Women in Motorsports: Jennifer Jenkins - Engine Builder Magazine

Women in Motorsports: Jennifer Jenkins

When Jennifer Jenkins first started working at Calico Coatings, being a woman in manufacturing was rare. Only four females worked at Calico at that time, none of which were in leadership roles. A lot has changed.

General Manager, Calico Coatings

Last May, Calico Coatings, a developer of technologically advanced coatings for the industry, introduced Jennifer Jenkins as its new general manager. Being an employee of Calico Coatings for more than 14 years, Jennifer has obtained the needed knowledge to truly understand the ins and outs of the manufacturing processes at Calico.

For Jennifer, Calico has always been about the people. The relationships that she has built at work have become so close they are her second family. Jennifer began working at Calico part time as a bearing technician in 2006. There, with the help of Annette Lunsford, her first supervisor, she learned how to work in a high-performance environment as a team member, quality inspector and order processor.

When Jennifer first started working at Calico, being a woman in manufacturing was rare. Only four females worked at Calico at that time, none of which were in leadership roles. However, times have changed and there are currently 11 women employed at Calico, five of whom are in leadership positions, including Jennifer.

In 2011, she started working in shipping and receiving where she learned a broader range of the manufactured parts that Calico was coating, the processes required, the coatings themselves, and the beginnings of the customer service side of the business. By 2012, Jennifer was a customer service and sales support representative where she quickly learned the tendencies of Calico’s customers’ business needs.

Jennifer had the privilege of working from the back end to the front end of the company, gaining valuable insight along the way that would aid in her current role as general manager.

Early on in Jennifer’s inside sales/service role, Calico landed a project for Mahle Engine Components based out of Morristown, TN. This project was something different for Calico and was the first of its kind that involved the entire Calico team. This project involved a significant amount of brainstorming, planning and project management. Jennifer had a very hands-on role in the project, and after 18 months, the Calico team was able to move into production. Getting this project to a finished state gave her a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and the confidence to set her sights on future leadership roles within the company.

Becoming general manager wasn’t Jennifer’s plan. She didn’t initially see the potential that others working around her saw. However, midway through her career she started to recognize her success as she had gradually chosen to take on more responsibility and leadership. General manager then became a personal objective for her.

“The biggest thing I have learned working at Calico, with the help of my colleagues, is my own potential,” Jenkins says. “I am blessed and I am grateful for the opportunity Gary gave me in 2006 to join the Calico team, and for the leadership role Tracy (Calico’s owner) has trusted me with today.”

The greatest challenge Jennifer has faced in the manufacturing environment has been her gender. She learned early on that she needed to be over-prepared for every circumstance. This involved learning from those around her and from previous circumstances as well as doing further research when needed.

“You have to learn early on that it’s a struggle to gain trust and the respect of your customers and colleagues,” Jenkins says. “You gain that respect and trust when you continually fulfill your promises and make it your goal to successfully solve their problems. Spend the time learning from others around you, have mentors, read materials related to your industry, know your environment, know the applications and the process. If you have knowledge, you will succeed. Before you try and change the game, you have to know the game.”

Jennifer plans to continue growing within Calico as a leader and to promote growth opportunities for other personnel. She also plans to work closely with the sales team and customers as Calico continues to transition from a small to a large business, now in its 20th year.

You May Also Like

The Road to AAPEX Season 2, Ep 1

Last year, the idea was simple: Find a junker, fix it up with the best from the automotive aftermarket, and drive it to Las Vegas for AAPEX 2022. This year, it’s anything but simple. The automotive aftermarket is at the crossroads of change. Electric vehicles, driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles, sustainability—it’s a shifting landscape. This

Last year, the idea was simple: Find a junker, fix it up with the best from the automotive aftermarket, and drive it to Las Vegas for AAPEX 2022. This year, it’s anything but simple.

The automotive aftermarket is at the crossroads of change. Electric vehicles, driver assistance systems, autonomous vehicles, sustainability—it’s a shifting landscape. This year, the Big Bosses at AAPEX, Bill Hanvey, president and CEO of Auto Care Association, and Paul McCarthy, president and CEO of MEMA Aftermarket, offered a challenge. Babcox Media’s Joe Keene, an ASE-certified technician, couldn’t refuse: Find and fix a rare Lincoln Blackwood and drive it down the Lincoln Highway to AAPEX 2023.

What’s a Ford Sidevalve Engine?

It looks like an ordinary inline 4-cylinder flathead engine. Essentially it is, but it has quite a cult following here in the UK.

The Drag & Drive Revolution

Following that first drag-and-drive event back in 2005, spinoffs of Drag Week have been happening all over the country, and the world, both large and small. In recent years, the trend has been completely blowing up!

The Evolution of Pro Mod Diesels

The advancements within the performance diesel world over the past 20 years have been nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, within just the last five to 10 years, that progress has been even more rapid and impressive, but few progressions have been more astonishing than those within the Pro Mod Diesel realm.

Top Fuel and Funny Car Engines

They’re the pinnacle of drag racing, and the engine builders, crew chiefs and teams who make these cars function at peak performance all season long are looking at every single area of the engine and the car to make it down the track as fast as possible.

Other Posts

Dawn Burlew Named First Female President of Watkins Glen International

Dawn Burlew, former director of Corning Incorporated, has been named president of Watkins Glen International. She is the first woman to hold the position. A lifelong New York resident, Burlew is taking on the new position after 40 years at Corning Inc., most recently serving as director of government affairs and director of business development.

Calico Coatings Launches Joint Venture with HEF Group

Calico Coatings, a Denver, NC-based provider of high-performance coatings, has formed a new joint venture with HEF Group, a French developer of surface engineering solutions.  The partnership gives Calico Coatings access to resources for developing advanced and customized coating solutions for its customers, according to the company. HEF Group, with 90 locations in 21 countries, specializes in tribology,

Calico CT-1 Coated Bearings

CT-1 is specifically engineered to withstand the extreme conditions of today’s high-performance engines.

SCCA Women on Track Introduces Time Trials Scholarships

Officials with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) have announced this year’s SCCA Women on Track initiative will award its first SCCA Women on Track Time Trials Scholarships. Related Articles – Holley Plans Shift to Holley Performance Brands – Summit Racing Launches ‘My Garage’ – TOPDON USA Donates $25,000 for Auto Techs Two recipients