40 Under Forty alumni: Nicole Zea, Class of 2016 - moving up the ranks at Saint-Gobain
Nicole Zea in 2016 and 2024
Photo | MATT WRIGHT
At the Worcester Historical Museum are 40 Under Forty winners and alumni (from left) Joe Santa Maria (Class of 2002), Idaliana Medina (Class of 2024), Nicole Zea (Class of 2016), and Raquel Castro-Corazzini (Class of 2024)
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Nicole Zea first joined French manufacturing firm Saint-Gobain in 2002 and has played an important role in the company’s Mass. presence ever since.
She was first honored in 2016 by WBJ for her work as a plant manager at the firm, where she was responsible for annual sales of more than $40 million and 145 employees. After a brief stint at a New Hampshire machinery manufacturer between 2019 and 2021, Zea has since moved on to a role as a project management director for CertainTeed Roofing, a subsidiary of Saint-Gobain. In a quest to meet the ongoing need for roofing materials, CertainTeed’s Norwood facility has expanded its employee headcount by 30% under Zea’s watchful eye. Her commitment to the male-dominated world of manufacturing has received national attention, as Zea was awarded with a Women MAKE America award in 2024 by the The Manufacturing Institute in Washington D.C. for her work in narrowing the industry’s gender gap. In her free time, Zea helps shape the minds of the next generation of workers through her work with Destination Imagination, a creative problem solving nonprofit for youth seeking to develop STEM-related skills.
What did getting the 40u40 award mean to you at the time? I had spent that year engaging with and working with our local community around manufacturing awareness, and to win that award at that time meant I was considered part of the community. I was a leader making my mark in an area important to me.
What does it mean to you now? I’m older and no longer qualified … Just kidding! The award gave me confidence as a first-time site leader. That confidence has helped me to move into newer, more challenging roles and has solidified my commitments to supporting manufacturing futures not only in Massachusetts, but across the country.
What advice do you have for this year's 40u40 winners? Dance down the aisle. Own the moment.
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