Women in Manufacturing names 2026 Hall of Fame inductees

Women in Manufacturing Association will induct 10 leaders into its 2026 Hall of Fame at the WIM SUMMIT in Las Vegas on Oct. 7-9. The honor spotlights women whose careers have advanced manufacturing and expanded opportunities for others in the industry.

Why it matters: - The Hall of Fame highlights women whose careers have shaped manufacturing and helped open doors for future leaders. - The 2026 class will be recognized before more than 2,000 manufacturing professionals at WIM’s annual summit. - The announcement comes as manufacturing groups continue to focus on leadership development, retention and workforce growth.

What happened: - The Women in Manufacturing Association announced 10 inductees for the 2026 Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame. - The seventh Hall of Fame class will be inducted Oct. 7-9 during the 16th annual WIM SUMMIT at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. - WIM said the inductees were chosen for lifetime contributions to the advancement of women in manufacturing.

The details: - The 2026 inductees are Donda Bishop of AFL, Veronica Braker of Southwire Company, Jana M. Gessner of PepsiCo Inc., Denise Hartmann of BASF Corporation, Sheila James of Adient BWI, Brenda Knowles of Shaw Industries Group, Stephanie Peters of Cargill, Magdalena Sartin of Johnson Matthey, Lisa Skidmore of GE Appliances, a Haier company, and Brenda Torres of Amgen. - Inductees were nominated by colleagues and industry peers. - A judging panel made up of WIM’s executive committee and leadership selected the final class. - WIM said the honorees were recognized for professional achievement, leadership, mentorship and commitment to advancing opportunities for women across manufacturing. - WIM President and Founder Allison Grealis said the honorees’ leadership, innovation and dedication have had a lasting impact on the industry. - WIM Board Chair Jane Thomas said the honorees have broken barriers and created opportunities for others to succeed.

Between the lines: - The Hall of Fame is not just a career award. It also functions as a signal about the kind of leadership manufacturing groups want to reward: mentorship, workforce impact and long-term influence. - Holding the induction at the WIM SUMMIT gives the organization a large public stage for celebrating women leaders and reinforcing its broader mission.

What's next: - WIM will induct the 2026 class during the summit in Las Vegas. - More information about the Hall of Fame inductees and the WIM SUMMIT is available on WIM’s website. - WIM describes itself as a global association of more than 35,000 members focused on supporting women and allies in manufacturing through leadership development, education, networking and career resources. - WIM also shared its LinkedIn page for updates.