Kennedy receives national manufacturing award

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Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. owner and CEO Lou Kennedy has been recognized with the National Association of Manufacturers’ Icon award.

The organization presented the award, which is given to leaders who inspire Americans to promote, perpetuate and preserve manufacturing, Monday during its spring board meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Lou Kennedy embodies the spirit of manufacturing, possessing a fearless commitment to solving some of our nation’s and the world’s most pressing challenges,” Jay Timmons, NAM president and CEO, said in a news release. “With trademark enthusiasm, Lou inspires those around her and brings together people from all sorts of backgrounds around a common purpose. In channeling her drive and dedication toward the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute’s Creators Wanted campaign, she is changing lives not just in South Carolina but across America.

“Her support has been game-changing, and her passion for building the manufacturing workforce has helped us see our own vision for Creators Wanted more clearly. We’re honored to present this award to Lou in recognition of her exceptional leadership.”

Kennedy is co-chair of Creators Wanted, the industry’s workforce campaign to generate interest in and promote manufacturing as a career. The campaign seeks to cut the manufacturing skills gap by 600,000 workers by 2025 and to increase the number of students enrolling in technical schools, vocational schools and apprenticeships by 25%.

Last year, Nephron hosted a Creators Wanted tour event, with S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and other officials on hand to help call attention to manufacturing as career choice. 

“I am grateful to Jay and his entire team for this unexpected honor,” Kennedy said. “But, even more than that, I am thankful for the hundreds of young people, who visit Nephron to learn more about the future of manufacturing.

“We are experiencing another renaissance in the industry. The future is bright. I cannot wait to see how the next group of manufacturing innovators builds on the incredible momentum of companies large and small, and on the leadership of visionaries, such as Jay Timmons, and programs like Creators Wanted.”

In 2019, Kennedy received a STEP Ahead award. The awards honor women in science, technology, engineering and production careers.