From: Tom Lane
Columbus
I enjoyed Ant Blair’s letter to the editor on the statesmanship of J. Irwin Miller (“Things you probably don’t know about J. Irwin Miller”, Nov. 1). Sometimes I think people also forget the innovative culture Mr. Miller created at Cummins Engine. I was lucky enough to come to Cummins and Columbus back in 1977. We were pushing the edge of the diesel engine, but also the edge of organizational development.
This is where the culture of Cummins was striving to create a diversity workforce in a sometimes not-so-friendly southern Indiana community. It was a difficult time to induce women and Black people to come here. But the cultural support of Mr. Miller enabled us to push that edge. Not sure most remember all that.
I think we were one the first companies in the Fortune 500 to do diversity training. All this began in the ’80s as we tried to move the company into what was going on in the country. I am sure we could not have done that without Mr. Miller’s support. I only met him a few times, but I was always proud to be part of the organization he created. I am pleased to see a woman at the helm of Cummins.
I left Cummins a long time ago, but I was always proud to say “I used to work at Cummins”. I hope all this proud tradition and innovation is still alive and well at the company. I think it is.
