Dean Peckham

Tina Andres,
Director of Operations, TechnipFMC

---

In recognition of International Women’s , 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.  If you know of a woman in manufacturing, or a woman contemplating her future in manufacturing, please share these stories, and inspire the next the generation of manufacturing excellence.

Tina Andres is the Director of Operations at TechnipFMC (locally known as Schilling Robotics), a global manufacturer of deep sea, unmanned submarines serving the global energy markets.   Tina was recruited by TechnipFMC four years ago after 28 years of progressive responsibility in the automotive manufacturing industry.  Tina leadership roles have included environmental governance, area manager and director level responsibilities,

Tina said that her favorite part of the job at TechnipFMC is driving a culture of people engagement and empowerment, impacting and creating a strategic vision to transform the business from good to great, while developing people into future leaders.

She cites the biggest challenge of her job today is the retention of talent and global supply chain impacts on company revenues.  Simultaneously, she said the biggest challenge of recruiting women into manufacturing is the work schedule, which, as we know, frequently starts at 6 am, before most families are even awake.

Tina finds the biggest challenge of being a woman in manufacturing is the need for emotional intelligence, balancing her passion around strategic vision while influencing executive management on the need for change management within the workplace.

Tina has had both formal and informal mentors during her career, finding more satisfaction and trust with informal relationships and mentors.

Tina’s words of advice to women interested in a manufacturing career: “Be Authentic! Look in the mirror, the only competition is yourself.  Your gender does not define any of your capabilities, your value, nor your potential to impact the current or future state!”

Tina has had both formal and informal mentors during her career, finding more satisfaction and trust with informal relationships and mentors.  The most memorable guidance she has received, “Always sit at the table, never sit back.  Know the difference between acting passionately and emotionally.  One is effective while the other is not respected.”

Understanding that manufacturing has always been a male-dominated industry (70% male/30% female), Tina has always been passionate about increasing the diversity of the workforce.  She has initiated the formation of a Women’s Manufacturing Network with her last two employers, and found it to be needed and highly beneficial, but also extremely rewarding to watch the growth in personal confidence and professional capabilities of these women.  We can all acknowledge that Tina leads with passion.

In conclusion, Tina’s personal goals are to improve her work/life balance (something we can all appreciate), with a focus on improving her personal health and well-being through non-work activities and social meetups, and travelling more.  Congratulations to Tina, she just got her first passport this year and is planning her first trip abroad!

Michelle Stofan,
Vice-President Garner Products.

---

In recognition of International Women’s Month, 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.  If you know of a woman in manufacturing, or a woman contemplating her future in manufacturing, please share these stories, and inspire the next the generation of manufacturing excellence.

Michelle Stofan serves as the Vice-President of Garner Products, a role she has served for 20 years.  Garner Products is a 60 year old, family-owned company that  designs, manufactures and sells data destruction equipment that delivers complete, permanent, verifiable data elimination.

Prior to her leadership role at Garner Products, Michelle was a prosecutor at the district attorney’s office as well as providing insurance defense and transactional law legal services.

Michelle’s favorite part of her job is the variety of challenges that she faces daily including international trade, human resources, contractual issues and marketing.   These hands-on responsibilities have supported the rapid growth of Garner Products.  In 2019 Garner Products was awarded the President’s “E” award for Exporting Excellence.  To date, Garner Products are “Made in the USA” and sold to businesses and governments in over 100 countries.

Michelle noted that being a “Woman In Manufacturing” is not a challenge, but a privilege.  Every day is another opportunity to work with a talented and skilled team who come work with innovative solutions and turn these ideas into tangible products that solve customers’ problems, AND keep our personal data secure.

Michelle added that her word of advance to women interested in manufacturing, “Don’t be intimidated, step outside of your comfort zone.”  In 2022 Michelle challenged herself and enrolled in a 7-week computer numerically controlled programming and machining class at Sierra College so that she could better understand the challenges that her machinists face every day.  “It is incredibly satisfying designing and making parts out of chunks of aluminum.”

SVMA president, Kevin McGrew shared his thoughts about Michelle.  “Michelle and Garner Products were founding members of SVMA in 2018.  Michelle has always been at the table, advocating for the small manufacturers (less than 50 employees), which represent 94% of the region’s manufacturers.