Cummins: Rumsey Taking the Throttle
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Jennifer Rumsey will assume the role of Cummins President and CEO, effective Aug. 1. (Photograph Courtesy of Cummins)
Tom Linebarger will end his term as CEO of Cummins, effective Aug. 1, with Jennifer Rumsey assuming the role of President and CEO, the company reported July 14. Rumsey will be the first women to serve as leader since Cummins was founded in 1919.
Linebarger, who became Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Cummins on Jan. 1, 2012, will continue as Chairman, said Cummins, one of the largest independent makers of diesel engines and related products in the world. The company’s products range from diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains, and powertrain-related components, including filtration, after-treatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen generation and fuel cell products.
Linebarger will also serve in an Executive Chairman position, working directly with Rumsey on a variety of initiatives, including completing Cummins’ pending acquisition of Meritor, a global supplier of drivetrain, mobility, braking, aftermarket, and electric powertrain solutions for commercial vehicle and industrial markets.
Since March 2021, Rumsey has served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Cummins, overseeing global operations. She was elected to the Board of Directors in February 2022, and will maintain her seat on the Board.
Prior to her current role, Rumsey was Vice President and President of the Components Segment, comprising Cummins Filtration, Cummins Turbo Technologies, Cummins Emission Solutions, Cummins Electronics and Fuel Systems, and Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies. She previously served as Vice President and Chief Technical Officer. Rumsey began her Cummins career in 2020 working in Research and Technology, primarily focused on advancing technology to reduce criteria pollutants from diesel engines. Since then, she has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including bringing new platforms and technologies to the market, driving improvements in product quality, and developing the capability of global teams, according to Cummins, which noted she has also been engaged with some of the company’s most important original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners. Prior to Cummins, Rumsey worked for a fuel cell technology start-up company in Cambridge, Mass.
Rumsey is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, the Purdue Engineering Advisory Council and Women in Trucking Association. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
“Jen is a once in a generation talent and the right leader for Cummins at this important time in our history,” Linebarger said. “She has been my partner in developing the Destination Zero strategy, which sets forth how the decarbonization of our industry will be a significant growth opportunity for Cummins. Her background as an engineer and technology expertise provides her a deep understanding of the major technical changes taking place and how to capitalize on them. Jen uniquely understands our customers and business, having worked in many different parts of the business during her more than 20-year career, and in every role, she has consistently delivered results. Most recently, she led our global operations as COO during one of the most challenging periods in our history, delivering record revenues and dramatically improving product quality and our market position while addressing unprecedented supply chain constraints. Most importantly, Jen is a principled leader who cares deeply about our stakeholders. We share a common vision for Cummins, and I am confident that Jen will lead Cummins into an even more prosperous future.”
“On behalf of the Cummins board, I want to thank Tom for his three decades at the company, including the last 15 years where he served first in the COO role and then as CEO,” Cummins Lead Director Tom Lynch said. “His leadership has grown Cummins’ global business, positioned the company to lead in zero- and low-carbon solutions, and developed a highly capable and diverse management team to lead us through the technology transition. We look forward to his continued contributions as Executive Chairman. During our long-term strategic planning, the Board had the opportunity to see Jen lead on key business initiatives and co-author the Destination Zero strategy with Tom. Jen is the ideal choice to lead Cummins into its next chapter, and we are confident that Jen will drive continued success for our business and customers.”
“I am honored and proud to be appointed the next CEO of Cummins and excited about what the future holds for the company,” Rumsey said. “Growing up in Columbus, Ind., where Cummins was founded, and spending most of my career here makes this announcement incredibly meaningful. I am grateful to Tom for his support and mentorship over the years and to the Board for their confidence in my leadership. My technical background; business experience; and focus on people, purpose and impact have prepared me for this moment. At Cummins, we build solutions that serve our customers’ needs and better our planet both now and in the future. At a time when technology is evolving more rapidly than at any point in our history, we must emphasize the critical role people play in our collective success. By putting people at the center of everything we do, we will power the path to decarbonization and advance our mission of powering a more prosperous world.”
In related developments, KLW (Knoxville Locomotive Works, Inc.) and Cummins Inc. on March 6 announced completion of the first KLWX 4400 ACT4, a remanufactured line-haul locomotive equipped with an EPA Tier 4-certified, 4,400-hp Cummins QSK95 prime-mover. The prototype locomotive is currently operating on CN, where it is undergoing reliability and performance testing. Also, in December 2021 Cummins Inc. reported that is was expanding its reach into the rail market with the QST30 Tier 4-compliant switcher locomotive power module.
