Jennifer Rumsey will become the seventh CEO and first woman to lead Cummins since it was founded in 1919, the power technology company announced. She will replace current CEO Tom Linebarger, who plans to step down Aug. 1.
“Jen is a once-in-a-generation talent and the right leader for Cummins at this important time in our history,” said Linebarger, who will continue to serve as chairman of the Cummins board of directors and executive chairman.
Currently Cummins’ president and COO, Rumsey will retain her title as president when she takes over in August. Cummins said the duo would continue to work together after the leadership transition on various Cummins initiatives, including the pending Meritor acquisition.
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“On behalf of the Cummins board, I want to thank Tom for his three decades at the company, including the last 15 years where he served first in the COO role and then as CEO,” said Tom Lynch, Cummins lead director. “His leadership has grown Cummins’ global business, positioned the company to lead in zero- and low-carbon solutions, and developed a highly capable and diverse management team to lead us through the technology transition.”
‘Ideal choice to lead Cummins’
Named Cummins COO in March 2021, Rumsey has been engaged with the company’s OEM partners in her current and past roles at the Columbus, Indiana-based company. Rumsey’s past company leadership roles include president of components, where she oversaw a global portfolio of business units. Cummins reported that work delivered profitable growth while ensuring power solutions met performance and emissions goals.
As a past chief technical officer, she led strategic investments in key technologies and applications to transition to lower carbon emissions products, laying the foundation for Cummins’ New Power Business and Destination Zero strategy. Before joining Cummins, Rumsey worked for a fuel-cell technology company.
Lynch called Rumsey “the ideal choice to lead Cummins’ global operations.” He added that Rumsey would retain her seat on the board of directors, which she joined in February.
“She has been my partner in developing the Destination Zero strategy, which sets forth how the decarbonization of our industry will be a significant growth opportunity for Cummins,” Linebarger said. “Her background as an engineer and technology expertise provides her a deep understanding of the major technical changes taking place and how to capitalize on them. Jen uniquely understands our customers and business, having worked in many different parts of the business during her more than 20-year career, and in every role, she has consistently delivered results.”
Rumsey led Cummins’ global operations as COO “during one of the most challenging periods in our history, delivering record revenues and dramatically improving product quality and our market position while addressing unprecedented supply chain constraints,” Linebarger added. “Most importantly, Jen is a principled leader who cares deeply about our stakeholders. We share a common vision for Cummins, and I am confident that Jen will lead Cummins into an even more prosperous future.”
About Jennifer Rumsey
Rumsey began her Cummins career in research and technology, primarily focused on advancing technology to reduce criteria pollutants from diesel engines. Since then, she has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility and impact, including bringing new platforms and technologies to the market, driving product quality improvements, and developing global teams' capability.
“I am honored and proud to be appointed the next CEO of Cummins and excited about what the future holds for the company,” Rumsey said. “Growing up in Columbus, Indiana, where Cummins was founded, and spending most of my career here makes this announcement incredibly meaningful.”
She said she is grateful for Linebarger’s support and mentorship. “My technical background, business experience, and focus on people, purpose, and impact have prepared me for this moment,” Rumsey said. “At Cummins, we build solutions that serve our customers’ needs and better our planet both now and in the future. At a time when technology is evolving more rapidly than at any point in our history, we must emphasize the critical role people play in our collective success. By putting people at the center of everything we do, we will power the path to decarbonization and advance our mission of powering a more prosperous world.”
Rumsey is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, Purdue Engineering Advisory Council, and Women in Trucking Association. She has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and a master's in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cummins leaders said she has advocated for diversity, equity and inclusion, and women in STEM fields throughout her career.
She lives in Columbus with her husband and has two college-age daughters who are both pursuing engineering degrees.
