On Aug. 1, Jennifer Rumsey will take over as president and CEO of Cummins Inc., effectively becoming the first woman to lead the company since it was founded in 1919.

Rumsey, currently president and chief operating officer, will assume the role as Cummins’ seventh CEO when Tom Linebarger ends his term.

Linebarger will continue to serve as board chairman and in an executive chairman role, working directly with Rumsey on specific initiatives, including completing the pending acquisition of Meritor. He has been with Cummins for 15 years, serving first as COO and then as CEO.

Rumsey co-authored with Linebarger Cummins’ Destination Zero decarbonization strategy, and has led global operations since March 2021. Linebarger said Rumsey shares a common vision for the company, and as COO has delivered record revenues, and dramatically improved product quality and market position while addressing unprecedented supply chain constraints.

“Jen is a once in a generation talent and the right leader for Cummins at this important time in our history,” Linebarger said in a press release. “Her background as an engineer and technology expertise provides her a deep understanding of the major technical changes taking place and how to capitalize on them.”

Rumsey began her Cummins career working in research and technology, primarily focused on advancing technology to reduce criteria pollutants from diesel engines. Since then, she has held numerous positions of increasing responsibility and impact, including bringing new platforms and technologies to the market, driving improvements in product quality, and developing the capability of global teams. She has also been deeply engaged with some of the company’s most important original equipment manufacturer partners.

Previous leadership roles include president of components, where she oversaw a global portfolio of business units that delivered profitable growth while ensuring power solutions met performance and emissions goals; and chief technical officer, where she led strategic investments in key technologies and applications to transition to lower carbon emissions products, laying the foundation years ago for the company’s New Power Business and Destination Zero strategy.

“Growing up in Columbus, Indiana, where Cummins was founded, and spending most of my career here makes this announcement incredibly meaningful,” Rumsey said. “My technical background, business experience and focus on people, purpose, and impact have prepared me for this moment. ... At a time when technology is evolving more rapidly than at any point in our history, we must emphasize the critical role people play in our collective success. By putting people at the center of everything we do, we will power the path to decarbonization and advance our mission of powering a more prosperous world.”

In a press conference announcing her promotion, Rumsey says moving forward Cummins will continue to invest in and hire a diverse workforce. 

"We win because of our differences, and we are all inspired to reach out full potential," she said. "Not only am I motivated by the purpose and the impact of what our business can do, I'm motivated by how we create an environemtn and invest in our people, because if it were not for that, I would not be standing here today."

Prior to Cummins, Rumsey worked for a fuel cell technology company.

Rumsey will maintain her seat on Cummins board, a position she has held since February.