LORIE SYMON,
CEO/PRES.  AEROMETALS

In recognition of International Women’s Day, the Sacramento Valley Manufacturing Alliance (SVMA), would like to recognize some of the Women in Manufacturing in the Sacramento Region and share their stories with the region’s manufacturers.

Lorie Symon serves as the CEO/President of Aerometals, a comprehensive aerospace manufacturer, located in El Dorado Hills.  Lorie has been with Aerometals for 15 years, assuming the role of CEO/President in 2019.  Lorie has a background  as a CPA and banker, prior to moving from Texas to California.  Lorie started at Aerometals as an account manager, and the owners assigned her to other departments to increase organizational efficiencies, serving as controller, executive director, vice-president and president.

Lorie shared that her favorite part of the job is the people and a wonderful organizational culture which makes Aerometals a great company and a great place to work.  With that being said, Covid has presented many challenges to the way people interact with one another, from fellow employees, to customers, vendors, suppliers, etc.  As a result, the human interaction between people has waned.

Lorie noted that growing up, her family encouraged her to look at female-friendly careers such as teaching, nursing or accounting.  Given her natural attraction to math, she became an account.  Today, her biggest challenge as a woman in manufacturing is not that she is a woman, but rather, that she is not an engineer.

Lorie’s words of advice to women interested in manufacturing: “Go for it.  Women have the ability to see the big picture while still paying attention to the details.”  She added that if manufacturing is going to attract young women we need to do a better job of engaging with them while they are in high school engineering and manufacturing classes.  Even women interested in non-traditional fields such as artisans,  would do very well in a manufacturing environmental, utilizing their creative talents.

Lorie cited former owners, Rex Kamphefner and Guy Icenogle, prior owners of Aerometals, as her mentors, allowing her to get involved in all aspects of the company.  They had very different management styles which helped Lorie develop and curate her own management style.  Today, she is supported by two of her board members, Don Yee and Gary Orr, serving as a sounding board for ideas, strategies,  and problem solving.

When Lorie was asked about her personal goals, she responded:  “Just keep doing what I am doing.  I truly love my position and the company.  I hope to be here until I retire.”