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Ziehl-Abegg Celebrates Women Who are Redefining Manufacturing

Winston-Salem, NC —

Manufacturing has long been considered a male-dominated industry. At Ziehl-Abegg, that perception is changing. Five women at the company’s North American headquarters are not only thriving in their careers, but also reshaping what leadership, expertise, and growth look like in modern manufacturing.

“We’re committed to building an inclusive environment where women thrive in manufacturing roles,” said Carmen Deese, Vice President of Human Resources. “These women represent the future of our industry — resilient, innovative, and dedicated to excellence.”

For some, like Kristyn Belcher, a decade-long career began unexpectedly. With no prior exposure to manufacturing, she discovered her passion for quality through service and repair. Today, she leads quality systems and supplier audits, and has contributed to all critical component localization projects in North America. Her advice for others: “Don’t let your fears become your setbacks.”

Others have built their impact over decades. Mary Jane Beavers was among Ziehl-Abegg’s first U.S. employees. Now, with more than 15 years of service, she manages millions in global financial operations each week. “Be humble, work hard, and always smile,” she says, reflecting on the lessons that carried her from a start-up-sized company of eight employees to one that now exceeds 400.

Amanda Periman, Quality Manager, has driven growth and transformation in Ziehl-Abegg’s quality systems. She has grown her team, introduced new inspection processes, and helped the company achieve ISO 3834 certification. She thrives on continuous improvement and ensuring that customers receive the highest quality products. Her encouragement for women in the field: “Be confident — don’t let others convince you that you are not capable.”

Some found manufacturing after starting in entirely different industries. Eden Gauss, once a licensed pharmacy operations manager, made the leap in 2022. Within two years she was promoted to Senior Service Administrator, a role she sees as proof of what’s possible when companies value diverse experiences. “Don’t disqualify yourself — if you’re willing to learn, take the leap,” she advises.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Heppner Francis shows how quickly growth can happen. In just three years she advanced from an entry-level role to leading her line team in assembly. For her, manufacturing is about proving ability: “Recognition should always be based on merit, not gender.”

Together, these women demonstrate the breadth of opportunity within manufacturing — from finance and service to quality and production leadership.

“Manufacturing is at its best when it reflects the diversity of the world around us,” said Joachim Ley, CEO of Ziehl-Abegg Group. “These women not only contribute technical expertise and leadership but also inspire the next generation to see a place for themselves in our industry.”

Ziehl-Abegg hopes their stories will encourage more women to explore careers in manufacturing — an industry filled with challenges, creativity, and the chance to shape the future.

About Ziehl-Abegg Inc.:

Ziehl-Abegg, Inc is the North American subsidiary of Ziehl-Abegg based in Künzelsau, Germany. It is headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC with over 400 employees. Additionally, it has 9 sales offices in the US, 3 sales offices in Canada and 1 sales office in Monterrey, Mexico.

Ziehl-Abegg is one of the leading global companies in the field of ventilation, control and drive technology. In the 1950s, Ziehl-Abegg established the basis for modern fan drives: external rotor motors which even today are still seen as state-of-the-art worldwide. Another area of business is electric motors which provide the power, for example, for elevators and medical applications (computer tomography equipment).

‌The high-tech company has an impressive innovative capability. The company has a global workforce of 5,000 spread between 17 production plants, 30 companies and 117 sales locations. The products, approx. 30,000 in all, are sold in more than 100 countries.

‌Emil Ziehl founded the company in Berlin in 1910 as a manufacturer of electric motors. After World War II the company’s headquarters were relocated to southern Germany. Ziehl-Abegg SE is not a listed company but instead is family-owned.