At Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc. (MEPPI), innovation isn’t only about technology, it’s about people. Over the past several years, that belief has come to life through the Professional Women’s Network (PWN), an employee-led community that has grown into one of the company’s most meaningful catalysts for connection, development and cultural transformation.
What began in 2021 as part of a broader strategic effort to strengthen diversity, innovation, and growth, it has evolved into a vibrant network of more than 140 members across multiple business units, roles, and geographies, including colleagues in the U.S. and Scotland. Today, PWN stands as a powerful example of how employee resource groups (ERGs), when grounded in purpose and backed by leadership, can help shape the future of work, inside Mitsubishi Electric and beyond.

The origins of the Professional Women’s Network are deeply tied to business strategy. As Susan Renda, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, explains, PWN emerged as part of a company-wide Women’s Initiative launched in alignment with MEPPI’s growth ambitions.
As the company expanded from products into solutions and services, leadership recognized that innovation requires diversity of thought, experience, and perspective, and that building a stronger pipeline of women leaders was not only the right thing to do, but a strategic necessity. PWN became the most visible and impactful expression of that commitment.
But while its roots are strategic, its impact is deeply human.
“PWN matters because of the people-to-people connection,” Renda says. “That’s how work actually gets done.”

For Eric Pelli, Vice President of the Public Utilities Group and Executive Sponsor of PWN, the network’s value is both professional and personal.
Having spent decades in engineering-heavy, male-dominated industries, Pelli understands the challenges women often face—not as an abstract concept, but through the lens of being a father to a daughter just starting her career.
“I think about what she has to swim upstream against,” he shares. “Being part of PWN feels like a way to help someone like her, even if indirectly.”
As an executive sponsor, Pelli believes visibility and authenticity are essential. His consistent presence at PWN events, whether mentoring conversations or informal gatherings, helps break down perceived hierarchies and creates space for meaningful exchange.
“When you get outside the four walls of the office, you’re just people,” he says. “Those are the moments when real relationships form.”
That visibility sends a powerful signal. As PWN leaders note, meeting senior leaders in a relaxed, human setting often transforms intimidation into confidence, unlocking voices that might otherwise stay quiet.

For Jennifer Koban, PWN is about connection and belonging.
A founding member and now Chairperson, Koban has been part of the network since its earliest planning days in 2021. With more than a decade at MEPPI, she experienced firsthand what it felt like to navigate the organization before a community like PWN existed and why creating one mattered on a personal level.
“There was nothing like this when we started,” she reflects. “Now, women across divisions and levels are connecting in ways that never happened before.” That sense of connection continues to shape how she approaches her role. The network listens closely to its members through surveys, open feedback, and ongoing conversations, allowing it to evolve in ways that reflect what women truly need from one another. While STEM outreach remains part of the mission, PWN also creates space for women in all roles to feel supported, understood, and valued.
For Koban, the greatest reward comes from the relationships themselves.
“I’m proud to be part of something that helps people feel seen, especially those new to the company,” she says. “I’ve built relationships I never would have had otherwise.” At its core, PWN has become a place where connection fuels confidence and where women like Koban find meaning in the shared experience of growing together.

If Jennifer Koban shapes the vision, Tiffany Booth helps bring it to life.
As PWN’s Activities Chair, Booth has been instrumental in designing programs that balance professional development, outreach, and community. From leadership speakers and skill-building sessions to networking events and STEM partnerships, she helps ensure the network remains engaging, intentional, and accessible.
“There’s power in creating a community where people want to stay,” Booth says. “That sense of belonging supports retention in a real way.”
She also emphasizes a crucial, practical lesson for any organization considering a similar effort: investment matters.
“Support isn’t just words,” she notes. “Budget matters. Resources matter. If you want an ERG to thrive, you have to invest in it.”
Like Pelli, Booth’s commitment is shaped by personal perspective, particularly as a parent.
“This is about passing the torch,” she says. “Creating an environment where the next generation of women can thrive.”

What makes MEPPI’s Professional Women’s Network especially compelling is that it isn’t an isolated initiative. It is intentionally aligned with business priorities, supported by leadership, open to all employees, and designed to evolve.
That combination makes it replicable.
As Susan Renda explains, PWN works because it is not just a network, it is the visible expression of a larger strategy. For other Mitsubishi Electric businesses considering similar initiatives, the lesson is clear: anchor ERGs in purpose, equip them with leadership support and resources and trust employees to lead.
In an era defined by rapid change, digital transformation, and global growth, organizations that invest in human connection are building a true competitive advantage.
At MEPPI, the Professional Women’s Network is proving just that, one conversation, one connection, and one shared future at a time.