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WHO’S WHO Karen White, Bemidji State University DREAMING IT. DOING IT. by Stephani Simon There could not be a more appropriate personality affiliated with the Dream It. Do It. campaign than Karen White. She embodies the motto at home as well as in her role as executive director of MNSCU’s 360° Manufacturing and Applied Engineering Center of Excellence at Bemidji State University. The Dream Born and raised in Moorhead, Minn., White’s life seems to have been based on a series of focused dreams that she has accomplished over time. In high school, White had a strong desire to compete, and naturally gravitated toward sports—namely tennis and cheerleading. She also began to discover a passion for engineering, taking male-dominated shop courses like automotive mechanics. It was then that White began to dream of a career in engineering. Setting out to make her dream a reality, White enrolled in the engineering program at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and went on to obtain a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. Turning Dreams into Reality It was after graduation that White’s degree introduced her to the world of manufacturing, when she accepted an engineering job at Imation in Wahpeton, North Dakota, a diskette manufacturing plant. It was at Imation that she came to understand how products are made. White credits Imation for her biggest learning moments, including being part of a 13-member plant management team responsible for meeting corporate objectives. She also came to love the fast pace of the manufacturing industry and the diverse aspects that the industry had to offer, whether it was focusing on safety, quality, cost, or capacity. After 5 years of being in engineering and management roles at Imation, White Karen White, executive director, 360° with kids left to right: Justin, Lauren and Alec. ventured back into the world of higher education, taking on an engineering operations role at North Dakota State University (NDSU) in the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering. At NDSU, she gained an understanding and passion for how businesses, universities, and governments form partnerships. Ultimately, the role became a natural segue into her career at Bemidji State, where she helps train workers for the manufacturing industry and has become involved with the Dream It. Do It. campaign. The Initiative It was in early 2007 that a lack of skilled workers in manufacturing prompted White to seek out support from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. This is when she first was introduced to the concept of Dream It. Do It. Because of her passion around the campaign, White now works with the Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association, Tri-State Manufacturers’ Association, West Central Initiative, Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association, and manufacturers from the Brainerd Lakes area to further the campaign’s initiatives, promoting a clear understanding of advanced, high-tech manufacturing. White carries this same dream it, do it philosophy into her home life. Having met her husband Jim in college, a Minnesota native from Cook (a small community north of the Iron Range), the pair is determined to teach their three kids about the diverse lifestyle Minnesota has to offer. The family, including Alec (13), Justin (9) and Lauren (4), often travels around the state taking advantage of rural and city living. One favorite White always looks forward to is visiting the farmstead of Jim’s grandfather that was established more than 80 years ago just north of Cook. They also can be found enjoying cabin life near their home in Bemidji. In addition to waterskiing and fishing, the family enjoys downhill skiing and hunting. Indeed, rarely a week goes by without playing sports of some kind. For White, that includes exercising her competitive nature by playing on a tennis league. The family also frequently travels to the Twin Cities, taking in sporting events, attending cultural exhibits, and visiting family. Open to Experiences “We want our kids to grow up knowing that hard work has rewards: to enjoy life, and to be open to experiences,” White said during the interview. This also means getting them to think about their futures. White works to involve the family in technology, robotics, and Camp Invention activities. She wants them to know what the inside of manufacturing facilities look like and how product development happens. White’s ultimate dream is for youth to be accepted when they say, “I want to be a welder.” Until then, she intends to continue to highlight the impact that manufacturing has to the state’s and nation’s economic PM health and to live her dreams. STEPHANI SIMON is the president of Orange Communications in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She can be reached at ssimon@orange77.com. 20 | PRECISION MANUFACTURING September | October 2012
WHEN NUMBERS MATTER: 6 NEW JOBS. 2 MONTHS TO FULFILL. 1 a51nx HMC. Making the parts that really matter takes a horizontal machining center that delivers what matters most: faster cycle times, greater reliability and higher-quality results. Which is why a Makino HMC is the only real choice for the production parts that matter most. It’s the speed you need to handle the jobs that matter. The Makino a51nx and a61nx. makino.com Your local distributor for MN, NE, IA, SD, ND and western WI is: © 2012 Makino Productivity Inc. 15150 25th Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55447 763.476.8600 www.productivity.com
Page 1 and 2: SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 THE FUTURE
Page 3 and 4: FEDERATED® Your Association Does!
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS September | October 2012 8
Page 7 and 8: MPMA EVENTS: SEPTEMBER Sept. 20 - 1
Page 9 and 10: COVER STORY Dream It. Do It. is a n
Page 11 and 12: MANUFACTURING MARVELS Election Ferv
Page 13 and 14: Bill Kuban: Legend and Legacy desig
Page 15 and 16: MADE IN MINNESOTA Tower Solutions S
Page 17 and 18: SHOP PROFILE “If you schedule reg
Page 19: INDUSTRY PROFILE: ENGINEERED FINISH
Page 23 and 24: FEATURE STORY Remember, MTConnect i
Page 25 and 26: BEST PRACTICES To solve this, Metal
Page 27 and 28: MANUFACTURERS’ MARKETPLACE A few
Page 29 and 30: MEMBER DIRECTORY Blanski Peter Kron
Page 31 and 32: MEMBER DIRECTORY IFS-Industrial Fab
Page 33 and 34: MEMBER DIRECTORY Stone Machinery, I
Page 35 and 36: AFFORDABLE PORTABLE CMM 1-Align 2-I

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