WIE Dinner 2006
Although careful to avoid promising that an engineering career would be easy, Glatch encouraged young women to willingly explore opportunities as they consider their possible contributions and roles as women in engineering. “Let it evolve and when those opportunities come to you, take advantage of them and be willing to take what sometimes feels like a bit of a personal risk,” advised Glatch.
Glatch credits her willingness to take personal risks for her current position as FGG’s president, Fluor Corporation’s first female to serve such a role. According to Glatch, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta called Fluor’s chairman after 9/11 and asked the company to loan a top executive to help guide the government’s response efforts. Within a matter of hours, Glatch was offered the opportunity to be that executive who would join six other Fortune 500 executives to form a tight-knit team. She had to make her choice immediately and began working in Washington, DC, just two days later.
Glatch described the challenges facing the team as daunting and the work schedule as absolutely grueling. But, by working 14 to 16-hour days, seven days a week for the better part of a year, they managed to hire 60,000 employees within a year and overhaul the nation’s 429 airports security and customer service systems. Calling it a life-changing experience, Glatch spoke with pride about her newfound ability to serve her country.
According to Glatch, her opportunity to work directly with Michael P. Jackson, the current Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ultimately resulted in her promotion to the President of FGG. She also credits the experience for leading to FGG’s expansion of its government work and for her accomplishment of guiding that division’s growth in annual revenue from less than $1 billion to $3 billion in just 3-1/2 years.
Glatch also encouraged the audience to hone their communications skills, remain curious and imaginative and to actively build their problem-solving abilities. She said that engineering is changing quickly and spoke enthusiastically about how integrated software systems, increased mobility and working in teams across numerous time zones have made it possible to do things better, faster, and cheaper.
Noting that engineering careers do not fit the stereotype of an isolated man working in a cubicle, Glatch encouraged the audience to seek out role models and mentors who are willing to tell them what they need – not just want – to hear. She also said that by maintaining high work standards and personal accountability, they, in turn, will earn respect from others. Always doing the best job possible and looking just beyond the scope of each job will lead to more opportunities according to Glatch.
After reiterating that being open to new opportunities can lead to an enormously rewarding engineering career, Glatch closed by quoting inventor and engineer Charles Kettering. “He summarized the attraction of engineering by saying, ‘The Wright brothers flew right through the smoke screen of impossibility,’ and Glatch said, “I do believe that that’s what being an engineer is about. You truly can make a difference.”
Following Glatch’s comments, a panel of women who serve as role models and resources for women pursuing engineering careers joined her in answering questions from the audience. The panelists were Julene Kautzman, Cargill (’96 ChE); Linda Thompson, Conoco-Phillips (’84 ChE); Carina Beck, Director of MSU’s Career Services; and Anne Camper, MSU’s Associate Dean of Engineering (’95 CE).
