The Mfg. Institute awarded Diane Hitt, general manager of East Coast Erosion Control, with the Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Award. The STEP Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C suite.
“We are excited and honored to have an employee of ours be selected to receive this prestigious award,” says Anthony Forino, a partner of East Coast Erosion Control. “Diane manages our company with dedication and treats it as her own. She serves as a role model of our company values; and she reflects the quality of character and ethics of the people we like to have on our team at East Coast Erosion Control.”
Hitt has worked in various capacities in manufacturing for nearly 25 years. She has been with East Coast Erosion Control since its 2002 inception. As general manager, her duties include establishing and executing the direction of the company. She manages multiple facilities and serves as the company’s liaison to many industry associations including the Intl. Erosion Control Assn., the Intl. Geosynthetics Society, the Erosion Control Technology Council and the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program.
The Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce nominated Hitt for the STEP Award.
During a Feb. 6, 2014 reception in Washington, D.C., the Mfg. Institute recognized 160 recipients of the STEP Awards. The program highlighted each honoree’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.
“These 160 women are the faces of exciting careers in manufacturing,” said Jennifer McNelly, president of the Mfg. Institute, during the ceremony. “We chose to honor these women because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole.”
The STEP Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent.
Source: East Coast Erosion Control
