BorgWarner’s Arvis Williams, vice president of global quality, manufacturing and program management, has been inducted into the 2021 class of Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Hall of Fame. This prestigious award is presented to women who have made outstanding contributions over the course of their established careers in manufacturing as well as those who are dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring other women within the industry. Williams is one of nine women to be awarded this honor from the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF).
“I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this award than Arvis; she has a natural ability to lead and has a gift of empowering others, making her a true champion of diversity, inclusion and female advancement in the workplace,” said Joseph Fadool, vice president of BorgWarner Inc. and president and GM, Emissions, Thermal and Turbo Systems. “Her willingness and ability to mentor others and encourage them to embrace the power of their potential is a testament to her character and continues to make a difference in all of the capacities she serves.”
Williams is a pioneer in the automotive industry having spent more than 30 years working for some of the top OEMs and Tier 1 automotive suppliers in the world. Her incredible aptitude and reputation for driving and delivering aggressive performance targets, assessing organizational shortfalls, conducting value stream mapping to identify and eliminate waste, and developing strategic business plans that drive cultural paradigm shifts has propelled her into one of BorgWarner’s most respected and reliable leaders. Currently, she oversees 29 plant locations in 17 different countries on six continents.
Over the course of her career, Williams has always demonstrated a passion and commitment to advocate for women’s advancement in the manufacturing industry, resulting in an increase in female representation in every role she held. Her passion for servant leadership has landed her many roles of advocacy within her community including being appointed to the Career Master Advisory Board – Girls Empowerment where she fosters female sustainability within the job force. She has also spoken several times at the Sustainable U! Institute for Women and Girls and has been selected to recruit women of color at some of the industry’s top recruiting events. Additionally, Williams has served on the Children’s Center Foster Committee, organized career day functions for Pontiac, Michigan, high schools and championed participation in the Detroit Cristo Rey High School work study program for at-risk teens. Likewise, she currently leads the youth mentoring program at BorgWarner with the SOS Children Villages, which aim to support at-risk youth in the foster care system.
“The creation of the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2020 and the announcement of this impressive class of inductees speaks to the work the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation is doing to support, promote and inspire women in the industry,” said WiMEF Board Chair Mary Ellen Grom, executive director of customer experience solutions at AFL. “These nine women represent how far we have come as an ever-changing industry and inspire those who are taking steps to continue propelling this industry forward.”
The nine Hall of Fame inductees were recognized with a ceremony and gala on Oct. 6, as part of WiM’s 11th annual SUMMIT in Cleveland.
