The Power of Embracing Potential and Leading With Purpose at Cummins
By Cummins Inc., Global Power Technology Leader
In the dynamic landscape of corporate careers, Schuyla J. stands out as a testament to the power of embracing potential. For 14 years, she has played an integral role at Cummins Inc., driven by her willingness to seize opportunities and take calculated risks.
Schuyla is the Executive Director of Ethics and Compliance, overseeing Investigations, Right Environment, Diversity Compliance and Data Privacy. She also provides leadership for the Corporate Quality team and serves as the Chief of Staff for the Chief Administrative Officer. Schuyla credits much of her career growth to her willingness to innovatively problem solve and take calculated risks. She believes strong, collaborative, trusting partnerships are positively impactful and often the catalyst for individual and collective success.
She says her roles at Cummins have all been equally challenging and rewarding. She emphasizes the importance of embracing change, adventures and resisting a restrictive mindset. She seeks to recognize the positive and good during periods of difficulty and uses new opportunities to expand her perspectives.
Early in her career at Cummins, Schuyla drew upon her first time working in Maragoli, Kenya and her 18 years as a practicing attorney to innovatively problem solve for employees and customers. As the Director of Commercial Special Projects, she established Cummins' first office in Casablanca, Morocco. She worked to understand and embrace the company’s mission, vison and values in shaping the company’s regional presence. Her work in navigating these nuanced complexities and rich diversity prepared her to position Cummins as a leader in marketing, communications and facilities initiatives across emerging markets in Africa.
“Whether you’re in a small depo in a remote area in Botswana or at a facility in Columbus, Indiana, or Seattle, Washington, customers know and depend on service and support … they know the brand conveys reliability and dependability” she says. “We should give them what they expect.”
Schuyla's leadership role expanded to Cummins Business Services (CBS), where she spent two years leading multiple departments tasked with delivering shared services for employees across the Africa region. She acknowledges that the "back of the house keeps the machine running," and quickly learned the criticality of delivering exceptional service and support to internal organizations. From payroll to relocation services, delivery of IT equipment or accounts receivable services, she believes this opportunity within CBS was an invaluable role prior to her appointment as Managing Director of Southern Africa, overseeing sales and service operations for 11 countries.
After more than a decade in Africa, Schuyla returned to the U.S in late 2016, marking a pivotal moment in her career. She initially continued her work in the Distribution Business Unit as Operations Vice-President in the Pacific Northwest where she liked to contrast service and support execution in Alaska, Oregon and Washington with those in Zambia, Botswana or South Africa. In 2018, Schuyla moved to Indiana and the Procurement function within Supply Chain. In this role, she established the Contracts, Risk and Compliance Center of Excellence to improve supplier contracting and risk management processes.
Schuyla has complex and demanding responsibilities as the Executive Director of Ethics and Compliance. She and her team are essential. They provide assurances that the company (and its employees) are adhering to legal and regulatory requirements, and Cummins policies and processes across the globe. We are focused on “fostering ethical and responsible behavior and business practices that enable profitable growth and a welcoming workplace culture”, she says. Schuyla stresses the importance of speaking up and recognizes that employees are Cummins’ first line of defense in helping her team detect and prevent potential misconduct.
Schuyla is resolute in her commitment to protect Cummins’ reputation and its mission of Making People’s Lives Better by Powering a More Prosperous World. She works closely with her team to reinforce the importance of trust and transparency when engaging with employees.
“I want employees to know they can come to us (Ethics and Compliance) … we can provide guidance and help steward responsible decision making. I do my best to demonstrate the company values of integrity, valuing and including differences and caring in decision making and problem solving.” When she talks about the company to prospective and new talent, Schuyla passionately describes a vivid picture of the company’s presence through its diverse product offerings. In working with students, she challenges them to identify Cummins’ power presence in their daily lives, and she always appreciates when they find Cummins delivering power solutions in unexpected places.
When asked how she has impacted lives while at Cummins, Schuyla proudly highlights her pioneering efforts in hiring some of the first female technicians in Africa.
“One story that sticks with me is of a young woman I met when she was in high school. We worked with her from high school, she then she joined our apprentice program and ultimately was hired into a full-time job in the Cummins Master Rebuild Center,” Schuyla says, “From there, she moved into a warranty role. Today, she's married with children, and I learned via Facebook that she has been able to purchase a home for her mother.”
Schuyla further demonstrates her commitment to inclusivity, valuing differences and innovation through her work with the Cummins Black Network (CBN) and Women’s Empowerment Employee Resource Group at Cummins. In 2020, Schuyla created CBN First Fridays to virtually bring together the Cummins community. For three years, this event showcased live DJs, knowledge sharing and opportunities to economically empower small businesses across the United States. CBN First Fridays fostered new and unique connections leveraging thematic programming and engagement with Cummins senior executives.
As Schuyla reflects on her journey, she remains committed to being open and appreciative of receiving direct, timely and sometimes difficult feedback, maintaining joy and recognizing when to step away. Her story is a testament to the transformative impact one can have when embracing opportunities, taking calculated risks and unleashing creativity to solve problems.
Cummins, a global power technology leader, is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. The company’s products range from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions and components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cell products.
