From the CEO: For my Mother, the epitome of PCL

AME | January 21, 2025

This week, I am reflecting on the essence of leadership and the individuals in our lives who taught us valuable lifelong skills. Looking back, we may not have realized it, but our earliest lessons in leadership began within our families. Our first mentors and role models were our parents, guardians and extended community. They demonstrated the behaviors we were expected to emulate and encouraged us to evaluate our choices. Through their guidance, we learned the fundamentals of effective decision-making, strengthened our ability to analyze risks and understood the consequences of our actions.

I find myself reflecting on the power of leadership, especially as I navigate the profound loss of my mother this week. She was a woman who was the epitome of people-centered leadership. My mother raised five children, including two sets of twins born within three years. This alone is an extraordinary feat, but what made her truly remarkable was the grace, love and resilience she poured into every moment of our lives. As an Army spouse, she faced challenges that would have overwhelmed many, moving our family every year, sometimes across international borders. She managed these transitions while my father was often deployed, navigating the complexities of solo parenting with determination and compassion.

Her ability to create a sense of belonging was unmatched. Even as the “new family in town,” she ensured we felt heard, valued and rooted. She had a unique gift for turning unfamiliar spaces into welcoming havens, making friends feel like family and fostering connections.

My mom embodied people-centered leadership principles every day of her life. She had the ability to develop five unique and vastly different individuals with diverse views and goals. She was proud of each of us and encouraged us to follow our own paths, even when she wasn’t 100% sure they were right. She also served as a sounding board and an encourager, and she led with a caring heart. She taught us to listen, respect our differences and work together through collaboration.

I’m reminded that people-centered leadership begins with listening. It means creating spaces where voices are heard, collaboration is prioritized and everyone feels they belong. My mom has shown me that the greatest leaders are not those who seek to be followed but those who inspire others to rise alongside them.

Losing her has been a humbling experience. I strive to honor her legacy by living and leading in a way that reflects her values. I want to build relationships based on trust, cultivate environments where kindness is a strength and focus on solutions that bring people together. Her loss reminds us of what truly matters. We must lead with our hearts and build lives that celebrate the connections we share.

This is why AME was so appealing to me when I first learned of the organization. I found AME to be a place where people-centric leadership (PCL) abounds. I felt a sense of belonging — remarkably like a family. AME creates an environment where people can realize their gifts, develop and apply their talents, and feel a genuine sense of fulfillment from their contributions in pursuit of a common purpose. In fact, our vision statement is, “A manufacturing renaissance driven by people-centric leadership coupled with enterprise excellence.” Stay tuned for some exciting news about AME and PCL in the next few weeks.

Thank you for allowing me to share a piece of my mom’s story with my AME family this week. I am comforted knowing she is with my twin sister, Kathi, playing Scrabble. To all who knew her, thank you for being part of her journey.

Kim and Alma Foley Humphrey

As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.