C.H. Guenther Women’s History Month Spotlight
Heather WinieckiSenior Product Manager, National Accounts
Question 1 What does it mean to you to be a woman in manufacturing today?
“Manufacturing” is a broad term that encapsulates many different industries including food, textiles, machinery etc. Way back when, these may have been male dominated, but in my experience (I started working in manufacturing in 2007), women are well represented on most levels, with the exception of the executive level- women are outnumbered across the board there, which makes no sense and needs to change.
Question 2 Share with us your BEST memory in manufacturing.
I enjoy watching humans work with machines to create physical products, especially when, as a Product Manager, I helped bring them to life. I have had great experiences in China with previous employers, as well as here in the U.S. with CHG, meeting line operators, engineers, and plant managers, and observing production from start to finish. The recent 11x conversion/HEB line assembly projects may have ben my favorite so far- the teamwork and team drive it took to achieve those timelines was impressive!
Question 3 What is your greatest hope for women in manufacturing for the future?
For more of us get into the C suites!
Question 4 Would you refer you female friends/family to work in manufacturing sector?
Absolutely. I don’t think younger generations fear ‘male dominance’ in an industry the same way older generations of women have; which is exactly the result our predecessors were fighting for! Manufacturing has a lot of opportunities and problems that need solving, and women drive excellence wherever they go.
Question 5 Share any challenges you faced and how you overcome those during your tenure with the company.
I haven’t experienced any specific challenge related to being a female here at CHG. The challenges we face are common to anywhere- how do we, in our various roles, support cost and deadline targets while maintaining quality, excellence and work life balance? CHG’s collaborative culture has allowed me to see how smart, dedicated people striving for the same goals can achieve greatness.
