MONROE — Melissa McTavish and Mindy Berry do not fit the hardscrabble stereotype of someone with a career in manufacturing. For starters, the two Monroe High School graduates have degrees from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, respectively.
In addition, they are both working in a field overwhelmingly dominated by men.
Now, they have both been recognized for their achievements by winning the Women MAKE Awards, a national award for top women involved in manufacturing.
They will be presented the awards during at a ceremony scheduled for April 20 in Washington, DC.
The Women MAKE Awards “recognize women in science, technology, engineering and production careers who exemplify leadership” within their companies, according to the organization.
“This national honor identifies top talent in the manufacturing industry and further encourages award winners to mentor and support the next generation of female talent to pursue modern manufacturing careers,” organizers of the award said in a statement.
After she graduated Monroe High School in 2000, Berry pursued a degree in Agriculture Business and German Language from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Following graduation, she started her career in dairy with Protient, Inc., selling lactose, sweet whey, and a variety of dairy proteins globally.
In 2009, she joined Land O’Lakes, Inc. as an account representative where she gained valuable, real-world experience. Then after earning her Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 2013, she transitioned into team development and business management at Land O’Lakes, within the Global Dairy Ingredient business.
Currently, Berry is the senior director of sales leading the milk powders, natural cheese, and whey businesses of global dairy ingredients. Every year, she and her team sell more than 700 million pounds of such products globally, supporting well-known brands like Sargento, Lactalis, Hershey, Mars, Abbott, Reckitt, and Nestle.
McTavish, meanwhile, graduated from Monroe High School in 2000 and pursued a degree in Computer Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Following graduation, she started her career with Caterpillar working on development of electrical systems and software for autonomous mining equipment.
Most recently, she has been working for Harley-Davidson designing electrical rider interface components, including digital speedometers, radio and navigation systems and rider safety enhancements.
“From mining trucks to motorcycles, engineering and product development provides opportunities to solve challenging problems and bring exciting new products to market,” said McTavish.
McTavish currently lives in Menomonee Falls with her husband Mike and their two children, Patrick, 11, and Dylan, 9. Berry currently lives in Somerset, Wisconsin with her husband Brandon and their two children, Jakob,11, and William, 7.
The Institute will recognize 100 women and 30 Emerging Leaders in 2023 — a category that specifically honors those women under 30.
Women today, experts say, account for less than one-third of manufacturers despite representing about half of all workers. As such, both say they are glad to provide an example to young girls considering a career in the industry.
“I am proud to be a woman in the manufacturing industry because it offers a fast-paced work environment where continuous learning and creativity are encouraged,” said McTavish.
