WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) participated in a roundtable discussion with women business leaders in the Capitol on Wednesday focused on job creation, STEM education, and fostering women’s leadership. Amy Ericson, President of Alstom, Inc. and a Wilmington, Delaware native, was among the participants and briefed senators on Alstom’s groundbreaking work in the power generation and rail transportation sectors. As the female head of a major U.S. company, she also offered her perspective on the need to expand opportunities for qualified women to take on business leadership positions.
“If America is to lead the world in innovation, manufacturing, and business, we need to utilize the talents of all of our citizens,” Senator Coons said. “Though more women are leading companies today than ever before, they are still in the vast minority, particularly in critical STEM fields. Business leaders like Amy Ericson are proof positive that women make strong and capable executives in every field. As a father, I am thankful for the example Amy and her peers set for my daughter, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to expand opportunity for all American workers.”
“As a leader of an energy and rail transport technology company, and mother of four daughters, economic recovery is a constant focus for me at work and at home,” said Amy Ericson, President of Alstom, Inc. “Innovation is critical to driving economic recovery and growth and yet we’ve been slow to expand the nation’s pool of innovative thinkers. We need to break from traditional recruitment methods and significantly broaden our efforts so we attract a new and diverse mix of students and business leaders.”
Alstom is a global leader in power generation, power transmission, and rail infrastructure. The company employs 7,000 workers in the U.S., including 50 in Delaware, where its New Castle maintenance and supply facility services both of Delaware’s Amtrak facilities and the Acela train sets. Alstom’s global services include integrated power plant solutions for energy sources including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, as well as a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The company has produced 7,000 of the nation’s subway and rail transit vehicles and is responsible for developing the world’s fastest train and highest capacity automated metro.