2023 Milliken Honors - Do the Right Thing Award Winner: Elaine Hare-Sturm

Each year, when we announce our Milliken Honors award recipients, we’re inspired by the range and breadth of talent and achievement. Aligned to our five core values as a company—integrity, excellence, innovation, sustainability, and people—we’ve created 34 awards that exemplify what it is to be a Milliken associate and, importantly, highlight the unsung heroes on our team who are making an impact as a member of Team Milliken.

Elaine is no exception.

As Senior Director of Regulatory for Milliken’s Chemical Business, Elaine Hare-Sturm handles her share of multifaceted ethical questions. The regulatory environment for chemical manufacturers is a myriad of complex considerations. Yet Elaine draws on her deep-seated sense of doing what’s right to get the job done—even when doing what’s right isn’t always what’s easy.

It is this unwavering commitment that made her an ideal recipient of the Milliken Honors Do the Right Thing award—annually given to the associate or team who embodies our value of integrity and makes a positive impact on Milliken by doing what is right. Across the chemical business, and throughout Milliken, Elaine stands out as a highly respected compliance leader. She examines every task she faces and responds with considered and ethical action.

This isn't the first time Elaine's leadership has been recognized. She was a 2019 Milliken Honors recipient, alongside her colleagues serving on Milliken’s Compliance Federation, for—you might have guessed—The Ethics Award. Her continued efforts speak volumes about the impact she has on Milliken. Known for her expertise in compliance and her ability to drive positive change, Elaine is a respected leader who inspires others to uphold the highest ethical standards.

Elaine's story is just one example of the many remarkable women making a difference at Milliken. From the 2023 Milliken Honors winners to the extensive network of female associates who lead on the production floor, Team Milliken is better for the women in manufacturing who advance our company’s purpose every day.