BorgWarner Vice President Inducted into Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame
- Hall of Fame honors women who have made outstanding contributions during their manufacturing career
- Arvis Williams is part of the second inaugural class of nine award recipients into the 2021 Hall of Fame
- Inductees were chosen based on their contributions toward the advancement of women in manufacturing
Auburn Hills,
Michigan, October 6, 2021 –
BorgWarner’s Arvis Williams, Vice President of Global Quality, Manufacturing
and Program Management, has been inducted into the 2021 class of Women in
Manufacturing (WiM) Hall of Fame. This prestigious award is presented to women
who have made outstanding contributions over the course of their established
careers in manufacturing as well as those who are dedicated to supporting,
promoting and inspiring other women within the industry. Williams is one of
nine women to be awarded this honor from the Women in Manufacturing Education
Foundation (WiMEF).
“I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award
than Arvis; she has a natural ability to lead and has a gift of empowering
others, making her a true champion of diversity, inclusion and female
advancement in the workplace,” said Joseph Fadool, Vice President of BorgWarner
Inc. and President and GM, Emissions, Thermal and Turbo Systems. “Her
willingness and ability to mentor others and encourage them to embrace the
power of their potential is a testament to her character and continues to make
a difference in all of the capacities she serves.”
Williams is a pioneer in the automotive industry having spent over 30
years working for some of the top OEMs and Tier 1 automotive suppliers in the
world. Her incredible aptitude and reputation for driving and delivering
aggressive performance targets, assessing organizational shortfalls, conducting
value stream mapping to identify and eliminate waste, and developing strategic
business plans that drive cultural paradigm shifts has propelled her into one
of BorgWarner’s most respected and reliable leaders. Currently, she oversees 29
plant locations in 17 different countries on six continents.
Over the course of her career, Williams has always
demonstrated a passion and commitment to advocate for women’s advancement in
the manufacturing industry, resulting in an increase in female representation
in every role she held. Her passion for servant leadership has landed her many
roles of advocacy within her community including being appointed to the Career
Master Advisory Board – Girls Empowerment where she fosters female
sustainability within the job force. She has also spoken several times at the
Sustainable U! Institute for Women and Girls and has been selected to recruit
women of color at some of the industry’s top recruiting events. Additionally,
Williams has served on the Children’s Center Foster Committee, organized career
day functions for Pontiac, Michigan high schools and championed participation
in the Detroit Cristo Rey High School work study program for at-risk teens.
Likewise, she currently leads the youth mentoring program at BorgWarner with
the SOS Children Villages, which aim to support at-risk youth in the foster
care system.
“The creation of the Women in Manufacturing Hall of
Fame in 2020 and the announcement of this impressive class of inductees speaks
to the work the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation is doing to
support, promote and inspire women in the industry,” said WiMEF Board Chair
Mary Ellen Grom, Executive Director of Customer Experience Solutions at AFL.
“These nine women represent how far we have come as an ever-changing industry
and inspire those who are taking steps to continue propelling this industry forward.”
The nine Hall of Fame inductees were recognized with a ceremony and gala on Oct. 6, 2021, as part of WiM’s 11th annual SUMMIT in Cleveland.