Cummins Inc. announced its Board of Directors has unanimously elected Cummins President and CEO Jennifer Rumsey to chair of the company’s Board of Directors, effective August 1. Rumsey succeeds Tom Linebarger, who is retiring from both of his Cummins positions as executive chairman and chairman of the board, effective July 31.
Rumsey was first appointed to the Cummins Board of Directors in February 2022 and has served as president and CEO of the company since August 2022. She has held numerous roles within the company during her more than two decades with Cummins, including chief technical officer, president of the components business and chief operating officer. The combined roles of chair and CEO will position Rumsey to continue leading the company into the future, leveraging her technical expertise, deep understanding of Cummins’ business and powering customers’ success throughout the energy transition, the company said.
“Jennifer’s appointment as chair comes at a pivotal time for Cummins and the entire industry,” said Linebarger. “Her strategic vision for Cummins, centered on delivering solutions that meet our customers’ needs while reducing our impact on the environment, will help lead our company in the transition to a decarbonized future. On a personal note, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for the privilege of being part of this remarkable company for the past 30 years. I am delighted to pass this role to Jennifer and firmly believe that she is the ideal leader to guide Cummins at this important time.”
“I am deeply humbled to assume the role of chair,” said Rumsey. “As we look ahead, we will continue to create innovative solutions that effectively address our customers’ needs while making a positive impact on the communities we serve. When I became CEO one year ago, I said that we would continue to put people at the center of everything we do, and I am proud to say that our dedicated employees continue to work tirelessly to ensure we remain on course for our ambitious goals as a company. At the top of that list is our commitment to Destination Zero, our strategy to achieve a zero-emissions future, power our customers’ success, grow our business and deliver strong returns to our investors.”
Linebarger served as Cummins’ chairman and CEO from 2012 to 2022 and as executive chairman of the company for the past year. During his 10-year tenure, the company grew its revenue from $17.3 billion to $28.1 billion last year. Linebarger spearheaded the evolution of the company to ensure its continued industry leadership, including the formation of Accelera by Cummins, the company’s zero-emissions solutions business segment, and the broadening of its product portfolio through mergers and acquisitions including the largest-ever in the Cummins’ history with the acquisition of Meritor.
A co-architect of Destination Zero, Rumsey has advanced the company’s decarbonization strategy in her first year as CEO while garnering three consecutive quarterly revenue records in late 2022 and early 2023, the company said. During this time, Cummins has continued to grow its core business with the acquisition of Meritor, accelerating the development of economically viable decarbonized powertrain solutions including the industry’s first fuel agnostic powertrain platform, enhancing the sales and service network and expanding customer relationships.
Rumsey is a Columbus, Indiana (USA), native and member of the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers and Women in Trucking Association. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and women in STEM fields. She resides in Columbus with her husband and has two college-age daughters.
