Miriam Prieto
Project Lead, Maximatecc, a CentroMotion Family Brand
Degree in Industrial Engineering
While exploring her career path at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez seven years ago, Miriam Prieto began to understand the broad spectrum of opportunities available in the engineering field in an industrial city like Juarez, Mexico. “I realized the ample possibilities of a career in the field of industrial engineering, and its different branches and applications,” Prieto said. “The versatility is what appealed to me the most.”
Initially drawn to the engineering field by relatives, Prieto feels her aunt and uncle, who developed their respective careers in manufacturing, were ultimately very influential in her career decision. “My uncle, who has now retired, was an engineer and worked in the manufacturing industry in Juarez,” she said. “He always talked about how he enjoyed working with different processes and helping the company with improvements. Additionally, my aunt is an industrial engineer, and I saw how successful she became. They inspired me to pursue this path.”
While still in the early stages of her career, Prieto has come to believe respect for a woman’s skills lies at the heart of the barriers women face in the field of engineering. “I think women often don’t receive proper recognition as engineers,” she said. “There is differentiation for women in their professional careers, compared to male colleagues, peers and managers, in terms of tasks, responsibilities and making decisions. Women may be relegated to support or secretarial roles and second-guessed when taking charge and executing plans of action.”
From an engineering standpoint, Prieto finds her biggest hurdle is coordinating multidisciplinary teams. “In my role, it is always challenging managing a team because it requires some knowledge of each of the participant’s discipline,” she said. “This knowledge is critical to be able to determine scope and deliverables for each role, to ensure the project is successful from concept to completion.”
In her current role as project lead for Maximatecc, Miriam Prieto is proud to lead cross-functional teams to launch new products, implement engineering changes, develop projects for new customers and coordinate activities from kick off to launch. “I know I have helped my team improve, using open communication and a very structured project planning process.”
CentroMotion designs and delivers systems and solutions that are critical to the safety and reliability of our customers’ Industrial and Transportation products. Our technologies and subject matter expertise in the areas of motion, actuation, control, and friction and braking, coupled with our compelling customer value proposition, position us as a leading supplier to the markets we serve. Our well-known brands include Power-Packer for hydraulic motion control and stabilization systems; CrossControl and maximatecc for operator information and human-machine interface systems; Elliott Manufacturing and Weasler Engineering for power and force transmission through flexible and rigid driveline systems; Carlisle Brake and Friction for complete brake systems, brake components, wet and dry friction materials for brake, and clutch and transmission applications and Gits Manufacturing for high performance engine thermal and emission control solutions. CentroMotion’s Global Headquarters are in Waukesha, WI and we sell into over 70+ countries around the world. We have 22 manufacturing facilities, and our 3,500 employees are the source of our innovation, performance, and the reason for our success. Learn more about CentroMotion by visiting our website at www.centromotion.com.
Filed Under: Women in Engineering
