ABI LEGENDS IN MANUFACTURING AWARDS

300+ employees

Kellan Longenecker

Plant Manager – General Mills Inc. Avon Plant, Carlisle, Iowa

As the pandemic forced people into lockdown in early 2020, many hunkered down in their kitchens, and poured themselves into new baking and cooking endeavors. For General Mills as a whole, this meant an increased demand for baking and in-home products as consumers turned to brands that they knew and trusted.

But for the General Mills Avon Plant in Carlisle and plant manager Kellan Longenecker, it was a slightly different story. Much of the plant’s flour was used to support away-from-home convenience and food-service channels like hotels and restaurants, which of course have seen decreased demand.

That led to increased manufacturing capacity, and thankfully so. As hunger needs increased, the plant shifted that capacity to allow it to donate to Feeding America by finding new ways to repurpose things like whole-grain waffles and granola bars and other things that weren’t trending as positively. That allowed the plant to contribute to a community that was desperately in need of food.

Kellan has been in the industry for nearly 20 years, and her leadership in a typically male-dominated industry has also allowed her to introduce younger generations to manufacturing.

“Some of the most rewarding moments I’ve had with young girls or high school students have been in mentorship relationships or simply having a conversation. I’ve personally enjoyed speaking to high school students, conducting science and engineering experiments with students during conferences, becoming an Elevate Ambassador, advocating for ways to close the skills gap, and serving on boards promoting advanced manufacturing.”

With less than a third of manufacturing’s workforce made up of women, there’s still much to be done, she says.

“The leading companies are improving visibility of key women manufacturing leaders as role models,” she said. “They are adapting to the needs of balancing family and job requirements, and finding ways to mentor and sponsor women within the manufacturing field.”