Parke's passion for learning has driven him to New Power
If it's not new, it's not Parke. For the past eight years, Parke Wang's diversified journey with Cummins has allowed him to fulfill his passion for learning new things. His most recent role as a Lab Operations Manager of New Power's Wuhan, China facility presents an exciting opportunity to focus on innovation and new technology.
My role in the New Power team is really exciting - it gives me the opportunity to constantly learn new things, and this is what motivates me every day.
China is a rapidly growing market for Cummins' New Power business, and Parke's role is vital to it's success. Parke is responsible for overseeing all operations at Wuhan's Electrified Power workshop. The workshop is used for vehicle integration work, such as the XCMG electric excavator, which made its debut earlier in the year, and a range of advanced testing, including the electrical control and battery testing. You could say Parke is the power behind the workshop. Part of an operations team of six experts, Parke is responsible for overseeing the calibration of equipment, health and safety in the lab, and the well-being of 20 employees, as well as conducting daily checks to ensure the instruments are working effectively.
Always up for a challenge 
Wuhan has become a location the world is familiar with due to being hit hard and hit first by the COVID-19 pandemic. Parke has never been one to shy away from a challenge, and when his facility was hit by the pandemic, he stepped up to manage the Health, Safety and Environment of the employees onsite throughout COVID-19. Leading the way in the "new normal" and helping employees return to work safely, Parke implemented a variety of measures to make way for new work arrangements. "During lockdown, I had a huge role to play - moving online and working alongside the rest of the Health & Safety team, we prepared emergency response plans and put infection prevention guidelines in place." Keeping our employees safe was Parke's number one priority.
Once we returned to the workshop after sheltering in place, my main priority was to check that everyone was safe each day. It was important to me to ask the team about both their physical health and mental health. Although it was tough, we believed things would get better.
Another piece to Parke's Cummins jigsaw
Joining Cummins Filtration in 2012 with an ambition for a career in mechanical engineering, little did Parke know that eight years later he would find himself here. From spending three years in Filtration as a testing and validation engineer, to becoming a regional service manager in our Fuel Systems unit for two years, Parke notes that his first five years with Cummins really embedded the knowledge he needs to fuel his role as Lab Operations Manager in New Power.
My first five years here were exceedingly helpful. My time as a testing engineer gave me the engineering knowledge and my time as a service manager where I could work with OEMs daily allowed me to develop my communication skills.
Parke's roles join up like a jigsaw puzzle. He describes how the skills he developed in both of his previous roles have equipped him for his role in New Power. "Working in the operations team, I work closely with the engineering team on the workshop floor. At times, the engineers will communicate in terms that other departments don't quite understand. My experience allows me to act as a translator for them and offer effective communication between different functions."
Technology and transport
For Parke, the learning curve does not stop when he leaves work, and he loves to travel the world and learn about different cultures - Japan, Thailand, South Korea are just a few of the countries Parke has visited. Living by the motto, "Read thousands of books, travel thousands of miles," for him, learning is all about experiencing things firsthand. "You may read about the United States in a book, but for me, I did not fully learn about the culture until I experienced the country for myself."
Cummins has not only transported Parke thought his career but also on his travels. "My favorite trip was to the Philippines. The environment is so clean there and has original ecology." The trip was a real eye-opener for Parke, after finding out that the engine of the boat he used to travel from one island to another was powered by Cummins. It proved to him that Cummins is providing cleaner power all over the world, even where you would least expect it.
The future is bright
In a milestone achievement for the New Power team in China, Wuhan will be home to the first fuel cell and hydrogen temporary lab, giving the team the opportunity to increase their research and development capabilities in fuel cell technologies. It is a very proud moment for Parke as a project manager on the temporary lab build.
I must say, I think hydrogen has a very bright future here in China. Hydrogen technologies are certainly a big part of the future.
From creating new technologies and being faced with new challenges to learning the hidden treasures of the world, Parke's passion for learning is what will continue to drive his work and way of life.
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Lauren Cole
Lauren is the Senior Digital Communications Specialist for Cummins Inc, where she focuses on social media, employee storytelling, and employer branding. Lauren joined the company in early 2017 and has a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Indiana University.
