COLUMBUS, Ind.– Cummins President and Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Rumsey has been elected to chair the company’s board, effective Aug. 1, 2023.
Rumsey succeeds Tom Linebarger, who is retiring from both of his Cummins positions — as executive chairman and chairman of the board — effective July 31, according to a news release.
Rumsey was first appointed to the Cummins Board of Directors in February 2022 and has served as president and CEO since August 2022.
She has held numerous roles during her more than two decades at Cummins, including chief technical officer, president of the components business and chief operating officer, the news release stated.
“Jennifer’s appointment as chair comes at a pivotal time for Cummins and the entire industry,” Linebarger said. “Her strategic vision for Cummins, centered on delivering solutions that meet our customers’ needs while reducing our impact on the environment, will help lead our company in the transition to a decarbonized future. On a personal note, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for the privilege of being part of this remarkable company for the past 30 years. I am delighted to pass this role to Jennifer and firmly believe that she is the ideal leader to guide Cummins at this important time.”
Rumsey said she is “deeply humbled to assume the role of chair. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Tom who has been an extraordinary leader for this company and an invaluable colleague and mentor to me.”
Rumsey went on to praise Linebarger’s leadership, saying he “has shaped my journey and approach to leadership at Cummins and helped position us for a bright future. As we look ahead, we will continue to create innovative solutions that effectively address our customers’ needs while making a positive impact on the communities we serve.”
Linebarger served as Cummins’ chairman and CEO from 2012-22 and as executive chairman of the company for the past year.
During his 10-year tenure, the company grew its revenue from $17.3 billion to a record $28.1 billion last year, according to the news release.
The news release noted that Rumsey “has significantly advanced the company’s decarbonization strategy in her first year as CEO while garnering three consecutive quarterly revenue records in late 2022 and early 2023. During this time, Cummins has continued to grow its core business with the acquisition of Meritor, accelerating the development of economically viable decarbonized powertrain solutions including the industry’s first fuel agnostic powertrain platform, enhancing the sales and service network and expanding customer relationships.”
Rumsey is a Columbus, Indiana-native and member of the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers and Women in Trucking Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
The news release notes that throughout her career, Rumsey has been an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion and women in STEM fields.
She resides in Columbus with her husband and has two college-age daughters.
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