AGCO Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and solutions, is pleased to announce that two AGCO employees have received 2017 STEP Ahead Awards. Emily Hardie, Manager, Global Fuse Marketing & Business Support, and Susanne Lauda, Global Project Lead, Manufacturing Automation, both from AGCO’s global headquarters in Duluth, Georgia, received this industry recognition.

As part of a three-day event, The Manufacturing Institute recognized 130 award recipients at the STEP Ahead Awards Dinner Gala in Washington, D.C. last night.

“Emily and Susanne are great examples of the talented women who work at AGCO. I’m proud of the business results they’ve generated and relationships they’ve fostered to inspire these nominations,” said Lucinda Smith, Senior Vice President, Global Business Services at AGCO. “I’m also proud of this important recognition as the STEP Ahead program supports the same diversity and inclusion approach as the AGCO Global Women’s Network.”

AGWN is a business advisory group focused on the attraction, retention, development and advancement of women at all levels of the organization. The organization was established to provide a platform to proactively cultivate the leadership skills of women and men, thus driving excellence in innovation, customer service and business outcomes.

The fifth annual STEP Ahead Awards recognized manufacturing women who exemplify leadership within their companies. This national honor identified the best of the best women in the manufacturing industry, and further encouraged women to mentor and support the next generation of female talent to pursue manufacturing careers.

“These women exemplify the path an exciting career in manufacturing can take,” said Heidi Alderman, 2017 Chair of STEP Ahead and Senior Vice President of Intermediates North America, BASF Corporation and STEP Ahead Chair. "STEP Ahead recognizes women nationwide for their significant achievements in the field of manufacturing, and the positive contributions to their companies and the industry as a whole."

The STEP Ahead Awards, 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.