How WiM Chapters Build Community and a Look at Kentucky’s 10-Year Milestone

How WiM Chapters Build Community and a Look at Kentucky’s 10-Year Milestone

Across the country, WiM chapters play a central role in shaping the member experience. Today, the organization’s network includes 35 local and statewide chapters across the United States, each providing opportunities for manufacturing professionals to connect, share knowledge, and build supportive professional communities.

While WiM’s national organization offers industry resources, educational programming, and advocacy, local chapters translate that mission into meaningful experiences at the regional level. Through plant tours, professional development programs, volunteer initiatives, and networking events, members gain opportunities to learn from one another, expand their professional networks, and engage more deeply with the manufacturing community. Members can also attend events hosted by chapters beyond their own region, creating connections that extend across the country.

When these local networks grow over time, they often develop into lasting communities that support members throughout their careers. As the WiM Kentucky Chapter celebrates its tenth anniversary, it offers an example of what’s possible when engaged volunteers, consistent programming, and strong leadership come together to build a thriving chapter community.

Ten years ago, a group of manufacturing professionals in Kentucky set out to build a space where women in the industry could connect, grow, and lead together. A decade later, the Kentucky Chapter of Women in Manufacturing has become one of WiM’s most engaged chapters, known for its strong leadership team, well-attended programming, and culture of support.

Kentucky demonstrates how local chapters strengthen the broader WiM network by creating opportunities for leadership, connection, and professional growth.

A Chapter Shaped by Its Surroundings

The character of Kentucky itself often shows up in the chapter’s programming, with events hosted at bourbon distilleries, horse racing venues, and iconic local manufacturing facilities.

As Kaitlyn Kelly, Business Transformation & Strategy Execution Leader at Trane Technologies, explains, “One thing that’s unique to our geography is our connection to the bourbon and horse racing industries. Our Maker’s Mark and other bourbon distillery events always sell out. We’ve been doing Churchill Downs and upcoming this spring we’re going to do a Keeneland event. Those social events really make us stand out.”

Yet the true differentiator isn’t simply where events are held — it’s the people who continue showing up and investing in the community.

Like all WiM chapters, Kentucky is powered by a dedicated group of volunteer leaders who organize programming, build partnerships, and create opportunities for members to engage with the industry. These leadership teams play an important role in shaping the chapter experience, ensuring that members have access to meaningful events, professional development opportunities, and supportive peer networks.

“We have a very engaged and long-tenured board,” Kaitlyn says, who serves as the chapter’s board secretary and recently took on the role of merchandise coordinator. “There are several of us who just can’t quit. There’s something special about the network you build.”

That combination of experienced leadership and new energy has helped the chapter sustain momentum year after year.

From First Event to Lasting Community

For many WiM members, involvement begins with a single chapter event, whether that’s a plant tour, networking session, or professional development program that introduces them to the broader community.

Tammy Peyton, Health & Wellness Specialist at Novelis and the chapter’s social media and event coordinator, remembers attending her first gathering in 2022.

“It just fit,” she says. “We’re kind of like a family. We stick together. We support each other.”

That sense of belonging is echoed across the board.

Tara Amis, Client Solutions Manager at the Kentucky Manufacturing Extension Partnership at Eastern Kentucky and the chapter’s event coordinator alongside Tammy, discovered WiM after relocating to Kentucky and quickly recognized something distinctive.

“It’s rare to find a space where women in the industry show up for each other the way WiM members do,” she says. “There’s a genuine sense of belonging.”

For Tara, that community extends beyond events. Through her work, she regularly introduces manufacturers to WiM, describing it as something that can “genuinely change someone’s trajectory.”

Creating Space to Lead

One of the defining benefits of WiM chapters is the opportunity they create for members to develop leadership skills beyond their day-to-day professional roles. Serving on a chapter board allows members to organize events, collaborate with industry partners, and contribute to the growth of their regional manufacturing community.

Tammy notes that board service has given her opportunities to lead, organize, and grow in ways her day-to-day role might not provide.

“Getting the board experience and having that community offers opportunities for women who are interested in moving into leadership roles.”

It also reinforces something larger about the chapter’s culture.

“When you’re going to these events that we’re hosting, you are making connections,” she says. “You’re not there to sell anything. You’re there to build up other people in manufacturing — and you’re building lifelong friendships in some cases.”

That blend of leadership development and genuine relationship-building runs throughout the chapter. Members do not simply attend events; they help lead them and invest in one another’s growth.

And that spirit of collaboration extends across career stages.

Gay Pillow, Small Rotary and Reciprocating Sourcing Leader at Ingersoll Rand, brings three decades of experience in the industry to the chapter.

“I’ve been in manufacturing for 30 years,” she says. “Being able to share my experiences… it’s a great opportunity for anybody to grow within their career. You meet so many people at these events and so many people in diverse roles.”

Confidence building is also a recurring theme.

Kaitlyn reflects that leading events and connecting with peers outside her company has provided perspective.

“For me, it has helped build confidence. You start thinking, maybe I do have a strong skill set. Maybe I could take that next step.”

Leadership development also happens in practical ways. Under Tammy’s direction, the chapter’s LinkedIn presence has grown from roughly 200 followers to nearly 2,000, positioning Kentucky as one of the most visible chapters in the WiM network.

At the Chapter Leaders Conference last May, that work was on display. Tammy presented on social media and, as Tara recalls, “she rocked the house,” with other chapters frequently benchmarking Kentucky’s engagement efforts.

More Than Sold-Out Events

Like many WiM chapters, Kentucky hosts a range of programs throughout the year, including plant tours, networking gatherings, professional development events, and volunteer initiatives that bring members together both professionally and personally.

Members routinely fill plant tours, professional development sessions, volunteer initiatives, and signature networking experiences. But the impact of those programs goes far beyond attendance numbers.

Plant tours often leave lasting impressions.

A visit to Carhartt’s Kentucky facility proved transformative for Tammy. Moved by the company’s culture and leadership, she later applied for — and accepted — a position there.

“When you see something like that and you realize it’s not just a job — it’s a family, it’s a career, it’s a culture. And that’s what people are looking for nowadays.”

Volunteer initiatives are equally meaningful.

Annual partnerships with Dress for Success and Habitat for Humanity bring members together in service. During one Habitat build, 20 women participated, with local manufacturer Bullard donating hard hats for the project, creating a powerful intersection of manufacturing and community impact.

For Gay, those days stand out.

Contributing time to help women prepare for interviews, she says, is especially inspiring.

“Knowing that WiM Kentucky is spending time to help other women be able to go and choose clothes for interviews and work — I’m inspired by that.”

Ten Years — and Growing

Ten years in, the Kentucky Chapter is not only celebrating longevity but also demonstrating the impact that local WiM chapters can have on the manufacturing community. Through consistent programming, engaged board service, and strong member participation, the chapter has created a network that supports professional growth, mentorship, and industry connection.

For many WiM members, chapters become one of the most meaningful aspects of their membership experience. They provide a place to exchange ideas, build lasting relationships, and gain confidence as leaders within the industry.

As Women in Manufacturing continues to grow across its 35 chapters, the Kentucky Chapter stands as an example of what can happen when committed volunteers build a community designed to support one another and strengthen the future of manufacturing.

Click here to learn more about how you can get involved in a chapter near you.