Gena C. Lovett

"Family means everything. After years of moving around, being able to come home and tap into the tremendous support system was great. My friends have allowed me to connect in a way that has been life changing. They have provided a safe haven from everyday pressures."

"I'd likely be a tenured professor somewhere teaching either creative writing or history. I would also like to become fluent again in French. In my spare time, I'd make beautiful stained glass pieces. I have toyed with pursuing this after I retire. For now, I am very content to have returned to my "sweet spot," which most definitely is manufacturing. I have found my dream job at Boeing."

"I brag a great deal about Cleveland! It is my hometown and will always have my heart. People have teased me, saying Cleveland is not a top destination. I quote publications like Fodor's, Travel and Leisure and the New York Times, who famously stated that Cleveland is "a comeback fueled by art, culture and King James." I also add the quality of our people to the dialog."

"I had a great childhood. I grew up in Cleveland with my dad, mom and two sisters. My dad made dentures for a living and my mom worked for 31 years at Ford Motor Co.'s engine plant in Brook Park. Both had a tremendous work ethic and instilled in us the importance of striving for excellence through performance."Anything worth doing is worth doing well" was one of mom's constant reminders."

"As a child, reading at the library opened my mind to a world beyond what was in front of me. My parents kept me focused on my studies. Today, for whatever reason, the responsibility to educate has been, in large part, abdicated to the schools. So it's more important than ever to ensure the school curriculum is robust.All across America we must go into the neighborhoods and schools and mentor these young men and women. This is part of what I loved about my time in Cleveland--I partnered with many organizations and business leaders who are passionate about helping our kids.My advice for young students is to go the extra mile. Libraries remain wonderful sanctuaries for furthering knowledge. Find out what resources your schools offer. Work with your school guidance counselors, as I did. If you have a mentor, be proactive and thoughtful in how you use the time you are given. Own the relationship and be sure to speak up if you're not getting what you need from the mentoring association."

"My education unlocked opportunities and gave me confidence to compete. But it still wasn't easy selecting a career. I first studied chemical engineering, and then I switched to a different curriculum because I thought I wanted to become an attorney. Ironically, the career path I ultimately chose is heavily engineering focused.In my mentoring relationships and as a parent, I am candid about my less-than- direct path. We need to instill an appreciation for education in the next generation of workers. We need to ensure it is quality education that is accessible and affordable. My business focus is STEM education. Boeing has abundant amounts of talent.In an ode to "Girl Power," I have never seen so many wickedly brilliant, accomplished female STEM colleagues! Even so, there is a need to continue nurturing the internal and external pipeline so that we continue to grow and can confidently pass the baton when others move on. As I transition to this new role, I have made this a priority."

"The lack of diversity on corporate boards, in CEO roles and on corporate executive councils is a well-documented issue across America. I visited Iceland recently and learned that Scandinavian countries such as Norway have adopted laws aimed at achieving gender parity by mandating a required percentage of females (40 percent) on corporate boards. A possible solution would be to expand that requirement to include people of color and to make it a law in the United States, but the reality is this likely will not occur in the United States.This means leadership at the top has to champion diversity and take the necessary actions to place talented leaders in the top jobs. In many cases, the diverse talent is there; it's the access for this talent to these roles that is not.I can definitively say that Boeing is walking the talk. As with anything, there is more work to be done and this is recognized. I am a member of the executive council for Boeing Defense, Space & Security and I am not the lone diverse council member. It was gratifying to join a leadership team and see the progress Boeing has already made in regards to diversity. This company is serious about that mission and recognizes the impact diverse leaders can have."

"I am introverted by nature, so I suppose some people might perceive me as reserved. But the social interactions, speaking engagements and other requirements of my work forced me to overcome my natural tendencies.Mutual respect is at the heart of my management style. I have found that fundamentally, we all want the same things. I build teams that I can trust, and work at being fair, transparent and a receptive leader. I deliver on my promises to employees, and I make it a point to give my very best to my team each day. I expect the same in return."

"Funny you should ask. I yelled as a driver cut me off this morning on I-64E in St. Louis, and it felt good.I am a passionate person and I am human, so yes, I have yelled over the course of my lifetime. In business, in my leadership role, I do not. This doesn't mean I've not been angry or that I've not had candid, open and honest dialogue that has led to some tough conversations over the course of my career. Sometimes people and situations can take you there."

"When leading and influencing, I have found the best way is through effective communication. Yelling is ultimately counterproductive, destroys the ability to effectively engage and is not my management style."

"When I pursued what interested me, the earlier confusion in trying to figure out what I was going to be when I grew up disappeared. My mom encouraged me to take my first manufacturing job with Ford in Avon Lake, where I supervised 55 hourly employees on the engine truck assembly line. I was the only female supervisor in my organization and of course there was pressure to perform. Sometimes it was downright uncomfortable."

"I had a strong constitution and a stubbornness, which enabled me to hang in there and when needed to fight back. I also had terrific sponsors and mentors who provided an outlet. My dad used to say to me that if I wanted to "play with the big dogs," I needed to come off the porch and get into the fray."

"I had to learn my craft and prove I could equal or -- in many cases -- outperform my male counterparts. So that's what I did. When I left Ford after 15 years, I joined Alcoa as the first female and first person of color to hold the top job at Cleveland Works since its inception in 1917."

"For men, showing up for this type of role is usually enough to gain approval. In my case, I need to demonstrate I can execute. The experience and qualifications listed on my resume is enough to get me in the door, but I still have to show I can actually do the job, add value and be a credible resource. There is no victim mentality here at all, it just is what it is, and *I do not allow myself to get hung up on it."

"Manufacturing is the lifeblood of the United States. We gave up a lot of our power when we stopped making things. We must continue working on bringing the sexy back to manufacturing, and I have joined this crusade. Just because there aren't thousands of steelworkers in Cleveland today does not mean the craft is dying or dead. What we think of traditionally as manufacturing jobs has been redefined. The jobs our parents' generation had no longer exist. Products are more sophisticated, and the skill set required to make them is different. We have to get people behind the doors of manufacturing so that they are exposed to the many opportunities such a career presents. I was amazed to learn how many people in Cleveland had never heard of Alcoa and that it has produced products in the Harvard Avenue location since 1917! Some might be surprised to learn that Ohio is Boeing's largest supplier. In 2014, we worked with more than 300 businesses in the state, and our supplier/vendor purchases totaled $11.4 billion, supporting an estimated 385,000 direct and indirect jobs in Ohio."

"It's both humbling and a privilege. I was in Arizona just a short time ago viewing some of the products we make. When entering the facility and speaking with our shop floor colleagues, it is obvious how much pride they feel and the care they take building the military airplanes and other products that the men and women in our armed forces depend on to stay safe. I also feel that sense of pride. Numerous Boeing employees are veterans, so they have a kinship with those who serve and their families. Quality is paramount to everything we build. When you think about space and such things as satellites, we have one chance to get it exactly right."