TRUDELL SHARES STORY OF TRIAL AND TRIUMPH

Cynthia Trudell, keynote speakerat Lynn’s second annual BusinessSymposium, has served as a pioneerin the business community for more than three decades.

After beginning her career as a chemical process engineer in the male-dominated automotive eld, her work ethic and passion elevated her to a career lled with accolades and accomplishments. Through the years, Trudell has served as the chief human resources of cer and executive vice president of human resources at PepsiCo, president of Sea Ray Boats and chairman and president of Saturn.

“I began my business career 38 years ago when the automotive industry was being disrupted; I can only conclude that I like to be where it’s disruptive,” said Trudell. “What I’ve witnessed rsthand over the years is the incredible resiliency and stamina of people as they adapt to new environments.”

Trudell emerged on the automotive scene only two years after completing her time at the University of Windsor in the late 1970s. Following a brief stint with Ford Motor Company, she shortly after began her career at General Motors (GM) which provided her with numerous managerial positions that prepared her for the future. Her 20 years with the companyallowed her to ultimately assume therole of president for GM subsidiary Saturn in early 1999.

“When I became CEO in 1999, I was faced with a catch-up plan that involved major product upgrades, unrealistic launch timelines and further expansions to the portfolio,” said Trudell. “It exceeded Saturn’s bandwidth, but the success of the

organization was dependent on those product launches.”

Not only did the plan heighten expectations across the brand, but the ultimate resiliency of Trudell’s team impressed her. The dedication to succeed made her proud to be part of both the company and its culture.

“It ended up being a crucial test ofleadership, to lead people in very hardtimes while keeping them motivated and seeing that glass half-full,” said Trudell. “You never know what your leadership capabilities will be until you get into a situation like that.”

While Trudell’s journey with GM showed the demanding nature ofthe automotive industry, her time with PepsiCo displayed an equallyimportant message about one’s labor force. Upon being named the head of human resources for the food and beverage brand in 2007, Trudell was tasked with transforming the company’s operating model to enable it to meet the emerging health and wellness trends.

“Our CEO [Indra Nooyi] was convinced that, with what she saw on the horizon, we needed to make some changes,” said Trudell. “We initiated a three-fold transformation plan in 2007. By 2011, we began to see the impact of moving toward ‘better for you’ products.”

Now serving as a member of the Defense Business Board, advising the U.S. Department of Defense about business process and management issues, Trudell identi es numerous keys to business success. Particularly, she points to an organization’s employees as the focal point for any prosperous brand.

“No matter what, put people first.