LyondellBasell manager receives award

CLINTON, Iowa – Yarelis Hernandez, site manager of LyondellBasell, has received the Women in Manufacturing STEP Ahead Award from the National Association of Manufacturers.

The Manufacturing Institute award honors women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers.

Ms. Hernandez leads more than 300 employees at the LyondellBasell Clinton facility, one of the largest chemical plant sites in Iowa. She has spent the last 24 years with the company, holding many leadership positions in operations and corporate safety.

“Yari is an exemplary role model to her colleagues, while successfully breaking down barriers and silos for future generations,” said Michael VanDerSnick, senior vice president of Americas Manufacturing. “She is a woman of influence and inspiration to both the local Clinton community and global LyondellBasell corporation.”

Ms. Hernandez sits on the local economic boards to help lead and facilitate workforce development conversations between schools and corporations. These conversations have built a pipeline to careers and opportunities for Iowa students.

In addition, she spends her time volunteering to mentor girls interested in STEM-based careers through the “Introduce a Girl to Engineering” program.

Ms. Hernandez’s mentorship extends beyond the workplace. For the past 14 years, she and her husband, Chris Dorang, have volunteered through Boys Scouts of America helping shape future leaders.   

The STEP Ahead Awards honor exceptional women in manufacturing and motivates them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala and associated leadership training program. These women help inspire the next-generation of female leaders in manufacturing, and support existing female talent within the industry.

Women currently account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce.

On April 28, the Manufacturing Institute will recognize 130 recipients, including Ms. Hernandez, at the association’s STEP Ahead Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. 

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