Maria Blase
President, Power Tools & Lifting
Ingersoll Rand, plc
I am passionate about manufacturing because it brings together diverse teams to solve problems that result in tangible products that improve the lives and businesses of our customers. Also, I love that manufacturing sites often have a significant contribution to the communities they are embedded in. Being where things are made has significant impact both to employees and other stakeholders.
Maria began making her mark at Ingersoll Rand as an international controller. She embraced a variety of finance roles across the company’s climate segment before being promoted to president of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and transport businesses in Latin America. In 2017, she was promoted again to become the president of the Fluid Management, Material Handling and Power Tools (FMT) businesses where she became responsible for a business with eight global manufacturing sites, and over 2,000 employees worldwide.
Maria is widely respected for applying her extensive knowledge of financial management to drive business growth in industrial manufacturing industries, while focusing on the customer and developing talent at all levels of the organization.
Recognized as a “Women Worth Watching” award winner in 2015, Maria is a phenomenal role model and champion for women in manufacturing. She is committed to mentoring others and is an outspoken proponent of the importance of a diverse workforce. Frequently speaking at women’s leadership events, Maria uses her experience and voice to inspire women to strive for their personal goals. In 2016, she was a panelist at the Global Women Summit in Warsaw, Poland where she spoke on the future of work in the age of digitization and mobility.
During her time in the Miami area, Maria was actively involved with Habitat for Humanity and the Lighthouse Foundation. She is a member of the United Way Tocqueville Society, which aims to change lives through philanthropic leadership. The society focuses on quality education that leads to a stable job, income that can support a family through retirement, and good health. Maria is also a founding member of the Progressive, Diverse and Inclusive Steering Committee for Ingersoll Rand and proudly works to champion diversity and inclusion.