Smithers to sponsor Women of Rubber Division (WORD) at IEC 2024

Akron, OH – Smithers announces its sponsorship of Women of Rubber Division (WORD), a women’s program and networking event at the International Elastomer Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. WORD is scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. EST on Monday, September 9.

Yan Maschke, an award-winning executive coach, advisor, and speaker will lead an immersive training on leveraging emotional intelligence to improve communication, executive presence, self-advocacy, and leadership influence in the workplace. The program also includes a panel discussion, featuring several prominent female leaders in the industry, and a networking reception.

Smithers was the Presenting Sponsor of the inaugural WORD in 2019 and has sponsored the event every year since.

“At Smithers, my fellow leaders and I are very focused on mentoring and empowering our team members so they can grow and become leaders themselves. We are proud to sponsor an event where our female team members can connect with peers in the industry who share their leadership and career goals and understand their experiences,” said Lori Knous, General Manager, Smithers Materials Science and Engineering Division, Akron Labs. “I’ve been the first woman to hold many roles throughout my career, and I am thrilled to see the rubber industry creating opportunities for women to connect and learn from each other as we establish more of a footprint in a traditionally male-dominated industry.”

Those interested in attending WORD and the International Elastomer Expo can register here.

Smithers will also be exhibiting at the International Elastomer Conference in booth 618 showcasing the broad range of material and product testing and consulting services to the rubber industry.