Engineering alumna Kimberly K. Beardsley (BSE 1990 industrial engineering), Vice President, Worldwide Parts Services for Deere & Company, will present a special college- and university-wide "Grabbing the Globe" seminar from 4:30-5:20 p.m. Thursday, November 2, in Macbride Hall Auditorium.  Her topic will be on "Leading a Global Business."

Beardsley also is the new Deere & Company corporate executive for the University of Iowa.

At Deere, Beardsley is responsible for managing worldwide parts distribution, materials and supply management, dealer services for parts, and parts pricing and parts systems in support of the company's equipment divisions.

Beardsley joined Deere & Company in 1990 as part of a student training program at John Deere Des Moines Works. After graduation, she held positions of increasing responsibility in manufacturing and production engineering at Des Moines Works and the Seeding Group in Moline, Illinois. Beardsley later worked in human resources before moving back into operations with assignments at John Deere Waterloo Works. Beardsley also served as the Manufacturing Manager at Des Moines Works; Operations Manager at John Deere Commercial Products; Global Director, Hydraulic Cylinders; and Director, Global Strategic Quality for the Ag & Turf Division. In 2011, she became the Global HR Director for the Ag & Turf Division before moving into her current role in 2013.

A native of Des Moines, Iowa, Beardsley also holds an MBA from Duke University.  She is an active member of the Society of Women Engineers. She is also the founder of the company's Women in Operations group.

The College of Engineering "Grabbing the Globe" seminar is designed to help students develop a greater global competence as they pursue their careers.