How would your life be different if you decided to take a risk of fearless faith into the unknown?  Wouldn’t it be possible that it would lead to greater opportunities? Learn what Jean Savage shares on how taking risks can truly help you grow in any endeavor in your life!  Listen in...

Jean Savage is Caterpillar Inc.'s Vice President of the Surface Mining & Technology division.

In this position, Jean oversees the division's end-to-end value chain, ensuring a customer-centric approach in product design, development, manufacturing and sales.  She is responsible for driving improved performance, delivering financial results and operational improvements in SM&T, a division of more than 8,000 employees.

The Sales and Marketing and Technology groups she oversees covers all the products in Caterpillar's Resource Industries Group, serving surface and underground mining along with quarry and aggregate customers.

Jean firmly believes in giving back - she is a Caterpillar Armed Forces Support Network (AFSN) Executive Sponsor and a Corporate Military Mentor, American Corporate Partners. She judges First Robotics competitions and participates in “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day,” and “Introduce a Girl to Mining day,” giving guidance to young adults pursuing engineering and technical fields. She is on the United Way of Tucson Board of Directors, Sun Corridor Board of Directors, University of Arizona Advisory Board, and Trinity Resources, Inc. Board of Directors. Jean is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, the League of Railway Industry Women, and the National Coal Transportation Association.

While she’s achieved many accomplishments, Jean is most proud of her two sons and their families. She enjoys time outdoors, traveling, and reading.

Jean’s Top Quotes:

“Without taking risks, you are not going to take the greater opportunities.  You are not going to stretch yourself to learn other parts of the business and other areas of life!  And from those experiences, you can combine all of those to see the path to something new!”

“I like to look at challenges as opportunities!”

“Anytime you are starting a new career, you have self-doubt...you don’t know if you can learn, you don’t know if you can do the job, and I think all of us...male or female, have those. And, it’s how you react to those, I think that is important.”

“For me, the challenge of not knowing, was an opportunity to go learn!”

“I have to have trust in my capabilities, trust that people will invest and help me succeed, and just go for some of those opportunities or those new experiences!”

"Anyone that plays sports knows that you don’t bat 100%.  You don’t get up there and hit the ball out of the park all of the time.  What it teaches you is that you can learn from experiences even if they’re not overall what you would call a win.”  

“You may have a failure, but you get yourself back up.  It’s how you react to that, how you learn from that and how you move on. And, that it’s possible to succeed even if you have had some failures!”

“Making plans and writing goals down is critical but also realizing that you can’t be strict. We may come up with what we believe is our life plan but believe me, I have had plenty of twists and turns...and your ability to step back and go ‘ok, this door may have closed but there is another door that is ope.  And, how do I redirect my energies? How do I take advantage of an opportunity that may come up to do something maybe a little bit different then what I had planned? You know, it’s amazing though when you can have your plans but then be able to adjust them with what opportunities may come up.”

“In today’s environment, the pace of change is tremendous!  And,