Tom Linebarger, chairman and CEO of Cummins, will speak May 3 at IU’s graduate program’s commencement ceremony.
Cummins is a Columbus, Indiana-based Fortune 500 company which designs and manufactures engines, generators and other machinery. The company employs more than 8,000 people in the Columbus area.
Starting at Cummins as an intern in college, Linebarger became a full-time employee in 1993 and worked his way up through the ranks, serving in five administrative roles before becoming chairman and CEO in 2012.
He has joint bachelor's degrees in management engineering and mechanical engineering, a master’s in manufacturing systems and a Master of Business Administration degree.
Katie Zarich, manager of external communications for Cummins, said Linebarger is grateful for the opportunity to speak at the graduate students’ commencement and will focus on the importance of each individual's’ potential in his speech.
“Mr. Linebarger is an advocate for fairness and justice and each person’s ability to improve the world,” Zarich said in a statement.
She said he will speak briefly about an initiative called Cummins Powers Women, a multi-million dollar investment launched last year to address gender inequality and empower women and girls. Cummins will partner with nonprofits who work to empower women and girls around the world.
“One way we seek to better communities is by investing in programs that improve the lives of women and girls,” Linebarger said in a 2018 press release. “We’ve seen firsthand the positive transformation that happens when we ensure diversity and inclusion within our organization, bringing more women into our business at every level.”
