A Woman in a Man’s World

At Okuma America we have many long-term employees, and recently we honored our CFO Lisa Rummel for 29 years of service with the company. We sat down with Lisa to learn more about her journey as a woman in manufacturing, and what she’s experienced along the way. (Shown in the photo above are Jim King, President & COO, and Lisa Rummel, CFO, Okuma America Corporation.)

Lisa, did you always know you wanted to get into accounting and finance for your career?

I did, I always enjoyed math and had strong skills in that area. So that’s what I studied in college, and when I graduated I went into public accounting. At that point, I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay public or go private in a corporate setting. But it became clear pretty quickly for me that public wasn’t my thing. On the public side, working for a CPA firm, you’re constantly moving around from client to client. You’re viewed as, “Oh no, it’s the auditor.” It never really felt like you belong, so I made my move to corporate which I enjoy a lot more. When you work for a private company you feel like you have a home, and I like that.

How did you get your start in manufacturing?

I didn’t exactly look for a career in manufacturing, it found me! I was born and raised in Detroit, and there’s a large manufacturing community there. After my stint in public accounting I found a job with a manufacturing company known today as Textron, and this is where I gained my initial machine tool experience. After joining this company, they had an opportunity for me at a factory in North Carolina, so I took that, and moved here. Eventually I transitioned to a position at Okuma so I could stay in this area.

How many women were at Okuma at the time you joined the company?

Not many, it was really a man’s world. But that didn’t bother me because I was brought in to perform a specific new role. Okuma America at that time needed a professional to step in and I was very confident in my knowledge and that I had the expertise to help. I never felt intimidated, I simply jumped in and started applying my skills.

What has kept you working for Okuma all these years?

Okuma has always given me interesting career opportunities, and I’ve been able to see career growth at every level. There’s always been something new and different for me to learn, and to contribute. I’ve had the good fortune to work with some of the smartest and most talented people I’ve ever met. I realize that not everyone gets these kinds of chances, so I feel grateful for them.

We always see you working the Okuma booth at IMTS. What’s that like?

The first time I went to IMTS – I think it was 1994 – this was a huge aha moment for me. Working at the reception desk in our booth, I saw and heard what the customers said about the equipment and the quality of the product. I heard our distributors talking about being proud and privileged to represent the best line out there, Okuma. I saw how hard our sales team worked, day and night. I heard Okuma Applications Engineers talking about how much they love manufacturing. These AEs, they work 24/7 to get the machines in the booth up and running, then they stand there all day showing their demos and talking with customers. But they love it, you can really tell that they love it. That experience really changed my perspective about the company. Since then I’ve always felt very proud that I work for Okuma.

What are your thoughts about women in the manufacturing industry as a whole? Do we need more women to join the manufacturing workforce?

I would encourage women to consider it. They are needed. There are a lot of women in the workforce, and our industry needs to figure out how to tap into that resource. Specifically targeting women could be a great strategy for tackling the workforce dilemma we all face.

Have you raised a family alongside developing your professional career at Okuma?

Yes, my husband and I have two children. We have a 26-year old son, who is an engineer. Then our daughter is 24. She’s our creative one. She actually graduated with a graphic design degree but she’s back at school getting her graduate certification to teach art.

Along the way, how were you able to manage your work/life balance?

I was fortunate that Okuma was very good to me with raising my kids. For several years after becoming a mom, I worked part time for Okuma. I especially remember when they were in middle school, my kids were involved in so many activities, I basically turned into a taxi cab driver. Juggling all that with work became a crazy schedule, so I went to Okuma and said “Look, I don’t know what to do here but I can’t manage both. I’m not doing either one well. I would like to cut back on my hours. I’ll cut back on my pay. I’ll take a different job. I don’t care what it is, but I need a reprieve.” They agreed to it. Of course, I took a pay cut, which I was fine with, but I worked a 30-hour week and I felt better about me because I could manage both my career and my family. I feel so lucky that Okuma found a way to be flexible, and I think it would be great if more companies could find a way to do that.

Fast forward a few years then, how did you feel on the day you were made CFO?

Well, I was totally and completely shocked. I didn’t see it coming. But overall I think the timing was right for this to happen. We had just hired Jim King, so he was new to the organization. He would need a strong right-hand person. One of the advantages about being in a finance or accounting role is that everything rolls downhill into the financial records. You have this natural opportunity to understand all the facets of the business because it all impacts the finances. I was able to help Jim quickly ramp up and understand the whole business. Going forward now, Jim and I share our strengths and work together as part of the leadership team.

Is it important to have a woman as a part of the leadership team?

Because companies are made up of people, a large part of what occurs on a day-to-day basis has an emotional component to it. We’re only human. Women aren’t afraid to talk about emotional things, while men can be uncomfortable with that. I think it’s very healthy and productive to help keep the lines of communication open in a meaningful way. So being a woman in a man’s world is not just something we should all be open to, I think it’s a true necessity in order to have a strong company.

With 29 years at the company, how would you describe the heart and soul of Okuma?

We really care and have a love for our industry. If you look at our core business, which is sales, service, and engineering, this is a group of people who are pure engineers at heart, who love manufacturing and know that Okuma Corporation in Japan makes the best products. We really do love to engage with customers and help them solve a problem. At the same time, our approach is very down-to-earth. Maybe it’s southern hospitality – I don’t know what to call it. I’ve heard so many times customers walking in and just feeling the warmth and generosity from the people here at Okuma. There’s no intimidation, and no nose in the air. It’s just, “What can we do to help you? We think our product’s the best and we’d like to show you that it’s the best.” Our commitment and passion for serving the customer is sincere and very genuine. At the heart of it, that’s who we are.

Thanks Lisa, for your candid thoughts and sharing a bit of your journey with us!

More stories from Okuma’s women in manufacturing:

The Manufacturing Lifestyle: A Woman’s Perspective (Kelsey Karski)

Why I Love My Job (Julia Reynolds)

It's My Job to Care (Shino Lowery)