Women in Manufacturing Association Announces 2026 Class of Hall of Fame Inductees

The Women in Manufacturing Association is proud to announce the 10 distinguished leaders selected as the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees.

CLEVELAND, OH, UNITED STATES, August 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Women in Manufacturing Association (WIM) is proud to announce the 10 distinguished leaders selected as the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees.

The seventh class of Hall of Fame recipients will be inducted during the 16th annual WIM SUMMIT, taking place October 7–9 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. More than 2,000 manufacturing professionals are expected to gather for the celebration as WIM honors these exceptional women for their lasting contributions to the industry.

The Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame recognizes women whose careers have made a significant and lasting impact on manufacturing. Honorees are recognized not only for their professional achievements, but also for their leadership, mentorship and commitment to advancing opportunities for women across the manufacturing industry.

“As we recognize the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees, we’re celebrating an incredible group of women whose leadership, innovation and dedication have made a lasting impact on our industry,” said Allison Grealis, WIM President and Founder. “They’ve not only achieved remarkable success in manufacturing, but they’ve also invested in others, opened doors and inspired future generations to follow in their footsteps. We’re proud to recognize their contributions and welcome them into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame.”

The 2026 class of Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees:

• Donda Bishop, Vice President, Energy Market, AFL
• Veronica Braker, Executive Vice President, Operations, Southwire Company
• Jana M. Gessner, CSP, CHMM, Senior Vice President EHS – Global and 1NA, PepsiCo Inc.
• Denise Hartmann, Senior Vice President, Dispersions and Resins Americas, BASF Corporation
• Sheila James, Vice President, Operations, Adient BWI
• Brenda Knowles, Senior Vice President, Commercial Customer Experience, Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
• Stephanie Peters, General Manager, Cargill, Inc.
• Magdalena Sartin, Group Vice President, Safety and Technical Operations, Johnson Matthey
• Lisa Skidmore, Executive Director, Manufacturing Quality, GE Appliances, a Haier company
• Brenda Torres, Senior Vice President of Global Supply Chain, Amgen

Inductees were nominated by their colleagues and industry peers and selected by a judging panel of WIM’s executive committee and leadership. The inductees were chosen based on their lifetime contributions to the advancement of women in manufacturing.

“We’re proud to welcome the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees and celebrate the incredible impact they’ve had on our industry,” said Jane Thomas, WIM Board Chair and President of Teijin Holdings USA, Inc. “Each of these women has demonstrated exceptional leadership, broken barriers and created opportunities for others to succeed. Their achievements remind us of what’s possible when talented leaders invest in their organizations, their communities and the future of manufacturing.”

For more information about the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees and the WIM SUMMIT, visit the WIM website.

About Women in Manufacturing
The Women in Manufacturing Association (WIM) is a global association of more than 35,000 members dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women and allies in manufacturing through leadership development, education, networking and career resources while helping manufacturers build stronger workforces. For more information, visit womeninmanufacturing.org.

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Susan Hunter-Vazinski
Women in Manufacturing Association
+1 216-503-5700
svazinski@womeninmfg.org
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