The Manufacturing Institute has announced they will present Chelsea Becker with the Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award at an April 21 reception in Washington, D.C. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry. Becker is a strategic project manager for Baldor Electric Company, a member of the ABB Group.

Becker is being recognized by the Manufacturing Institute as an emerging leader, women under the age of 30 who are currently employed in the manufacturing industry and have already made significant contributions early in their career. She joined Baldor in 2007 as a mechanical engineering intern while attending the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith (UAFS). During her career with Baldor, she has held positions of increasing responsibility including designer/drafter, packaging engineer and product engineering cost reduction project manager. Becker has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UAFS and a master’s degree from Webster University.

“I am very thankful to be nominated for this award,” said Becker. “I firmly believe that no matter the age or sex of a person, manufacturing is a very viable career choice, and I share my experiences with local students frequently to help them understand the variety of job options that are available. I appreciate the opportunities Baldor offers women in manufacturing, and I hope I can encourage more girls to enter the field.”

Amy Lakin, executive vice president of supply chain, said, “I’ve really enjoyed watching Chelsea develop as she moved from a student to a full-time employee. She isn’t afraid of hard work or new projects, and she balances them well with her home life. She has also been very active in our student outreach program, organizing plant tours and speaking at career fairs about the benefits of engineering and manufacturing careers.”

Jennifer McNelly, executive director of the Manufacturing Institute, commented on this year’s honorees. “These women are the faces of exciting careers in manufacturing. We chose to honor these women because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole.”