SPRINGBORO, OH, September 18, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kris Bebko has been recognized for her distinguished career in operations leadership, supply chain management, and organizational development.

Ms. Bebko is a seasoned operations executive with more than three decades of experience leading complex manufacturing and industrial organizations. She currently serves as Vice President of Operations at United Grinding North America, where she provides strategic and operational leadership across the organization's North American operations. Her responsibilities encompass procurement, quality, supply chain, engineering, logistics, compliance, and production management.

Since joining United Grinding North America in 2023, Ms. Bebko has held progressively senior leadership roles, serving as Director of Operations before being promoted to Vice President of Operations in 2025. In her current position, she focuses on strengthening operational performance, developing organizational capability, and aligning cross-functional teams around sustainable business results. She also provides strategic oversight of engineering and plays an active role in developing the organization's next generation of leaders.

A significant component of Ms. Bebko's leadership legacy at United Grinding has been her contribution to the company's North American apprenticeship program. Developed in partnership with Sinclair Community College and modeled after established European apprenticeship systems, the four-year program combines full-time employment and benefits with a fully funded associate degree in automation and mechanical technology. The program reflects Ms. Bebko's belief that investing in technical talent is essential to building a strong and sustainable manufacturing workforce.

Prior to joining United Grinding North America, Ms. Bebko served as Plant Manager at Avery Dennison from 2019 to 2022, where she led plant operations and was recognized with two leadership awards for her contributions. From 2017 to 2019, she served as General Manager of Innovative Engineered Solutions, Inc., providing leadership across business operations while driving process improvement and operational effectiveness.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Bebko served as an Operations Manager at YSI, a Xylem brand, from 2014 to 2017 and as Plant Operations Manager at Norwood Medical from 2006 to 2014. These positions expanded her experience across diverse manufacturing environments and strengthened her ability to lead organizations through operational change, cultural transformation, and business growth.

Ms. Bebko began developing her leadership foundation as a Manufacturing Engineer at Henny Penny, where she worked from 2001 to 2006. Her career began in 1996 at Baxter Healthcare, where she served as an industrial engineer and supervisor. Early in her career, she was entrusted with improving production processes within a glove manufacturing operation, gaining hands-on experience in automation, process flow, and operational improvement. Following a plant closure decision at Baxter, she joined Harco Industries as a general foreman and was promoted to plant manager within her first year, launching her career in senior manufacturing leadership.

Throughout her career, Ms. Bebko has distinguished herself by combining operational discipline with a strong focus on people development. Having advanced through traditionally male-dominated manufacturing and engineering environments, she developed a leadership philosophy centered on accountability, resilience, continuous improvement, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. She credits influential leaders and mentors throughout her career with helping shape her own approach to leadership and actively encourages emerging professionals to seek mentors who challenge them to grow.

Ms. Bebko earned a Bachelor of Science in Management Science from Wright State University in Dayton in 1996, where she developed a foundation in process improvement, lean methodologies, and supply chain management. She later pursued graduate-level coursework toward a Master of Business Administration through the University of Phoenix. In 2025, she further expanded her leadership development by earning an Executive Women in Leadership Certificate from Cornell University.

Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Ms. Bebko is deeply committed to strengthening the connection between industry and education. She serves on the University of Dayton's OMAC board, providing industry perspective on curriculum alignment, student development, and real-world project opportunities supporting stronger industry-academic partnerships.

Her commitment to workforce development extends to Sinclair Community College, where she regularly engages with students and young adults regarding careers in engineering, manufacturing, operations, and technical fields. She is particularly passionate about encouraging young women to consider careers in industries where they have historically been underrepresented. Through mentoring, speaking engagements, and community involvement, she works to broaden perceptions of manufacturing and demonstrate that rewarding careers exist well beyond the traditional production floor, including opportunities in engineering, supply chain, quality, logistics, operations, and leadership.

Ms. Bebko's commitment to technical education also reflects a broader belief that the future of manufacturing depends on developing people as deliberately as organizations develop technology. She advocates for practical pathways that combine education, hands-on experience, mentorship, and meaningful career opportunities.

Her professional journey has been defined by resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to take on increasingly complex leadership challenges. From beginning her career as an industrial engineer to becoming a plant manager early in her career and ultimately advancing to executive leadership, Ms. Bebko has consistently embraced opportunities to learn, improve organizations, and develop people.

Her experiences as a woman advancing through male-dominated industries have also shaped her commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders. Rather than viewing adversity as a barrier, she has used those experiences to develop a leadership approach grounded in confidence, preparation, authenticity, and perseverance.

Looking ahead, Ms. Bebko intends to further expand her involvement in community and industry organizations, with particular emphasis on STEM education, workforce development, mentoring, and opportunities that encourage young people, especially women, to pursue careers in engineering, manufacturing, and technical leadership.

At the core of Ms. Bebko's leadership philosophy is a simple principle: strong organizations are built by developing strong people. Her career reflects that belief through a combination of operational excellence, continuous improvement, talent development, and a commitment to creating opportunities for others to advance.

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