Creating Environments Where People Thrive: A Q&A with Cheryl Reed

For International Women in Engineering Day 2022 we’re excited to bring you a series of interviews with some incredible #OurJacobs women from around the world. In this article meet Cheryl Reed and learn how she got to where she is today, why she was attracted to a career in STEAM and what she thinks is the best part of working at Jacobs.  

Let's talk with Cheryl:

Tell us what you’re working on these days.

Building a client portfolio that reflects the talents of our staff, our passions in specialized manufacturing and alignment with #OurJacobs strategy. There’s a need to serve clients that have been a part of our traditional business for 20 years and leverage that same experience to serve new clients in a new way. Working to maintain our strongest relationships while building relationships in new markets and industries is a daily balancing act.

What led you to this point on your career path?

My dad encouraged me to go into engineering because I excelled in math and science in middle school, so I went to Michigan Tech to study civil engineering. I picked civil engineering because it allowed me to have opportunities outside of Detroit and the automobile industry. After being recruited by Procter & Gamble (P&G) out of college, I started in a manufacturing facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin. I became enamored with the processes and the people that made the everyday things in our lives.

Following my desire to create environments where people thrived, I left P&G to pursue my master’s degree in Organizational Development and Adult Learning. While studying, I joined Jacobs as an industrial engineer so I could see more manufacturing environments and apply what I was learning for our clients’ benefit. The person who hired me into Jacobs supported my interests and need to be challenged and engaged. We worked closely together for more than 18 years until his retirement, at which time I filled his role. I have him to thank for my career and my experiences. He trusted me and my decisions, but more than that, he embraced who I was and let me be me. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in STEAM?

My dad, a die engineer at General Motors, planted the seed when I was 14 years old. Great math and science teachers in high school also gave me the confidence to pursue it in college.

Tell us about a memorable project you’ve worked on that has helped build a brighter future.

It’s a toss-up between helping Kimberly-Clark expand its footprint to bring feminine hygiene products to more places in the world and supporting Cargill as they provide new plant-based solutions in response to a changing supply chain.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career to date?

Build and maintain a network – both inside the company and outside.Those connections have been precious and valuable.

Proudest career moment?

Being part of the winning team for the Joseph J. Jacobs Master Builder award in 2013 for our collaborative approach between the Green Bay and Mumbai operations serving Kimberly-Clark.

What does the future of engineering look like to you?

In some respects, it looks the same as it does today and hundreds of years ago — bright people learning, collaborating and sharing to solve problems. The change has been and will be the tools we are using to do the learning, collaborating and sharing.

If you could tell your 18-year-old-self one thing, what would it be?

Your experience is what will differentiate you. Grab as much of it as possible.

People would be surprised to know that I…

I was a high school and college cheerleading coach for more than 20 years. The college team I coached also cheered for the Green Bay Packers.

What do you enjoy most about being part of #OurJacobs?

The people. I work with a great team and have a supportive network. I feel poised to serve our clients every day successfully!