Ranae Stewart
Senior Executive Director
317-709-0723
Responsibilities:
Ranae is Senior Executive Director of Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). For over a decade, Ranae has been an integral member of the Center bringing exceptional leadership and dedication to the organization’s success as one of the highest-performing MEP Centers in the nation. Since joining Purdue MEP, Ranae has held several roles in the organization, allowing her to play a pivotal role in driving major milestones, particularly in the areas of workforce development, strategic partnerships, advocacy, and marketing.
Ranae handles legislative relations for Purdue MEP through participation in the ASMC's annual Hill Day, as well as in-district activities with Indiana's congressional delegation. She is also responsible for the development and management of Purdue MEP's partnerships, as well as outreach efforts to engage and educate organizations throughout the state on the mission of MEP.
Ranae is an active member of the MEP National Network, serving on the Board of the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence. She is a frequent speaker at MEP events and currently serves on the Best Practices Conference Committee. She also serves on the Board of the Indiana Small Business Development Corporation and as an Ambassador for the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation.
Background:
Prior to this role, Ranae led Purdue MEP's Center Operations and was responsible for all Center administrative functions including operations, events, marketing, finance, grant oversight, sales support, and purchasing. Within the Center’s workforce development initiatives, she was responsible for the launch of the organization’s Manufacturing Skills for Success program which has trained over 1,600 individuals since 2018.
Before joining Purdue MEP, Ranae served as a Business Development Director for a large regional law firm. In that role, she was responsible for directing and executing marketing activities to connect the firm to businesses in Indiana and the surrounding region. Ranae also gained traditional marketing experience at a full-service marketing agency focused on promotion, lead development, branding, and communications for small to medium-sized manufacturers.
Ranae is a graduate of Purdue University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Management in 2001. She has completed the NIST MEP Emerging Leaders program, as well as Leadership Indianapolis' Opportunity Indianapolis.
Skills & Expertise:
- Advertising
- Advocacy
- Branding
- Board Oversight
- Business Development
- Communications
- Market Research
- Marketing Strategy
- Partnership Management
- Public Relations
- Strategic Planning
