Oct 10, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Women in Manufacturing® Heads South for the Inaugural Women in Automotive (WiA) Southern Conference

This month, for the first time, Women in Manufacturing (WiM), the only national trade association dedicated to year-round support for women in the manufacturing sector, is bringing its trademarked top-quality programming to women working in the automotive sector in the southeastern United States.

Nearly 100 professional women representing a wide range of roles in the automotive sector are expected to attend the inaugural Women in Automotive (WiA) Southern Conference on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, South Carolina.

Co-located with SOUTH-TEC®, the conference will offer a unique gathering place for women leaders to meet, hold discussions, and share insights. The co-location also allows for a special keynote presentation on women in the industry on Thursday, October 26, during the large manufacturing industry trade show and free admission to all WiA Southern Conference attendees.

Registration for the event is now open on the WiM website.

“The face of the American automotive industry is changing,” said WiM founder and president Allison Grealis. “Advancements in technology, in particular, have made more room for women workers from the factory floor to the C-Suite. As a result, it is important to us to offer programming specifically aimed at women in the automotive industry, helping them to gain the skills and build the networks they need to succeed.”

The WiA Southern Conference builds on the overwhelming success of the event’s sister program, the WiA Northern Conference, which is held annually in Michigan.

“WiM’s work is to support all women in the manufacturing sector,” Grealis continued. “The best way for us to do that is to make programming and networking opportunities available to women wherever they are. We are thrilled to be hosting this Women in Automotive Southern Conference and hope it is the first of many more to come.”

Some of the WiA speakers include:

  • Wendy Orthman, senior manager, Nissan Division U.S. Product Communications, Nissan North America, Inc.
  • Kimberly C. Jackson, manager SE, business operations - purchasing division – parts quality department, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, LLC
  • Cheryl Thompson, retired from Ford Motor Company, president of Lead One Lead All

Additional information on speakers and discussion topics is available on the WiM website.

Sponsors for the conference include Schaeffler, Bridgestone, and Honda Manufacturing of Alabama, with supporting partners Automotive News, SC Biz News and Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (SAWF).