Two Engineering Alumnae Recognized for Innovation in the Energy Field
November 17, 2016 | LSU Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
LSU College of Engineering alumnae Beth Wagener Gutweiler and Liz McDaniel recently received Women in Energy Leadership Awards for their innovation skills in the engineering field.
Gutweiler, a 1994 industrial engineering graduate, works as the global supply chain leader at Halliburton. Her program, the Strategic Sourcing Incubator, identifies rising talent in the industry and teaches them skills to aid their understanding of business and to help them expand their networks. The program, which is now enforced on a global scale, helped Halliburton reach its financial goals and fosters exemplary employees to continue to develop great products.
“Rather than fishing for them, I created a system that teaches all of the team how to fish and hones their fishing skills to catch the biggest and most amazing fish in the sea,” Gutweiler told the Houston Business Journal.
McDaniel, a 1981 chemical engineering graduate, currently serves as the vice president of Huntsman Corp. She analyzes injury trends to develop initiatives to ensure the safety of the company’s 2,200 polyurethanes associates at 34 sites across the globe. One of McDaniel’s analyses showed walking injuries in the company increased to 38 percent in 2014. Her “Walking is Working” campaign raised awareness about the issues, and in 2016, analyses revealed the walking injuries were reduced to only 8 percent.
And she’s not done. Her most recent campaign, “Safety is in Your Hands,” focuses on hand injuries in the industry.
The Houston Business Journal launched the Women in Energy Awards in 2015 to recognize women that hold leadership positions in the male-dominated energy field. Winners are chosen based on their career achievements, contributions to the success of their companies, community involvement and leadership skills.
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For more information, visit the Houston Business Journal, or contact Caroline Byrne at cbyrne4@lsu.edu.