Women in Manufacturing: Brooke Howard & Madelyn Keslar— Butler Technologies Inc.
In honor of national manufacturing month, we’re highlighting women in Southwestern PA working in manufacturing.
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Can you give us the elevator pitch on what your company does?
Brooke Howard (BH): Butler Technologies provides our customers with custom engineered print solutions. Using digital printers and screen print presses combined with advancing technology, we produce a variety of products in the Human Machine Interface and Printed Electronics categories. Butler Technologies has been in business for over 32 years and promotes a culture centered around our core values of curiosity, work ethic, and team. Our employees are our most valuable asset and the reason why we are able to provide our customers with the quality and consistency that makes BTI the first choice for our customers.
Madelyn Keslar (MK): Butler Technologies is an engineering and design-driven manufacturer specializing in printing, fabricating, and assembling custom products. While we have decades of experience with familiar products like graphic overlays and membrane switches, we are pushing the industry forward by prioritizing innovation through printed wearable technology like biometric sensors and flexible heaters. Our team of engineers and graphic artists offers the experience of a large national brand while maintaining the care and connection that comes with being a family-owned business.
How did you get involved in your role?
BH: I was hired in 2021 as the Talent Acquisition Specialist and Community Ambassador. Butler Technologies experienced unprecedented growth in 2021 and needed a dedicated recruiter to manage staffing. Additionally, we have a goal to become more involved in our community and I am happy to be the liaison between our employees and new philanthropic pursuits and community partnerships.
MK: I was brought on as one of three specialists on the marketing team. For so long, BTI went without a full marketing team — their products and customer service speak for themselves! But when the company decided to double down on innovation and growth, a marketing strategy was a natural next step. My role involves managing our CRM, evaluating our messaging, and creating content, but every day is different, which I love.
What types of companies do you work with?
MK: We work with companies across industries and of all shapes and sizes. From creating parts incorporated into medical equipment to designing wearable technology for athletes, every product we work on is unique. Our primary industries include health and wellness, performance athletics, and industrial companies.
What do you enjoy about your job?
BH: Above all else, I am most fulfilled when I can help someone. I serve that purpose in two ways in my role, by hiring great people who contribute to the mission, vision, and purpose of BTI and making connections that serve the community we live and work in.
MK: I love that I get to work on so many different things. I’m most engaged when I’m learning something new, so the fact that marketing spans so many different creative areas is perfect for me.
But marketing in the manufacturing space makes it even more exciting! Every day I’m challenged to understand our technology — how it’s made, how it works, and our clients use it — and then I get to turn around and communicate those things through storytelling.
What is a challenge in manufacturing that you would like to tackle?
BH: A project that I’m currently working on is to create a “Day in the Life” program to give our employees a snapshot into how their daily decisions and actions affect other positions and departments within the company. I’ve pulled together a committee comprised of production and pre-production personnel to help work out the logistics and looking forward to the implementation of that program.
MK: I would love to see more high school and college students consider internships or careers in manufacturing. Job-shadowing or interning at a manufacturing facility is a great way to see if this might be an area you’re interested in before graduating high school. And whether graduating from trade school or college is in your future, there are so many different roles in this field and for so many different skill sets and education levels.
Can you tell us about a lesson you learned in your career?
BH: Use your voice. I tend to be a people pleaser, which has sometimes held me back from speaking an unpopular opinion. But I have found that more often than not, I wish I would have shared my thoughts. Undesirable outcomes could have been avoided if I had.
MK: The biggest thing I’ve learned in my career thus far is to stay curious. Not only does it keep me engaged and excited by the prospect of learning something new, but I’ve found it’s also essential to being a good coworker and project manager.
Whether you’re interacting with someone you don’t get to work with often, or trying to manage a project that spans multiple teams, I think it’s key to stay curious about what people are working on and what their challenges may be. It helps you get to know your coworkers, understand the business from multiple perspectives, and just get more enjoyment out of what you do.
What is one myth or common misconception people have about manufacturing?
BH: I believe most people associate the manufacturing industry with the outdated notion that it dirty and dangerous. Not true in all cases. Our employees work in a clean, comfortable, safe, temperature controlled environment.
MK: When you say the word “manufacturing”, it’s common to think of a dirty, loud, factory where a standard product is made. But working in this space has shown me how wrong that can be. At BTI, our facility is more like a chemistry lab or a fashion design house than a factory! Our engineering and production teams make such unique, cutting-edge products all while using innovative design strategies to make it possible.
