Allison Coleman, 33
Director, Commercial Operations North America, Trade & Installers
Prysmian Group
In the industry for almost eight years, Allison came into Prysmian in 2018 as a legacy General Cable employee. “I spent my first five years in the telecom and OEM space in various R&D and commercial roles,” she said. “The first three years of my career were spent on a manufacturing floor, and I was looking to round out my early career experience with a more commercially focused role. I have always gravitated toward the B2B space, especially industrial construction, and manufacturing.”
In May 2022 Allison was promoted to director of commercial operations for Prysmian’s Trade and Installers Business.
Asked about a challenge or hurdle the industry is currently facing and how she is working toward solutions, Allison said, “I am presently working on navigating new domestic content legislation like IRA and BABA with a multifunctional task force to operationally execute on compliance. Working closely with our compliance and legal teams, I support operations initiatives across multiple product channels and 19 manufacturing facilities to enhance lot traceability to support this infrastructure trend that spans multiple vertical markets in both the electrical and telecom space.”
As for her career plans, Allision noted that she is in a cross-functional role right now with scaled responsibility for an inside sales and product team, focusing on making her role as efficient, productive, and effective as possible to scale the value Prysmian brings to its customer base. “From a people leadership standpoint, it’s important for me to focus on the culture we are creating for the future via employee engagement committees, mentoring opportunities, and driving internal corporate policies that support a strong attraction and retention of top talent to our industry for the next few generations entering the workforce,” she said. “Separately, I am focusing on exploring the impact that AI will have on the manufacturing space in the long term.”
What would Allison tell someone just entering the industry? “The B2B space, and especially the electrical industry, is booming with opportunity,” she said. “The secular trends in the U.S. economy—on-shoring, electrification, renewables, and mega project trends—are growing at an unprecedented rate. To contribute to the infrastructure that we as consumers use daily is exceptionally rewarding. The long-term generational impact of these trends is relevant and significant.”
When she’s not working, tennis, running, and Pure Barre are Allison’s favorite ways to get some exercise. “I am also an avid reader and am involved in supporting my church and the community through Cincinnati Children’s, America’s Vet Dogs, American Heart Association, and the ALS Association,” she said, adding that she is also “a passionate supporter of the Purdue Boilermakers and Cincinnati Bengals and loves exploring the greater Cincinnati area.”
Each year tED magazine recognizes 30 of the industry’s best and brightest under the age of 35. Please visit tedmag.com/30Under35 for nomination information and updates about the 2024 program. Questions can be sent to tED Editor Misty Byers at mbyers@naed.org.
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