also leverage their existing relationships and
networks like community colleges to focus on STEM
education with the 3 point agenda 1) Make STEM
interesting 2) Educate the STEM educators 3) Make
STEM Hands On!
How can we can we do a better job to strategically coordinate all those engaged in STEM across the company?
Corporations often have a diverse workforce with
multi region (multi country focus) with several
departments. STEM support is often executed
regionally with a central STEM support strategy. To
do this, the pieces are to 1) evolve a central strategy
that ties STEM education to the corporate workforce
needs b) create a list of regional projects that focuses
on innovative approaches to STEM education c)
Create corporate-wide metrics to build and monitor
STEM progress d) Provide support structures like
“Assets and expertise Maps” available within the
corporation. With a head coordinator at the central
level with clear regional projects, you can create
a corporate model for sustained STEM support and
success.
How is your company connecting diversity initiatives
with STEM initiatives? Is this a part of your comprehensive strategy?
Diversity in STEM education is a current problem and
a future opportunity. Today women and minorities
are 28% of the workforce yet only 7% of it is STEM
workforce. The earning potential of the population
that is STEM trained is significantly higher (by 75%) than
NON STEM jobs, which would give us opportunity for
social inclusion at regional and national levels. Also
in corporate environments, diversity in STEM is crucial
for the “innovation pipeline”. Innovation is critically
dependent on diverse human experiences and a
diverse STEM trained work force can be the significant
competitive asset of the corporation. It is therefore
important to connect the diversity initiatives of the
corporations with ongoing STEM initiatives.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 214 UST Global
Why do you believe STEM Education/workforce development are critical to our nation's future?
Marni Walden
EVP and President of Product
Innovation and New Businesses
Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) employs a
diverse workforce of 177,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America’s most reliable
wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections
nationwide. Headquartered in New York, the company also
provides communications and entertainment services over
America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers
integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.
Marni Walden is executive vice president
and president of product innovation and
new businesses, responsible for developing
and growing Verizon’s emerging businesses,
including the “Internet of Things,” digital
media, and telematics. She is responsible
for overseeing the company’s strategy
development and planning group.
products across the company’s wireless,
wireline, IP and cloud networks and platforms.
Walden was executive vice president and
chief operating officer for Verizon Wireless,
with responsibility for the company’s
operations and delivery of industry-leading
performance. Earlier, she was Verizon Wireless’
vice president and chief marketing officer.
Previously, as executive vice president and
president of product and new business
innovation, Walden focused on leveraging
Verizon’s assets to develop innovative
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But when you take into account the complexity of
the next generation of technology paired with a
mere 25 percent of students who are choosing STEM
majors in college, the talent of today isn’t enough.
The need for future STEM talent is greater than ever
before, and we’re doing everything we can to
address that both within the Verizon Foundation and
within my organization.
At the Foundation, our signature program, Verizon
Innovative Learning Schools (VILS), gives every
student and teacher in the program their own mobile
tablet and data plan with 24-7 access to the Internet
leading to enhanced creativity, STEM interest, and a
teamwork-orientated mentality.
Our philanthropic arm also powers the Verizon
App Challenge, which gives teams of middle and
high school students the opportunity to identify a
community problem and create an app concept
that solves for it. Winners get to work with experts
from MIT Media Lab to bring their app ideas to life for
download in the Google Play Store.
Within Verizon’s emerging businesses, including the
Internet of Things, digital media, and telematics,
we’re looking at fostering development internally
and doing everything that we can to grow the next
generation of developers.
The Internet of Things (IoT) –– is transcending the
hype cycle, changing lives and delivering tangible
and measurable results to consumers and businesses
alike. It’s driving innovation and extraordinary business
opportunities as IoT developers are fueling the growth
of this technology revolution. As the visionaries,
entrepreneurs and inventors of applications, IoT
developers need a single source for creating and
implementing solutions.
Our latest program, ThingSpace, is a platform that
allows small, medium, and large business worldwide
to build and consume applications. Today, we have
more than 4,000 developers using the ThingSpace
platform. In the same way that STEM education
paves the way for children to solve big problems,
ThingSpace is designed to do the same thing for
developers of IoT.
By addressing key barriers at the network, platform,
and application levels, our mission is to make IoT
more accessible to consumers and public sector
organizations while allowing businesses, and
developers of all sizes to compete in new markets
globally.
I’m confident that platforms like ThingSpace,
programs like the App Challenge and institutions like
our VILS will prepare the innovators of tomorrow and
help us deliver the promise of the digital world.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 216 Verizon
In my role as the head of Product Innovation and New
Business, I lead some of the most innovative minds
in our industry. Together we’re the transformation
engine for Verizon- creating new products and
platforms, changing the video streaming landscape
and creating new revenue streams for our business
to thrive.
At the core of our business is the mantra that every
idea is important. We’re giving everyone a seat at
the table to innovate and take action– whether
it’s through the new technologies we develop; our
breakthrough products in new fields like digital video,
smart cities and STEM; or the vital work of connecting
customers – 24x7 -- to what’s important to them.
Jason Andringa
President and Chief Executive Officer Vermeer Corporation
Vermeer Corporation delivers a real impact in a progressing
world through the manufacture of high-quality underground
construction, surface mining, tree care, environmental and
agricultural equipment. Founded in 1948, Vermeer is familyowned and -operated, headquartered in Pella, Iowa, U.S.A.,
with more than 3,000 team members. Vermeer regional offices are located in Brazil, the Netherlands and Singapore;
with additional manufacturing facilities in South Dakota and
Beijing; and over 600 dealers worldwide.
Vermeer works hard at developing its team and future workforce to provide innovative solutions to a changing world.
Vermeer helps customers in more than 60 nations stay connected to the necessities of life, manage natural resources
and nourish a vibrant food supply. The Vermeer team makes
a real, personal impact on each other, their customers and
communities, close to home and around the globe.
Jason Andringa is President & CEO at Vermeer
Corporation,a global industrial and agricultural
equipment manufacturing company making
a real impact in a progressing world. Vermeer
provides innovative solutions that help
customers stay connected to the necessities
of life.
Prior to this, Jason served in the following
previous roles at Vermeer: President & COO,
President – Forage and Environmental
Solutions, Vice President - Dealer Distribution
and Global Accounts, Managing Director for
Europe, Middle East and Africa (based in the
Netherlands), and Segment Manager – New
Products and Markets in the Environmental
business segment.
Jason serves on the Vermeer Board of Directors
and also serves on the Board of Directors
for Raven Industries, Board of Advisors for
Camcraft, the Construction Sector Board of
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the Association of Equipment Manufacturers
(AEM) and the Board of Trustees for The Nature
Conservancy of Iowa.
Before joining Vermeer in 2005, Jason was a staff
engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Jason graduated with a Bachelor of Science in
Mechanical Engineering from Calvin College
and later completed advanced degrees
including a Master of Science in Aeronautics
and Astronautics from MIT and a Master of
Business Administration from the University of
Southern California. Jason is devoted to lifelong learning, with a passion for and education
in STEM fields. With this expertise, Jason is
dedicated to developing a STEM-skilled
workforce for the present and future – building
on the legacy and foundation established
by the two generations of previous Vermeer
family leadership. Jason and his wife Carrie
live in Pella, Iowa with their three children.
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When I became CEO at Vermeer, I committed to
continuing the organization’s diligent practice of
continuous improvement while creating opportunities for growth. In order to succeed at that, we have
to recruit, develop and build a team that can keep
pace with our customer needs. As manufacturing
and the world around us become more and more
dependent on technology, a STEM-skilled workforce
quickly becomes a priority.
Beyond meeting the technology needs our customers are telling us about every day, the numbers prove
that a STEM-skilled workforce is essential to the future
of manufacturing. Every dollar spent in manufacturing adds $1.37 to the US economy, and every 100 jobs
in a manufacturing facility create an additional 250
jobs in other sectors. Yet 80 percent of manufacturers
report difficulty in finding skilled workers. Manufacturing clearly has an impact on the nation’s economy.
So the skills gap we are facing in our industry has to
be addressed in order to achieve a healthy workforce, and is sure to be reflective of the significant
need throughout the nation.
Our Manufacturing Day event at Vermeer has to be
one of the STEM activities that is most rewarding to
witness, and has proven to have some of the most
positive, immediate results. We invite middle and high
school students to our facilities for a day in the fall of
the year, to see who we are and what we do. Dozens
of STEM-based activity centers are set up, from painting and welding simulators, to build-your-own innovation with parts made by a 3D printer, to operating
a robot or moving objects with basic hydraulics. At
the same time, we share stories of ways our Vermeer
equipment is making the world a better place to live.
It really demonstrates how exciting and cutting-edge
our industry is, and students start thinking, “I’d like to
be a part of this someday!”
Students, and their influencers, are hungry for this kind
of stuff. An Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council
survey shows that 94 percent of Iowans think STEM
education should be a priority in their local school
districts. Our Manufacturing Day experience reflects
that. Attendance jumped from 100 students to 700+
in just 3 years. We also make it a point to survey the
students before and after their visit, and are very motivated by the results: The percentage of students
who felt they understood what manufacturing is,
jumped from 57 percent before Manufacturing Day
to 97 percent after, and those who want to work in
manufacturing someday jumped from 34 percent to
69 percent.
With the majority of students saying that personal
experience directs them down a particular career
path, we want Manufacturing Day to be one experience that launches them on a STEM journey toward
manufacturing!
STEM? Vermeer Corporation has partnered with the Iowa
Governor’s STEM Advisory Council for several years.
We are one of many businesses and private sector
investors who support and contribute to the State’s
efforts to make STEM a priority in the classroom and
beyond. During the last academic year, Iowa schools
reported developing 376 new partnerships with local businesses and industries in their communities, to
enhance students’ opportunities to tie STEM subjects
to future careers. At Vermeer, those partnerships include hosting student interns in the summer, as well as
teacher interns who come to Vermeer for a 3-week
opportunity to learn more about manufacturing careers and concepts to take to the classroom. We
help fund weld-training programs at an area career
academy and community college from which we’ve
hired approximately 75 percent of program graduates. And we’ve partnered with a state university on
a Vermeer Applied Technologies Hub to build opportunities for innovation and collaboration between
students and Vermeer team members. We believe
these efforts, and the STEM ambassadors they produce, have a direct link to the positive results we’re
seeing in Iowa the past four years: an 18 percent
increase in students who meet benchmarks for science on ACT tests, and a 15 percent increase in degrees awarded in STEM fields from Iowa’s community
colleges, 4-year colleges and universities. What is my
advice for using private-public partnerships to tackle
STEM-related educational challenges? Engage! The
results will speak for themselves.
How do you translate your work into innovation? My grandfather, Gary Vermeer, started a manufacturing company by providing a solution to a farming
need – a simple wagon hoist that removed the hard
labor involved in unloading a wagon by hand. That
innovation improved a process and made life easier,
which is true to what Vermeer Corporation continued and is doing today. Vermeer equipment is designed and built to better people’s lives around the
world. That is a key motivation for our people, and
the inspiration that personally drives my daily focus
on innovation.
Innovation is fueled by learning and the desire to
improve. I am determined to be a lifelong learner,
and have always enjoyed exploration – seeing, learning and experiencing something new. I appreciate
watching my peers at Vermeer go through that same
process of discovery, and exposure to STEM provides
a whole frontier of new opportunities. Whether STEM
skills awareness and advancement provide innovative solutions for unemployment or the next groundbreaking technology, I want to be part of it through
my work at Vermeer.■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 218 Vermeer Corporation
to the future of our nation? Doug McMillon
Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the
world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere –
in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each
week, nearly 260 million customers and members visit our
11,535 stores under 72 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2016 revenue
of $482.1 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.
Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://
facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/
walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://
www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.
Doug McMillon is the president and chief
executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
(Walmart). As CEO, Doug leads a strong
management team that is working to deliver
Walmart’s mission of “saving people money
so they can live better.” Under his leadership,
Walmart is bringing together its stores, logistics
network and digital commerce capabilities
in new ways to empower customers to shop
whenever, wherever and however they want.
From February 2009 to February 2014, Doug
served as president and chief executive
officer of Walmart International, a fast-growing
segment of Walmart’s overall operations, with
more than 6,400 stores and nearly 800,000
associates in 26 countries outside the United
States. From 2006 to 2009, he served as
president and chief executive officer of Sam’s
Club, an operating segment of Walmart, with
sales of more than $46 billion annually during
his tenure.
219
1 0 219
0 W O| M1E0N
L EEAOD LEERA
S DI N
M S T E M 0 C
E RSST EI N
Doug is a longtime champion of Walmart’s
customers, its associates and the company’s
culture. In 1984, he started out as an hourly
summer associate in a Walmart distribution
center. In 1990, while pursuing his MBA,
he rejoined the company as an assistant
manager in a Tulsa, Okla., Walmart store
before moving to merchandising as a buyer
trainee. He went on to serve in successful
senior leadership roles in all of Walmart’s
business segments. He remains a merchant
at heart and understands where customers
around the world are heading next. Doug has
served on the board of directors for Wal-Mart
Stores, Inc., since 2009 and currently is the chair
of the Executive and GlobalCompensation
committees. In addition, he serves on the
boards of directors of the Consumer Goods
Forum, the U.S.-China Business Council and
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
He has been recognized as a Young Global
Leader by the World Economic Forum.
© 2©021061S2T ES M
T EcMocnonnencet c
o tr ®
o rA
We have a wide range of opportunities that
require STEM skills. In addition to the technologists,
data scientists, and engineers you might expect,
we employ food scientists, nutritionists and even
meteorologists. Walmart also has a great need for
Health and Wellness associates, since at any point in
time we employ around 16,000 pharmacists.
Not only is supporting STEM talent good for our
business, we also know that a STEM degree is good
for students. A degree in a STEM major allows
individuals to earn almost 65% more than non-STEM
majors. That’s why we have committed to working
with strategic partners to increase STEM talent
beyond the lives that Walmart can touch directly. For
example, this past year, Walmart helped launch the
Million Women Mentors effort with a commitment to
mentor over 3,000 young women by the 2018.
In addition to Million Women Mentors, we have also
created a pathway for our store and club associates
to seek careers in STEM roles. This is part of our effort
to make Walmart a better place to work and shop.
To help our associates succeed and better serve our
customers,we’re investing in higher wages,education,
and training. We live in a rapidly changing world, and
retail today requires new skills to meet the demands
of customers who have everything at their fingertips.
Walmart will lead by empowering our associates and
creating opportunity. As they grow and succeed so
do our customers and so does Walmart.
It is a privilege to be a part of this concerted effort to
change the landscape on STEM opportunities. It not
only changes businesses, it changes lives. ■
1 0 0 C E O L E A D E R S I N S T E M | 220 Walmart
Each week, Walmart serves nearly 260 million
customers around the world through our stores,
websites and apps. With our retail footprint and
ecommerce capabilities, we are uniquely able to
save customers time and money in any channel
they choose to shop – and in the blend of them. We
want customers to be able to shop with us whenever,
wherever, and however they want. To deliver this
seamless shopping experience for customers, we’re
investing in our people and in technology. That’s why
we’re pleased to be a part of an organization that
has had the foresight to see the need of STEM talent.

100 CEO Leaders in STEM

Transcription

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