Rosalind Fox manages a factory that transforms 'hunks of metal' into 'majestic machines' and is an impressive role model to the many women inspired to walk in her footsteps.
The inside of John Deere's Des Moines Works facility is quite the site to behold. Futuristic robotic transport vehicles hum softly along predetermined paths. Glistening green and yellow sprayers, cotton harvesters, and tillage machines roll off the assembly lines destined for customers worldwide.
The person who oversees it all, Factory Manager Rosalind Fox, says there is no place she'd rather be.
"It's so fulfilling to see your work roar to life," says Rosalind.
“Every day, we take hunks of metal and transform them into majestic machines. You don’t think that’s the greatest thing on earth?” she asked, rhetorically. “It’s so fulfilling to see your work roar to life. I’m not out on the line turning wrenches, but I have the privilege of leading teams responsible for that. It’s unbelievable.”
Rosalind went from stocking shelves at a department store after high school to running a billion-dollar factory because she never let anything – or anyone – define her dreams.
Behind the scenes
The 3.5 million-square-foot facility, Des Moines Works is a former WWII munitions plant where now some of the most advanced agricultural equipment in the world is built by John Deere.
Dream big and achieve great things
A 3.5 million-square-foot facility, Des Moines Works is a former WWII munitions plant where John Deere now builds some of the most advanced agricultural equipment in the world.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.