Women in Manufacturing Association Announces 2025 Ally Award Recipients

For more information, contact Susan Hunter-Vazinski at svazinski@womeninmfg.org. 

Women in Manufacturing Association Announces 2025 Ally Award Recipients

CLEVELAND, OH — The Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM) announced today the 2025 recipients of the William E. Gaskin Ally Award, also known as the Ally Award. This award recognizes individuals whose leadership strengthens U.S. manufacturing by ensuring that the industry can draw on the full range of talent and ideas. Recipients have taken action to expand opportunity, support women in manufacturing, and help build workplaces that drive innovation, growth, and global competitiveness.

“Allies are essential to American manufacturing leadership,” said Allison Grealis, President and Founder of WiM. “The 2025 Ally Award recipients recognize that when women thrive in manufacturing, our companies, our communities, and our country are stronger. Their efforts are helping to secure a more innovative, resilient, and competitive future for U.S. manufacturing.”

The 2025 Ally Award Recipients

• Rakesh Aneja, Vice President and Head of Corporate Development, Daimler Truck North America
• Thomas Baumgartner, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mersen
• Matthew S. Ellinger, Vice President of Sales, Newmar
• David Fernandes, Senior Vice President, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing
• Bill Good, Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain, GE Appliances, a Haier Company
• Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President, Precious Metals Services and Recycling, BASF Environmental Caralyst and Metal Solutions
• Paul Lewus, Vice President Site Operations, North Carolina, Amgen, Inc
• James Novinsky, Chief Executive Officer, Snap-tite Hose Company
• Barry Powell, President, Regional Chief Executive Officer, North America Siemens Electrical Products
• Dan Seidel, Chief Operating Officer, HelloFresh North America
• Rich Stinson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Southwire

The 2025 Ally Award winners will be formally recognized at the 15th annual WiM SUMMIT, taking place October 12–14 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

About the William E. Gaskin Ally Award

Named after its first recipient, William (Bill) E. Gaskin, the award reflects his legacy as a leader who understood that U.S. manufacturing competitiveness depends on engaging the full workforce. As President Emeritus of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), Gaskin spent more than 40 years advancing the industry’s growth and helping launch the PMA Women in Metalforming group—laying the groundwork for what would become WiM and strengthening the pipeline of talent that drives American manufacturing forward.

For more information about the 2025 Ally Award recipients and the WiM SUMMIT, visit the WiM website.

The Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM) is a global trade association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. It provides year-round support to more than 35,000 individual members representing more than 3,000 manufacturing companies from 50 U.S. states and 75 countries. WiM encompasses manufacturers of all types and welcomes individuals from every job function—from production to the C-suite. Membership is available to anyone working within or with the manufacturing sector.