In August of 2022, Jennifer Rumsey became President and CEO of Cummins Inc., the largest independent maker of diesel engines for trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. She succeeded long-time chief Tom Linebarger as the seventh CEO — and the first woman — to lead the company since it was founded in 1919. She oversees the strategic direction, growth initiatives, and global operations for the Indiana-based company, which provides global service and support in 190 countries across a network of approximately 9,000 distributor and dealer locations with nearly 60,000 employees worldwide.
Rumsey stepped into the role eager to prove her prowess.
“I am honored and proud to be appointed the next CEO of Cummins and excited about what the future holds for the company,” she said to Business Wire. “My technical background, business experience, and focus on people, purpose, and impact have prepared me for this moment.”
Rumsey holds degrees in mechanical engineering from Indiana’s Purdue University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. An Indiana native, she began working for Cummins in 2000 in research and technology, with a focus on advancing technology to reduce pollutants from diesel engines. She co-authored Cummins’ “Destination Zero” strategy, the company’s plan to advance further and more quickly to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) and air quality impacts of its products and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Rumsey has served in several leadership positions across Cummins, including President and Chief Operating Officer, where she successfully navigated the company’s global operations during unprecedented supply chain constraints. Prior to that role, she led Components, one of Cummins’ five business segments. In that capacity, she oversaw an organization of more than 12,000 employees located around the world. Before Cummins, she served as a group leader working on hydrogen fuel cells for Nuvera, a fuel cell pioneer which manufacture heavy-duty, zero-emission engines for mobility applications.
Rumsey also sits on the boards of directors of both Cummins Inc. and Hillenbrand. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the Purdue Engineering Advisory Committee, and Women in Trucking Association. She has been chosen as the National Truck Equipment Association’s (NTEA) keynote speaker for the 2023 Green Truck Summit taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with Work Truck Week 2023.