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Head of the Line

by Susan Mowris
IT isn't lonely at the top. Ask Deborah Stewart Kent. As assistant plant manager of Ford Motor Company's assembly plant in Chicago. Illinois.Kent oversees the work of 2,700 employees In a space the size of five football fields (450 meters). Daily, she traverses the huge facility innumerable times. meeting with managers, department heads and production-line employees on both the day and night shifts, checking for quality concerns, cost control and safety factors. So while she does not build cars, her approach is definitely an "in the trenches" style.
Appointed to the job tn May 1992, Kent is the first woman in Ford's history to serve as an assistant plant manager in an assembly plant. She sees nothing unusual about her position.
"I don't see myself as a woman in a man's fob but aa an individual with a Job and the accompanying tasks that I am expected to achieve." she says. "Being a woman, who happens to also be black, doesn't enter into it."
Kent originally planned to become a psychologist for a corporation. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a graduate degree in clinical psychology in 1977 from Washington University
in St. Louis. Missouri. While still a graduate student, she appliea to a handful of large firms in the St Louis area, including General Motors (GM).
"I didn't even know the difference between hourly and salaried employees," she says. "It Was just by chance the woman in personnel at GM sent me down the hall to the salaried department to drop off my resume." So when GM called for an interview the next day. Kent was surprised.
3 had no mechanical skills I could think of. but 1 know I had no fear of fixing things." she says. This "can do" attitude, and the fact that GM was looking for a liberal-arts graduate to train in technical and engineering skills, earned her a position as a management trainee. "GM was looking for people with good communication skills because they weren't having much luck training people from the technical side in people skills. It sounded like a challenge, and I enjoy taking risks."
Kent started work in March 1977 while still working toward her master's degree. Her first day was memorable and somewhat intimidating. 1 had never seen Jhe
inside of a factory before." she says. "My first impression was of this big. noisy and definitely male environment. 1 had to duck and dodge fork lifts and listen to catcalls and yells. My biggest concern was not getting lost on the way back to the office."
Just being new. she remembers. was the hardest part of the first day. When she started working, she felt like an "apple in a barrel full of oranges.
"People told me I was was no place for a woman." she says. "Many of the men were uncertain now they felt about a female supervisor who was young enough to be their granddaughter, and. as determined as they were to tel) me it was no place for me, 1 was Just aa determined to dig in deeper and do a good Job. Most of the people in that plant had migrated from the South, and my job was out of the traditional role they knew for women."
Kent held her ground. In her 10 years with GM she earned several promotions at plants in St Louis; Bowling green. Kentucky, and Detroit. Michigan. In 1985, as production superintendent at the Pontiac Assembly Plant tn Detroit, she helped the plant
achieve a 25 per cent a year cost reduction.
Ford hired her in 1987 as chassis area manager at the Wixom. Michigan, assembly plant. While there, the 1988 Town Car and the 1989 Lincoln Continental were rated as best in their class for chassis. During her tenure as area manager at the Dearborn. Michigan, assembly plant, the plant wort several awards. Including the Q-l and Preventive Maintenance Awards, and the Ford Mustang's top customer-satisfaction ratings. Since her appointment to the Chicago plant, Taurus/Sable has become the best-selling car nationally and has had a 25 per cent increase In customer indicators. Although she has received many awards, accolades and promotions. Kent laughs when she thinks of her start in the Industry.
"I didn't even know what an axle was. she says. As part of her training programme, she was sent to school for six months with dealership mechanics to learn hands-on diagnostic testing and repair of vehicle components. I was sent to learn the function of each component and where it was located. I participated 100 per cent, and rather than Just observe. I learned
how to rebuild."
That kind of attitude and her love of a challenge have served her well in her leadership role. Kent attributes these skills to the lessons of childhood. Third in a family of nine children raised in- St-Louis' Inner city. Kent says teamwork, a sense of humor and a sense of humility are qualities her parents instilled In each child.
"My parents are proud of me. but they are equally proud of all their children." she says. "Each one of us is By employed and func-wefi in society. Our s expected us to achieve, but not compete with each other. When we come together as a group, we still do what benefits the entire group." She has used the same teamwork philosophy on the Job.
"For me. the best leadership role is to get behind everybody and push up the organization as a whole.'" she says. "I like to empower people to live up to their potential. and I see myself as a catalyst to make things hap-^Kent says she has received wonderful opportunities In
her life, noting the scholarships. promotions and training programmes that have helped her throughout the years. In October 1992, she was sejected as Ford's only representative to attend a leadership program in Aspen. Colorado, for minority executives.
“It was a chance to network (interrelate) with 19 other minority executives and listen to minorities in leadership roles share the high spots of their careers." she says. As a busy single parent since her divorce six years ago. Kent looks for creative ways to spend time with her daughters. Jessica. 12. and Jordan. 10. If she works on Saturday, they go with her and work on her computer. If she brings paperwork home, they take turns reading it aloud to test their reading skills. Her daughters show sings of high achievement Just like Kent, but they are encouraged to have fun. too.
Despite all her responsibilities. Kent says she looks forward to each day.
"I am organized to stay on track, so Im not frantic or stressed out," she says. 1 enjoy what I do, and through me. my daughters and others around me get to see the possibilities.- - USS
Susan Mowris ts a St. Louts Missouri-based writer.