On June 14, Carolina Cat hosted a demo day for members of its Women LEAD employee organization in the Charlotte, N.C., area. The purpose of the Women LEAD initiative is to cultivate a diverse and growing employee base by providing targeted opportunities that foster a supportive community for females working in the construction equipment business.

In keeping with that mission, Carolina Cat's event offered a special opportunity for this group of participating women to network and explore mentorship avenues while receiving hands-on tutorials for a variety of Caterpillar machines that many would otherwise have never had the chance to see in action. According to Amanda Weisiger Cornelson, field service coordinator, the demo day came about as the direct result of a survey posed to the members of Women LEAD.

"They wanted career development and they wanted to be able to learn how to operate the equipment," Weisiger Cornelson said. "A lot of them had never even sat in the cab of a piece of equipment let alone operated one, so this is a pretty cool opportunity, and I am glad we are able to do it." CEG

(L-R) are Elizabeth Bryant, Amanda Weisiger Cornelson, Nikki Maple, Christy Smith, Marianne Siercke, Danielle Colvin, Nicole Cortazzo and Allie Kahler, all of CTE and Carolina Cat.  

Kristin Gaskil (L) of Caterpillar and Shae Dwyer of CTE are in front of the Cat 299D2 compact track loader with a Cat HM418C high flow XHP hydraulic mulcher attachment.  

Elyce Tatum has been a service technician with Carolina Cat for three years.  

(L-R) are Kaylee and Jayden Smith of S.M. Smith & Sons in Midland, N.C., and Paige Kostrab of CTE.  

Learning about the Cat 950GC wheel loader (L-R) are Kaitlyn Beck, CTE; Marianne Siercke, Lift One; Myrna Ham, CTE; Tyshima Witherspoon, CTE; and Hannah Kaplan, CTE.  

Lauren Lomascolo of Granite Contracting in Cornelius, N.C., operated the Cat D6K LGP with Grade Control.  

(L-R) are Sam Euler, CTE; Brittany Johnson, CTE; Steph Farrell, CTE; Sophia Rowe, Lift One; Riley Ketcham, Lift One; Jamie Diaz, CTE; Jenny Hill, CTE; Pat Boland, CTE; Rachel Bunn, CTE; and Lee Anne Huffstepler, CTE.  

Amanda Weisiger Cornelson (L) and Kathy Taylor, head of Human Resources at CTE, attended the event.  

Getting set to try out the Cat 336 Next Generation excavator (L-R) are Jamie Fore, Sitech Mid-Atlantic; Lauren McMillan, CTE; Amanda Weisiger Cornelson, Carolina Cat; and Annie Molkenbuhr, Sitech Mid-Atlantic.  

Shown with the Cat 302 CR excavator are Nicole Cortazzo (L) of CTE and Lift One’s Lorrie Todd.  

The Cat D6K LGP being operated.  

Wide selections of Next Generation Cat excavators from the 302 to the 336 were available to try out.  

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