Two women recognized for their achievements in industry

The STEP Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers in the manufacturing industry. "My passion for learning, growing and improving drives me in every aspect of my life including my career, and I am honored to be recognized for it," Kautzmann said. "I encourage the next-generation to pursue a rewarding career in manufacturing as well."

Jennifer McNelly, president of the Manufacturing Institute, commented, "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."

Kautzmann's real world experiences at Laser Lab International, Edison Welding Institute and Armco Research are the substance that fueled her passion for laser cutting. She has worked with groups like FIRST Robotics and The Science Olympics to ensure young people are exposed to laser technology and manufacturing.

The Manufacturing Institute is an affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers.

Lisa Jennings has manufacturing in her blood. As the president and CEO of PMC SMART Solutions, a contract manufacturer for some of the world's largest Tier 1 automotive and global medical device OEMs, Jennings was responsible for PMC SMART Solutions. She has achieved certification as a woman-owned business by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

PMC SMART Solutions has five molding/contract manufacturing facilities. In addition to its headquarters in Cincinnati, PMC has plants in Shelbyville, IN; Detroit, MI; Wiesau, Germany, and Guanajuato, Mexico.

"PMC is really a part of my DNA," said Jennings, who is majority owner of the fourth-generation family owned business, whose roots were established by her great-grandfather during the Great Depression. "PMC has evolved since its origins in manufacturing early plastics like Bakelite. We've become an industry leader in developing and supplying complex, hyper-precision molding and contract assembly solutions. Achieving certification as a woman-owned business is just one more way we're evolving with our customers and their changing needs."