Kim Ingalls – MassMEP Employee Highlights
For all things data at MassMEP, just look for Kim Ingalls, who has been with MEP for 13 years. Kim is the Administrative Director and part of the MassMEP leadership team. Prior to her current position, she was the Data and Economic Research Manager. Her primary role involves overseeing the NIST surveys on a quarterly basis with our manufacturing clients, who provide impacts for our funding partner NIST. Kim analyzes the data impacts, conducts IMPLANs, and provides all the resulting information to NIST. The data provides a sense of how we are doing as a center in working with our manufacturing clients.
Earlier this year, Kim was asked to be part of M-ERT response team, working in partnership with the MassTech Collaborative. Kim says, “This was a different role for me and involved working with our manufacturing clients that pivoted to produce PPE that was needed in Massachusetts for its COVID-19 response. We were determining how to help them – how we could provide resources and information, supply listings, connections with other companies, and materials if needed. This work is still ongoing and it is so great to work with the MassTech Collaborative and our clients!”
“I also work with our Project Managers in a variety of ways that includes business development, how they structure their projects, how they maintain client relationships, how they interact for NIST surveys, and for invoicing. I really enjoy it all, we see great successes, and it’s fun to see the process of it.” Kim continues, “I also manage our SalesForce database, and have a great team that supports me with that.”
Kim shares, “Everything I do in my job is my favorite thing – it is different every day. Quarterly results are different every quarter. It’s always something new, and I’m not doing the same thing day in and day out. Looking at the manufacturing clients that we help, how we help them, and all the great successes that come out of that, like jobs retained and jobs created, is fulfilling. Knowing that we make a difference is a great feeling.”
Prior to MassMEP, Kim was a stay-at-home mom for many years. When all her kids went to school, Kim decided it was time get a job, so got a position at an administrative recruiting office. “The MassMEP position fell on my desk, so I recruited myself for the job and interviewed in 2007. I’ve been here ever since. I’ve had increasing responsibilities at MEP as the organization has grown. We have great teams and it’s great to be part of that. It’s like a second family to me,” she says.
Speaking of family, Kim says with certainty, “Without a doubt, my family and close friends are my passion. We are so close and so lucky…everyone gets along. Though we have had some sad struggles in the past years, we have fun together. Our favorite thing is to vacation together, we love to go to the beach, and to get together at each other’s house for the weekend and play card games. I have 3 grandchildren who are great. I’m also lucky in the sense that I have a great extended family too – mom and dad, (dad will be 90), and my sister and brother. I’m lucky to have that support system too. And my close friends! Many of them have great vacation places that we get to have fun at too. Yes, relaxing with my family and friends is my favorite way to spend my time.”
How well do you know Kim? Two of these statements are true and one is not. Can you guess which one?
1) I ran track in high school and was a state champion.
2) I have owned 16 cars since I’ve had my license.
3) I have 3 grandchildren.