Whirlpool Corporation Recognizes Manufacturing Day 2021 by Celebrating U.S. Factory Workforce

Northampton, MA –News Direct– Whirlpool Corporation

The lifeblood of Whirlpool Corporation’s US operations is made up of 15,000 employees in nine different factories in the states of Ohio, Iowa, Oklahoma, Massachusetts and Tennessee. Whirlpool Corporation is once again honoring its manufacturing employees in the United States on Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 1. This year’s theme is “We invest in you” and focuses on employee advancement opportunities, education reimbursement and factory volunteering. (You can click on any of the links below to hear from the workers at this plant!)

Employee advancement

“I worked really hard to become a more valuable asset to the company,” says Ashley Lehner, who works at the Marion, Ohio plant where the dryers are made. “Whirlpool offers you opportunities for advancement and I look forward to continuing to grow within the organization. “

Kelsi Hashbarger, who works at the Findlay, Ohio dishwasher plant, echoed the same sentiment. “I gained experience and built relationships with leadership while working here, which ultimately led to my current role as the People Development Pillar Specialist. “

Mike Wagers, an employee of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who works at one of the company’s factories that makes cooking appliances, enjoys the peace of mind that comes with his job and the support of his peers. “I was looking for long-term stability, and this job gave it to me,” he says. “The opportunities that have been given to me here and the people who have supported me throughout it have been truly fantastic and have helped me get to where I am today.”

Lynette Mattos, who works at another cooking appliance factory in Cleveland, Tennessee, also rose through the ranks at the company. “It was an achievement for me to know that people saw my work ethic and believed in me enough to offer me a new position. “

Reimbursement of studies

With a global headquarters based in Benton Harbor, Michigan, Whirlpool Corporation has invested approximately $ 4 billion over the past five years in innovation in its US factories, products and, most importantly, in the people who operate it. the lines day after day. Part of this investment includes reimbursement of tuition fees.

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“They give you all the tools you need here,” said Joshua Bachelder, employee of Marion Operations. Brent Kahle of the Findlay plant also received school reimbursement. “Whirlpool has helped me advance my career by providing financial support while earning my master’s degree,” he says.

Stephanie Diekman is employed in Clyde, Ohio, at the company’s largest plant, with approximately 3,000 employees making washing machines. She says she took advantage of the education reimbursement and still enjoyed a good work / life balance. “Having this program available allowed me to focus on myself without sacrificing anything at home. “

It’s also a rewarding experience for Alex Silva of Fall River, Massachusetts, where commercial washing machines are built. “Being able to improve has been incredibly important to me; to see that the company wants me to keep learning because they obviously see me as someone important and want me to be here.

All of these incentives are part of a larger “We Invest in You” strategy that can benefit any manufacturing employee of Whirlpool Corporation.

“They’ve made a very real investment in employees through the Tuition Reimbursement Program,” says Amana, Iowa Refrigeration Plant employee Jacob Miller.

For some, reimbursement for education helps employees pursue their dreams. “When I found out that I was able to go back to school with the Whirlpool tuition reimbursement, I was very excited because I knew it would give me a better chance of graduating. and achieve my career goals, ”said Raymond Swartout of Greenville. , Ohio, where KitchenAid small appliances like the iconic stand mixer are built.

Ultimately, it’s this sense of support that drives Anna Schrag of Ottawa, Ohio, who works at the factory where the freezers are made. “I feel good that Whirlpool is supporting my education. I know I wouldn’t be where I am in my career if they hadn’t.

Volunteering

Most people want to work for an employer who cares about their employees and the people in the local community. That’s why Whirlpool Corporation encourages its employees to volunteer and provides opportunities to give back to these communities.

Greenville employee Christel Rouse is one of thousands of employees nationwide who volunteer on a regular basis. “Whirlpool offers several volunteer opportunities that impact our community,” she says, “and we have a direct impact on many organizations in the Darke County community by supporting United Way.

In Ottawa, employee JoAnne Birkemeier is also passionate about United Way, “because they support many local groups and all money raised for United Way stays local, which really helps people who don’t just work at Whirlpool. , but all the people in our community.

United Way regularly receives donations and volunteering from Whirlpool Corporation, one of its signature charities, along with Habitat for Humanity International.

“Personally, I see the impact we have had on the lives of the people we have helped,” says Allen Gordon, employee. “One of my passions is Habitat for Humanity because we actually built a house for one of our employees here at Tulsa Operations. “

Employees volunteer in a number of other ways, from picking up trash on the freeway to helping out at local soup kitchens. “It was very powerful going to a soup kitchen and feeding the homeless,” says Erin Cullen of Fall River. “You certainly appreciate everything you have. “

Charles Matthes from Findlay volunteers at a women’s shelter in his community called Hope House. “They needed new appliances, so we bought them two washers and dryers, a new stove and a new microwave,” he says. Stephanie Cichy from Cleveland has volunteered for several causes. “I have been actively involved in the United Way program here, the community service committee, the children’s hospital, Relay For Life, and the Salvation Army donation tree,” she says.

These community projects provide personal benefits to employees that go beyond their day-to-day job responsibilities. Clyde’s Jenna Jess sums it up nicely by saying, “What benefits me when I volunteer in the community is just having a better sense of pride in myself knowing that I am giving back to others. Loretta Mills from Marion agrees. “In the end, I know I did something. I have done something to help someone and it is the most important thing for me.

On this Manufacturing Day, Whirlpool Corporation recognizes all of those manufacturing employees and the thousands more who go above and beyond to bring us the devices that make consumers’ lives easier every day, while giving back to the communities where they work and live.

See additional media and more ESG stories from Whirlpool Corporation at 3blmedia.com

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