"Huntington
now takes an international perspective on this principle
as she oversees a worldwide network of commercial
and technical support teams for Schneider Electric,
routinely commuting to an office in Paris and frequently
traveling around the world. Adapting to various cultures
and business practices has proven invaluable, she says.
 Back in the mid-1980s, she held a more personal point
of view when she realized engineering wasn't the right
course of study for her. "I don't think I ever really
envisioned a career in engineering," says Huntington,
who had chosen the major because of her strong math
and science skills.
Huntington sought assistance from a guidance counselor, who suggested
industrial management so that she could integrate her
technical and interpersonal skills. With an overlap
of core courses between the two majors, the transition
was uneventful.
Retrospectively, though, Huntington had learned an important lesson
in adaptability that first came in handy right after
graduation. Signing on with Square D Company in Washington,
D.C., Huntington was quickly transferred to the tiny
town of Salisbury, Maryland.
After
growing up in Columbus, Indiana, Huntington had longed
for the adventure of a larger city. But working in
a two-person office in Salisbury turned out to be fortuitous. "I
was able to learn and make mistakes in a small market
and then apply what I learned throughout my career," says
Huntington, who serves on the Krannert School Alumni
Association board.
Within
two years, she was transferred to Baltimore, Maryland.
Picking up her MSM through Krannert's Executive Master's
Program, Huntington eventually relocated to Palatine,
Illinois. Palatine is the divisional headquarters for
Schneider Electric N.A., the French electric conglomerate
that acquired Square D in 1992.
As
Huntington's career gained momentum, she used the multidisciplinary
knowledge she'd acquired at Krannert. "An industrial
management degree gives you such good exposure to all
the disciplines," she says. "Today, I'm exposed to
issues addressing operational productivity of our customers,
international finance, marketing, and strategic development.
It all comes in handy."
PeopleWatch...
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have questions or would like to nominate an alumnus
to be featured in People Watch, please e-mail: tnewton@purdue.edu |
