Gender Dimension

Constance Thompson, CCDP/AP serves as the Senior Director of Women’s Engagement for The Manufacturing Institute (MI) the non-profit workforce and education focused affiliate of The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)- the nation’s largest industrial trade association. Thompson is responsible for partnering with The VP of Strategic Engagement and Manager of Women’s Engagement to lead the MIs’ rapidly expanding work with The STEP Women’s Initiative and support the overall growth of diversity and inclusion solutions in the manufacturing sector. Thompson is noted for her considerable expertise in the development, integration, measurement, and sustainment of successful D&I workforce, strategic partnership and culture change focused initiatives.

Prior to joining MI, Thompson served in a variety of Diversity & Inclusion focused roles with some of our nation’s leading Fortune 500, Ivy League and nonprofit institutions. Most recently, Thompson served as the Senior Director of Operations for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). At NSBE, she served as the second in command and internal consultant to the Society’s National Executive Board and Executive Director and was responsible for leading all day to day operational and administrative functions for NSBE’s World Headquarters. In tandem, while at NSBE, Thompson collaboratively established and served as the Inaugural Project Manager for The 50K Coalition, a collaboration between our nation’s leading Inclusion focused engineering societies -(The American Indian Science and Engineering Society, The National Society of Black Engineers, The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and The Society of Women Engineers)- aimed at graduating 50,000 Female, Hispanic, Black and American Indian engineers by the year 2025. Prior to NSBE, Thompson served in various Diversity & Inclusion focused leadership roles with The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), The American Chemical Society (ACS), Cornell University and Corning Incorporated.

Thompson is the proud daughter of a US Air Force Veteran. She and her family spent the majority of her developmental years serving on bases in the Eastern United States, Asia, and Europe. Thompson earned her B.S. in Political Science from Virginia State University and is a Cornell University Certified Diversity Professional/Advanced Practitioner (CCDP).

Steve is currently Vice President, Human Resources with the Global Manufacturing, Quality and Supplies (GMQS) business unit of Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) and member of the GMQS leadership team. He is also a member of the FMC North America Human Resources Leadership team. Steve has helped guide cultural transformations by designing/implementing human capital programs and leveraging his deep experience supporting strategic acquisitions, divestitures and restructurings. Steve is working with business leaders to transform GMQS to a globalized, learning, diverse and inclusive organization. Steve enables global leaders to achieve challenging business objectives through targeted world class talent management in leading, developing and retaining critical talent. Additionally, Steve provides enterprise leadership by implementing and executing an HR delivery model working with strategic business partners to address business needs with centralized CoE developed solutions that have produced significant operational service and cost efficiencies.

Previously Steve was Vice President, Human Resources at Covidien PLC, a $10.7B manufacturer of medical technology solutions and patient care products, with 39,000 employees in more than 70 countries [NYSE: COV], Steve served as member of Covidien’s Global Human Resources Leadership Team providing strategic human resources direction for the corporation. In this role he led the regular formal global talent review within corporate functions, partnered with national account leaders to create a new organizational structure to call on key customers in advance of the Affordable Care Act, implemented a common technology platform in support of Covidien’s global leaders, directed the development/implementation of new HR Business Partner delivery model, coordinated acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activity between corporate human resources and the businesses – and played a key role in the integration planning/process following Medtronic’s $43 billion acquisition of Covidien in 2015.

Previously, as Vice President, Human Resources of Tyco Healthcare Retail Group (a $1 billion business unit of Tyco Healthcare before it was spun off from Tyco International in 2007 and changed its name to Covidien), Steve was a member of the Leadership Team setting operational policy and strategic direction for the business. In this role he partnered with the senior leaders to create a business unit-wide cultural transformation process that significantly improved customer service levels; was a key member of the team conducting due diligence and integration planning of a $700 million acquisition; and oversaw its integration resulting in annual savings of $10 million.

Earlier in his career, Steve held Human Resources management positions at Simpson Paper Company, a fine quality text and cover paper manufacturer; and at UGI Corporation [NYSE: UGI], a Fortune 500 natural gas and electric power distribution company.

Steve is a member of the Manufacturers Institute (an affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers) Diversity & Inclusion and Women’s Advisory Committees, Drexel University LeBow College of Business MBA Career Services Advisory Council; attended the PDI/Ninth House Leadership Assessment and Development program; and is a Certified Korn Ferry Leadership Architect 360 feedback Coach. Steve is a frequent guest lecturer on leadership.

He received his B.S. Business Administration from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.

As Chief Diversity + Inclusion Officer for BASF in North America, Patricia Rossman is responsible for providing strategic leadership to help BASF Corporation achieve its goals of creating a more diverse and inclusive work environment and being known internally and externally as a top company for Diversity + Inclusion.

This includes leadership of the Diversity + Inclusion Council and its intensified focus on Inclusion to drive belonging, innovation and growth.

Under her leadership, BASF has been named by DiversityInc. as one of the Top 50 Companies for Diversity for seven consecutive years, moving up from #31 in 2013 to ranking #14 in 2020.

BASF also consistently maintains its 100% compliance rating in the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ workplace equality, having consistently achieved 100% compliance for the past eight years.

Pat is also responsible for providing strategic leadership of all aspects of Human Resources Communications.

She is a member of the BASF Diversity + Inclusion Council, the Global Diversity + Inclusion team, and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Conference on Diversity and the Doing a World of Good Task Force of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Patricia joined BASF through BASF’s acquisition of Ciba Corporation.  She previously led Corporate Communications & Public Affairs for Ciba across the Americas Region. She also served as the Executive Director of the Ciba Foundation, a $6 million philanthropic foundation creating science education and workforce development partnerships.

Pat has more than 25 years of HR and Communications experience working in the chemical, technology and service industries.

She and her husband Glenn have three sons.