TASKMASTER COMPONENTS
SHARP MANUFACTURING , LLC
KELLY STILL , VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
TASKMASTER COMPONENTS
Originally from southern California , Kelly Still moved to Missouri in 1988 . After being a stay-at-home mother for several years , Kelly decided it was time to go back to work and , in 2003 , she began her career at Taskmaster Components as a Customer Service Representative . Two years later Kelly was promoted to Branch Manager . Serving as the Vice President of Operations since 2017 , Kelly admits the road wasn ’ t always easy and she often faced obstacles . However , she credits her hard work ethic in getting her to the position she has today .
Where do you see the role of women in the trailer industry in the next 10 years ? “ As a woman , you must work extremely hard to earn respect and recognition in the trailer industry , which means having to challenge gender imbalances every step of the way . It means proving that leadership has absolutely nothing to do with gender , but is just about having the ability to successfully lead your team .”
KAREN SWEARINGEN , CO-OWNER
SHARP MANUFACTURING , LLC
With the departure of Rob Swearingen ’ s business partner in 2007 , Swearingen ’ s wife , Karen , joined Sharp Manufacturing , LLC full time as Co-Owner . Now , Karen plays a leading role not only in the company , but in her hometown community of Blue Rapids , Kansas as well . Being able to combine 35 + years of accounting experience with other jobs , including the local Farmer Coop , led to an incredibly thorough understanding of the trailer industry , making her transition to a management role in Sharp Manufacturing , LLC seamless . Now a family business , Karen ensures the entire team , including Rob and Karen ’ s children , build a business with a reputation of high-quality products and superior customer service .
What do you think is the most significant obstacle for leading females in the trailer industry ? “ I think there are plenty of women in leading roles , but aren ’ t the face of the company . One of the obstacles women deal with is not being recognized as having adequate knowledge of the industry .”
If you would like to nominate a female in the industry to be featured in a future issue of the NATDA Magazine , please contact Corey Langley at coreyl @ natda . org .
50 NATDA Magazine www . natda . org