With the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge quickly approaching, the racing spirit could be felt throughout the state of Indiana this week, and one event that got kids in the community excited was Indy 500 Community Day presented by Cummins. 

With more than 2,000 students participating across the city, and plenty of Cummins employee volunteers on hand to support, the May 24 event taught kindergarten to 8th grade students the importance of mental well-being, physical fitness and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Indianapolis Motor Speedway sent three drivers to each participating school to take part in a fun, hour-long assembly with the students, offering their perspective about the greatest spectacle in motor racing. 

Top drivers Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin and Will Power, the 2018 race winner, joined 200 students and teachers at the Urban Act Academy. Meanwhile, at Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School, drivers Marcus Ericsson, last year’s race winner; 2008 winner Scott Dixon, and Alex Palou, the 2023 pole sitter, were joined by a special appearance from the Firestone Firehawk mascot and the race’s Borg-Warner trophy.   

Through Cummins’ Every Employee Every Community (EEEC) initiative, company employees supported the endeavor at Urban Act and Thomas Gregg, two east-side schools that partner with Cummins. 

“Investing in education helps Cummins build healthy and vibrant communities,” said Carole Casto, Vice President, Marketing and Communications at Cummins. “Partnering with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Community Day right here in our very own front yard is the perfect opportunity to reach our youth, connect them to not only one of the most famous races in the world, but also connect them to one of the most historical companies in the world - Cummins.”

Cummins and IMS have enjoyed a long history together since the first Indy 500 race in 1911. During that Inaugural Indy 500, Cummins’ founder, Clessie Cummins, served on the pit crew for the Marmon Wasp driven by race winner Ray Harroun. 

“Thomas Gregg Neighborhood School was really excited to be part of this opportunity with Cummins and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” says Anuja Petruniw, Director of Operations and Neighborhood Engagement. “Community Day was a chance for our students to learn about racing traditions in Indianapolis during the Month of May. For many of our students, they have never had the opportunity before to experience the excitement and history of the Indianapolis 500. Today, that changed because of Community Day! The ongoing partnership we have with Cummins is so special to us because of the opportunities our students get to engage with real STEM professionals while learning real-world skills that are preparing them for college and career."

The students, from 10 schools across Indianapolis, were wide-eyed as the drivers visited and talked about what it’s like to be a race car driver – relaying their experiences about the physicality, dedication and fun! 

The students eagerly learned more about racing by not only hearing from the drivers directly but by also having the opportunity to participate in a variety of fun games and competitions. 

The sessions ended with the Indianapolis youth charged up for what lies ahead during Indy 500 race weekend, including a milk toast send-off for all the drivers! 

In March 2020, after eight years working in various roles at Cummins, Grant joined the North America Business Leasing Team—the day the world shut down. As an account executive, Grant handles customer relationships for big-volume truck leasers like Penske, PacLease and Idealease. 

"Penske has almost 100,000 vehicles with Cummins engines and claims six to seven thousand warranties per month," Grant says. "On any given day, something can go wrong, and it's my job to be the voice of our customers and help claims get through quickly for them."  

Grant escalates customer issues from home, often with his three young boys playing in the background. Working remotely has been an adjustment for someone like Grant who thrives on face-to-face interaction, but he credits Cummins culture for his success in transitioning to fully remote work. 

"It's an extremely large company with over 70,000 employees globally operating in 193 countries," he says. "We build over 1M engines per year. We're everywhere. So easily, in a company this size, you could get lost. The culture could get away from itself. But what I've seen, from the top down—and I've experienced three CEOs since I've been here—they've built this really special culture of collaboration. Everyone is willing to roll up their sleeves and support each other. Leadership is accessible at every level." 

As a former collegiate cross-country coach for a D3 university, Grant appreciates the value of peer-to-peer collaboration and the mentoring and coaching he receives from his managers, who always seem to be looking for where he might be an asset next.

"My previous bosses [at Cummins], and especially the one I have right now, we talk about that every month. They ask me, 'What do you want to do next? What's the best thing for you? What do you enjoy? What do you not enjoy?' so that when an opportunity presents itself, I can be opportunistic," he says. 

Even if the opportunity is not the perfect fit, he understands that new roles can still benefit your career by pushing you and helping you grow. 

"Traditional managers want to keep you in a function because it's easy. You know it, and they don't have to retrain you," he says. "But as a complex organization, Cummins realizes that the broader base you build, the better suited you are to grow the business."

In much the same way Cummins is focused on a zero-emissions future with emerging energy technologies, Grant also realizes, "You're not moving anything forward if you're not improving what's coming up after you." 

Because of Grant's undergraduate degree in biology, he views corporate culture as an evolving ecosystem.

"For anything— whether it's an animal ecosystem or a complex organization of people—to be long-term sustainable, you have to have diversity," he says. "When you meld together diverse cultures, people, socioeconomic backgrounds, personalities, and thought processes, you get a variety of ideas to create positive friction. Ultimately that's what helps any business be more sustainable in the long term." 

Grant admits that, as a straight, white man who grew up in the Midwest, he didn't have much experience with diversity before Cummins. During his Cummins internship, he was in a cohort of 12 people, and, he says, "I was the only person who looked like me, which I had never experienced in my life, coming from small-town Ohio." 

Now in Columbus, IN (U.S.), he marvels at how Cummins, a multi-billion-dollar company, has managed to maintain a small-town feel. 

"Imagine a town of just 45,000 people, yet you have folks from many different countries sitting at an Applebee's. It's almost surreal. It's cool, and I'm excited for my boys because just by living in Columbus, near Cummins, they'll experience different cultures that I didn't get to while growing up."

When it comes to his boys, like most dads, Grant says his biggest remaining goal in life is to see his kids be successful and happy. He mentions a quote from Ogilvy that says something to the effect of trying to replace yourself with someone greater. 

"As a leader, I believe that. As a parent, I believe that," he says. "I want my boys to become leaders and coaches and see them succeed and help their own kids succeed. If I see that, I will feel like it was a well-lived life. And if I can help others, improve the world or save wildlife through my work at Cummins—let's go for it."

Cummins Inc. employees are dedicated to building reliable engines for customers all over the world every day. It’s that kind of dedication that often extends beyond manufacturing plants and into volunteer work with surrounding communities and local organizations. For Jamestown Engine Plant (JEP) employees, Lakewood Fire Department in Lakewood, New York (U.S.) was one such organization. 

Air leaks in station air system and on apparatus at Lakewood Fire Station

When most people think of their local fire department, they think of big red trucks and fire hoses. Few think of air, but luckily for Lakewood Fire Department, Mr. Hallett did.

Hallett, a recently retired Cummins mechanic, reconnected with the Lakewood Fire Department and has been a volunteer firefighter since 1978. With just over 38 members and no on-site mechanics, this small but mighty squad is dedicated to creating safe working conditions for its volunteers and providing the best possible service to the community.

So, it was fate that Hallett, with his Cummins background and connections, was just the right man in the right place at the right time to discover how often the station air compressor was running to maintain system pressure.  

“Our four fire trucks are connected to the station air system for faster response times when calls come in,” stated Hallett. “We noted that our fire-horsepower compressor was starting up every 30 minutes which equals 48-times a day. It comes out to 17,520 starts per year. It was always hot to the touch.”

What is the Jamestown Ultrasound Program? 

From his experience as a Cummins mechanic, Hallett knew air leakage could cause the extended run time, so he sprayed soapy water on the fittings to find leaks and repaired the ones he could reach. He knew there were more, however, so he contacted Patty Warner, his friend and long-time Cummins colleague, to help. 

Warner has been with Cummins for 30 years and works in the Predictive Maintenance Group (PdM). Warner is joined by PdM colleagues Joash Chamberlain and Joseph Johnson, who have a combined 40 years of service under their belts. 

“We do vibration analysis on the equipment and infrared scans of the electrical cabinets, building envelope and the roof to identify wet insulation, oil analysis, oil usage and exhaust ventilation inspections. We have a borescope to inspect internal components of equipment if we need to,” Warner explained. “We also have the ultrasound program.” 
 
Hallett knew the ultrasound, which he calls “the sniffer,” would find the remaining leaks in the truck. He, Warner and Chamberlain checked all the fittings in several hundred feet of pipe. 

“That’s what they do at the plant. Even with the machine lines running, they can walk around with the sniffer and check for air leaks,” said Hallett. “There’s no way a person could hear those leaks. It’s like a dog’s ears. It’s ultrasonic.” 

How the JEP Ultrasound Program saved costs and improved efficiency

The station compressor starts 48 times a day – that’s a five-horsepower electric motor that refills the air tank in the building, and that air tank is plumbed to the fire trucks. The station also had two minor leaks in air hose reels with manual values thatwere turned on only when needed. Hallett says people think air is free, but it’s incredibly costly to compress air only to have it leak someplace it can’t be detected. 

Energy consumption, wear and tear on equipment and expense all decreased significantly after finding and fixing the leaks.

“We stopped the air compressor from cycling so often and lowered the number of runs,” said Hallett. “That eliminated close to 15,000 cycles per year! Now the compressor runs about five times daily instead of 48 times per day. With the compressor located near our main gathering area in the station, we don’t have to put up with the noise.” 

Warner felt honored to provide the Cummins ultrasound equipment that supported this endeavor. With more reliable equipment and peace of mind knowing their trucks no longer leak air, Lakewood Fire Department can better serve their community.

If interested in learning about Jamestown Engine Plant employees’ volunteer initiatives, don’t forget to explore how JEP raised over $12,000 to donate toys to patients at the local hospital.
 

If there’s one thing that drives Apprentice Technician Cameron M., it’s his motivation to learn new things. Continuously. 

After graduating from Mayfair High School in 2013, Cameron went to Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) school with the goal of becoming a firefighter. Two and a half years in, he found the EMT work rewarding, yet grueling — 24-hour shifts were the norm — and Cameron was ready to start a new career that stemmed from his hobby of working on engines. “I work on my jeep all the time,” he said. “I like to go off-roading. That's where I got into engines.”

However, his interest in engines didn’t only come from a Jeep; it also runs in the family. “My grandpa was a diesel mechanic. He made me want to pursue it as a possible career path,” he said, and he began doing just that. As an Apprentice Technician with a goal to become a full journeyman, he loves that there’s always something new to work on because it makes his brain “think a little bit more to figure out what the issue could be.” In addition, he knows it doesn’t hurt that this problem-solving mindset “keeps the days going by faster, too.”

Not that the days drag along at a place like Cummins. Cameron said, “I've been doing this for six years now and have no complaints. I love going to work.” After starting his day in a morning team huddle with a hot coffee in hand, he begins doing a variety of tasks: conducting safety analyses, assembling engines, repairing damaged parts, troubleshooting electrical issues, and more. 

He compares his day-to-day to being a general contractor — he has to know a lot to solve any problem that arises, which is why he values working for a company that encourages professional development. “I’m always looking to expand my knowledge and how things work,” Cameron said. 

“Cummins sent me up to San Leandro, California to one of our other branches. For five weeks, one week at a time, we worked on different segments, starting with understanding electrical basics. Then I had one for mid-range engines, one for heavy-duty engines, one for natural gas engines, and another for diagnostics.” With access to this training, as well as an inside look at beta-tested engines that stay ahead of the next emissions curve, Cameron feels like he’s always one step ahead of the competition.

Still, as appealing as this continuous learning is, he also realizes there’s more to a well-rounded, well-balanced career than professional development alone. And he’s found a lot of those aspects in his role over the past six years, including a friendly, highly collaborative environment. “There’s no hesitation when it comes to teamwork,” he said. “I’m always surrounded by positive feedback and individuals who have a positive outlook.” 

Cameron also feels valued as an employee outside of work, where he has a growing family. “Cummins is employee-centered,” he said. “I just had my 12-week leave for my first child, and Cummins was willing to work with me on getting time to spend with my family. It was very special.”

As a new dad, Cameron admits that he has to practice patience, a virtue that seems like it might be a strong base for reaching his future goals. “I look at my grandpa, he is the staple of our family.” His grandpa — someone who has acted as a catalyst for Cameron’s life-changing career. Someone who motivated Cameron to push himself in his personal and professional life. His lasting impact seems clear.

“I want to be that staple,” he said. “I want to be that foundation.”