Workforce News

At the 2026 STEP Ahead Awards, manufacturing’s most inspiring leaders took center stage to celebrate their achievements and the pathways they are creating for the next generation.

A night to remember: The event, held Thursday night at the Washington, D.C., waterfront concert venue The Anthem, is held annually by the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s 501(c)3 workforce development and education affiliate. It honors exceptional leaders in the manufacturing industry who were nominated by their peers: 100 leaders (“Honorees”), 30 rising stars (“Emerging Leaders”) and 15 allies (“Champions”).

• The names of the 145 awardees at the gala—sponsored by Biogen, AstraZeneca, BASF and Johnson & Johnson, among others—were announced in March.
• The awards, now in their 14th year, are part of the MI’s STEP Ahead program, which helps individuals build successful careers in manufacturing while strengthening the industry’s future through leadership development, mentorship and community building.
• By celebrating the awardees’ stories, the MI helps shape perceptions of the industry and showcase the wide array of talent that powers it.

The program: The elegant evening featured a live performance by Brass Queens, a female-led brass band with New Orleans–inspired sound. It also included remarks by NAM President and CEO and MI Chair of the Board Jay Timmons, MI President Carolyn Lee and the chair and vice chair of the awards. 

Champions of change: Timmons highlighted the significant impact of the awardees being celebrated—especially the 15 Champions.

• “These leaders change cultures. They shift systems. They make their entire teams better—and in turn, strengthen manufacturing in the United States and around the globe,” said Timmons.
• The Champion Award, which was first given in 2025, recognizes individuals for their visible, proactive allyship and for fostering supportive workplaces in manufacturing.

Learning and connecting: The gala was preceded by two days of leadership programming for the awardees. This conference focused on strengthening essential skills, from emotional intelligence and communication to navigating change and career growth.

• In addition, at a hands-on service event sponsored by L’Oreal, the awardees assembled personal hygiene care packages for residents at a D.C. nonprofit.

Stories that spark change: Biogen Executive Vice President and Head of Pharmaceutical Operations & Technology Nicole Murphy, the 2026 STEP Ahead Gala chair, reflected on the ripple effect of recognition on the future of the industry.

• As one example, she mentioned James Phillips, a 30-year employee and leader at Biogen. He helped build facilities, trained teams and launched a new plant in Switzerland during a global pandemic, mentoring a generation of plant leaders along the way.
• “Every story we tell here tonight changes who can see themselves in manufacturing. Every person we honor is a role model for someone who hasn’t walked through the door yet. Every individual in this room is helping to build an industry where talent doesn’t just arrive—it stays. It grows. It advances. And it changes the world,” said Murphy.

The last word: “The extraordinary people we celebrate tonight—they reached higher inside organizations that gave them room to lead. Companies with cultures that believed in them, invested in them and made their work possible,” said Lee. “My call to every employer here is simple. Let’s do more of this work. Let’s lift up more of our workforce. Support it. Recognize it. Reward it. Create the conditions that make it possible. That’s how you produce role models like the ones in this room.”