Project Description

Andra M. Rush, CEO Detroit Manufacturing Systems, LLC.

Andra M. Rush
CEO
Detroit Manufacturing Systems, LLC.

Plenary Session:
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Andra Rush is founder, chair and CEO of the Rush Group of Companies, including Dakkota Integrated Systems, Detroit Manufacturing Systems and Rush Trucking.

Rush Group specializes in component manufacturing, complex assembly and sequencing, supply chain management, logistics and freight distribution for global brands, and employs nearly 3,000 team members. It is one of the largest Native American- owned and woman-owned enterprises in the U.S.

Rush’s mission is to create profitable and sustainable job opportunities in underrepresented communities.

In1984, she borrowed $5,000 from her parents, combined with $3,000 in savings, and used her credit cards to launch Rush Trucking with one van and two pickup trucks. Today, Rush Trucking Corporation transports goods for Fortune 50 companies across the U.S. and Canada with 1,100 tractor-trailers.

Rush launched Dakkota Integrated Systems in 2001, providing assembly and sequencing of automotive interiors to original equipment manufacturers, including General Motors, Chrysler and Ford.

The Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council has recognized Dakkota for its business success and supplier development and diversity program. Dakkota, which employs more than 1,400 highly trained team members, earned top supplier accolades from Ford in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Ford also recognized Dakkota for Leadership in Diversity in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Dakkota was named Supplier of the Year for quality and world-class manufacturing by Chrysler in 2013, and Supplier of the Year by General Motors in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

President Barack Obama acknowledged Rush during his 2014 State of the Union address for creating hundreds of manufacturing jobs in Detroit with the June 2012 opening of Detroit Manufacturing Systems – the first such plant opening in the city in decades. In one year, she and her team of production and supply chain experts launched five major production lines and an integrated injection molding operation with joint venture partner Faurecia, hiring and training 1,000 team members, most living in Detroit. DMS broke ground on a new Toledo, Ohio, facility in late 2016. The state-of- the-art plant opened in 2017.

Rush served consecutive two-year terms from 2013 to 2016 as a member of the U.S. Manufacturing Council, a private sector panel that regularly advises and proposes solutions to the U.S. Commerce Secretary on matters related to government policies and programs and their impact on the U.S. manufacturing sector.

Currently, Rush serves on the board of directors for the Terex Corporation and on the Ford Supplier Council. She previously served on supplier advisory boards for Chrysler and General Motors. She also is an active member of business and charitable organizations, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Business Leaders for Michigan, Detroit Economic Club, Detroit Regional Chamber, Detroit Workforce Board, Downtown Detroit Partnership, United Way of Michigan and Women Presidents’ Organization.

The University of Michigan Ann Arbor alumna was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame in 2014 for innovative job creation and manufacturing ingenuity and the Michigan Business Women Hall of Fame in 2017.

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