Kennametal leaders receive Women In Manufacturing STEP Ahead Awards

Pittsburgh-based Kennametal Inc. has announced that two of its female leaders, Binky Sargent and Lena Siegel, have received honors at the fifth annual Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards presented by The Manufacturing Institute.

The awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry. The awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead Initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent.

Sargent, recognized with a STEP Ahead Award, is the manager of Kennametal's material analysis team located in Latrobe, Pa. She joined the company in 1997 as an engineer in the carbide process development group and since has held various roles of increasing responsibility. She is an active mentor for STEM programs; certified Six Sigma coach; and a champion for the company's local high school manufacturing outreach programs, including Kennametal's Young Engineers program and the Carnegie Science Center's Tour Your Future program.

Siegel, honored with a STEP Ahead Emerging Leader Award, a category for women in manufacturing who are under the age of 30, began her career at Kennametal’s Nabburg, Germany, facility as an industrial engineering apprentice. She now serves as that facility’s lean coordinator, focusing on lean business practices and process improvements. Siegel is a youth representative for Kennametal's Germany manufacturing plants, serves as a Green Belt mentor, and teaches fellow team members lean principles.