Kennametal Honors 2026 STEP Ahead Award Winner from the Manufacturing Institute

Rhea-AI Summary

Kennametal (NYSE: KMT) announced on March 9, 2026 that Ellen Whittingham, Vice President, Strategic Talent Enablement, was named a 2026 STEP Ahead Award Honoree by the Manufacturing Institute.

The award recognizes leadership in manufacturing; Whittingham joins 145 honorees and continues Kennametal's history of STEP recognition. Kennametal reported ~$2 billion revenue in fiscal 2025 and ~8,100 employees across nearly 100 countries.

PITTSBURGH, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) announced today that Ellen Whittingham, Vice President, Strategic Talent Enablement, has been recognized as a 2026 STEP Ahead Award Honoree by The Manufacturing Institute.

The STEP Ahead Awards recognize people powering manufacturing success, those whose leadership, expertise and commitment to others are building stronger workplaces and communities. Whittingham's contributions are celebrated along with 145 honorees from companies of all sizes and sectors and she joins a group of 18 other Kennametal honorees who have received STEP Ahead Awards in prior years.

"We congratulate Ellen on this honor, which is a reflection of the positive impact she has had on our people and culture," said Kennametal President and CEO Sanjay Chowbey. "We appreciate her leadership, commitment to developing talent and focus on driving accountability at Kennametal and in the community."

Whittingham is a trusted leader recognized for driving accountability, developing talent and delivering business impact. With more than two decades in manufacturing and operations, and over 15 years in human resources, she has helped lead several companies through organizational design transformation, driven a shift in performance management and strengthened talent development programs to help employees and companies succeed. At Kennametal, she has championed the launch of multiple employee resource groups, and contributed to strengthening engagement, succession and talent development.

Furthermore, her commitment to mentorship and civic service has made a difference in the community. For more than six years, she has supported a nonprofit that provides counseling to young people and their families, helping the organization develop and execute a strategy to build a talent pipeline and expand into new communities.

About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 8,100 employees are helping customers in nearly 100 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated nearly $2 billion in revenues in fiscal 2025. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About the Manufacturing Institute

The Manufacturing Institute works to build and strengthen the manufacturing workforce for today and tomorrow to create a workforce prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. This is done through implementing groundbreaking initiatives, convening industry leaders, conducting innovative research and promoting public policy that supports the sector as it meets the opportunity of modern manufacturing. Through this work, the MI furthers individual opportunity, community prosperity and a more competitive manufacturing industry.
For more information, please visit: https://themanufacturinginstitute.org/

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SOURCE Kennametal Inc.

FAQ

Who is Ellen Whittingham and why did Kennametal (KMT) highlight her on March 9, 2026?

Ellen Whittingham is Kennametal's Vice President, Strategic Talent Enablement and a 2026 STEP Ahead Award honoree. According to the company, she was recognized for leadership in talent development, accountability, employee resource groups and community mentorship over her two-decade manufacturing career.

What is the Manufacturing Institute STEP Ahead Award that Kennametal (KMT) referenced?

The STEP Ahead Award recognizes women leaders advancing manufacturing workplaces and communities. According to Kennametal, the program honors leadership, expertise and commitment, with 145 honorees in 2026 including Whittingham and past Kennametal recipients.

How does this recognition reflect on Kennametal's workforce and scale (KMT)?

The award highlights Kennametal's focus on talent and inclusion initiatives. According to the company, Kennametal employs about 8,100 people in nearly 100 countries and reported nearly $2 billion in fiscal 2025 revenue, underscoring global scale and HR investment.

Has Kennametal (KMT) had other STEP Ahead Award honorees before 2026?

Yes. Kennametal has had multiple previous honorees totaling 18 prior STEP Ahead Award recipients. According to the company, Whittingham joins that group, continuing Kennametal's history of recognition for manufacturing leadership and talent development.

What community or mentorship work did Kennametal's honoree undertake as noted by KMT?

Whittingham supported a nonprofit for over six years to build counseling and a talent pipeline in new communities. According to Kennametal, she helped develop strategy and execution to expand services and strengthen youth and family support programs.