Cynthia Reid, P.E.
Staff Engineer II
Parker LORD
Manufacturing brings everything together. The manufactured product reflects the entire team’s dedicated abilities. All can take pride in the final product because all contributions – marketing, research, analysis, design, process development, training, material specification and handling, tooling, maintenance, operation, validation and documentation – combine to produce the best product possible.
Cynthia’s 40-year career at LORD has been marked by a commitment to excellence. In every one of her roles, she has made a significant impact. As lead designer for many turboprop mounting systems, she built the foundation for reliable design, efficient manufacturing and customer value. In Sustaining Engineering, Cynthia developed methodologies and processes that allow for the quick response to production and customer issues. In Value Engineering, she worked with suppliers, manufacturing, quality and design to identify and implement improved manufacturing methods for high-volume products, reducing costs and improving quality. And Cynthia led the Legacy Committee during the decommissioning of two facilities and consolidation into a new one. Her passion for the company’s past influenced the facility design to integrate its nearly 100-year history into the new facility.
Cynthia is a committed advocate for women in engineering and has been both a formal and informal mentor to countless female engineers, interns and summer students. Cynthia was leader of a Women in Business Mentoring Circle, reaching young talent at multiple LORD locations. In 2016, she received the Vision and Passion Award from Penn State Erie for her dedication to Math Options, a STEM program focused on reaching high-school girls. Cynthia has also mentored young women for many years through the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), hosting numerous SWE networking and training events.
In 2008, Cynthia created the LORD STEAM Day career event for a local elementary school. Since then, she has grown the program from 80 students to 600, four volunteers to 75, and even enlisted the help of a helicopter crew. She created a framework where students rotate through 16 interactive STEAM demonstrations and stations. Since 2008, Cynthia’s work has enhanced the lives of over 3500 local students. Each year, she receives many requests asking her to “Pick our school next!”