Catherine Hayes

Industry Manager
South Carolina Research Authority

Catherine Hayes has over 20 years of international industrial experience, including leadership roles with Square D, NCR, and Bosch. With a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management and Mechanical Engineering, a Master of Science in Industrial Technology, and a focus on Lean Six Sigma, she led successful teams in Manufacturing Engineering and Operations, Quality Engineering, and Industrial Engineering.

In her current role as Industry Manager with SCRA, Catherine partners with industry to identify improvement opportunities, scouts for technology solutions, and facilitates technology transfer to support Industry 4.0 initiatives and digital transformation. She collaborates with universities, economic development alliances, and state agencies to support industry growth, to recruit new technology companies to the state, and to find sustainable solutions while fostering the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems.

Previously as Executive Director of the South Carolina Automotive Council, Catherine spearheaded Industry 4.0 awareness and convened manufacturers to share best practices in innovation, operations, supply chain development and workforce development. She collaborated throughout the Southeast with automotive manufacturers and alliances to support the automotive industry and to expand foreign direct investment. Catherine serves on the SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) Board of Directors to support SC manufacturers and she serves on the Board for the Center of Resilience Excellence (CORE SC), a Consortium dedicated to solving resilience challenges in South Carolina.