Koppers' Hadley receiving STEP Ahead Award
Koppers announced that Melissa Hadley, manager, business planning, is being recognized by the Manufacturing Institute with the 2021 STEP Ahead Award.
The annual award celebrates women from across all levels of the manufacturing industry demonstrating excellence and leadership in their careers.
Hadley will join a select number of honorees from around the country at an award ceremony this November.
"Melissa’s extensive experience in manufacturing, combined with her commitment to innovation and teamwork has led to the implementation of a number of forward-looking processes with successful outcomes,” said Koppers President and CEO Leroy Ball. “An outstanding leader, Melissa is also passionate about developing the talents and strengths of the next generation of females in manufacturing. We are proud to have Melissa as part of our team and congratulate her on receiving this national recognition.”
Drawing on extensive experience as a chemical engineer as well as managing operations and supply chain planning for large companies, Hadley joined Koppers in 2015 to lead a team overseeing the business planning processes for the company’s carbon materials and railroad products business units.
Her responsibilities include inventory management, capacity analyses, network optimization initiatives, as well as various special projects for the Pittsburgh-based corporation.
"Being recognized as an Honoree at the STEP Ahead Awards, among a group of accomplished women from around the country, is an incredible honor," said Hadley. "Over the course of my career, I have witnessed the valuable contributions of women in manufacturing many times over, and sincerely hope that this recognition by the Manufacturing Institute will encourage more young women to pursue careers in the industry."
“By honoring current and existing leaders, we are building and elevating the role models that can inspire the next generation—and we are building the networks for women to have support in their industry and achieve even more,” said Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee.
At Koppers, Hadley is highly involved with LINKwomen, an employee resource group, through which she conducted a research study to better understand challenges faced by women in manufacturing environments.
She works extensively with the next generation of female leaders through the Pittsburgh Fellows Program, which helps students transition from college to professional careers. She also volunteered with the annual Intel Science Fair, the world’s largest international pre-college competition. Hadley is a graduate of Ohio University.
Koppers is a global provider of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals, and carbon compounds.