Sonia Dumoulin has been passionate about manufacturing since

attending a vocational high school in Fall River, Massachusetts, where she graduated in 2006. After being hired by AccuRounds shortly thereafter, Sonia has only flourished in her career. Her success story serves as a shining example that a college degree is not always a necessary tool for finding a fulfilling career.

Sonia quickly proved herself as a competent operator at AccuRounds and began setting up machines. When the role of value stream coordinator opened in 2009, she applied. “She didn’t have any related experience for that role, but her ability on CNC machines, her desire to learn, and her positive attitude earned Sonia the promotion,” says Sonia’s nominator, Michael Tamasi, president and CEO of AccuRounds.

In 2013, Sonia was promoted to a newly created workflow coordinator position. She helped develop this role in real-time, interacting with production, sales, quality, engineering and warehouse personnel.

“When we established a production coordinator role in 2017, Sonia once again applied (and received the position),” Mr. Tamasi says. In this (her current) position, she’s evaluating the performance for all production roles on the floor at AccuRounds.

The training Sonia has received at her company—technical, lean, supervisory, management, Shingo, and more—has enabled her to grow in her career. She is responsible for production assignments, establishing priorities, scheduling work, along with coaching and developing team members.

In 2018, she began attending the weekly leadership meetings at the company. Last year, she attended, along with Mr. Tamasi, a Business Leaders United Fly-In to Washington D.C., meeting HELP Committees in Congress as well as policy writers at the White House.

Outside of work, Sonia has volunteered in the community as a mentor to high school students, working career fairs, participating in STEM events, leading plant tours and collaborating with robotics teams. In doing so, she is setting an example of what success looks like for people interested in an advanced manufacturing career.

Sonia says she is humbled and honored by all the opportunities this career has presented her with, and she hopes to serve as a role model for students who see other options in the world for success other than going to college.

“I love my job because at the end of the day I can go home knowing I gave it my all,” Sonia says. “I made a difference in someone’s day by helping them, improving processes and contributing to the growth of AccuRounds. I learn something new every day.”

“Sonia is the perfect emerging leader we need to highlight to attract talent to our industry,” Mr. Tamasi says.

Sonia, who is a mother of two, says she is grateful for the love and support of her family. She loves to laugh and to make others laugh, but most of all, loves to spend time with her family.

To read about all the 2019 Emerging Leaders, visit “Meet Production Machining’s 2019 Emerging Leaders.”

To nominate an Emerging Leader for our 2020 awards, visit our nomination page.