Rosario Martínez leads the system of environmental management in assembler in Mississippi.

Guanajuato, Gto., December 22, 2016.- Rosario Martínez-Zúñiga, chemical engineer graduate from the University of Guanajuato implemented a system of environmental quality in Toyota's Shipping plant in Mississippi, which gave the recognition of the international corporate and North American government.

Rosario is from Michoacán, grew in Irapuato, where she lived for a large part of his life with her parents José and Rosario and her five brothers. 25 years ago, she graduated from the University of Guanajuato, where she made the Chemical Engineering degree.

Her plans to go to Spain and continue a Master's degree were truncated due to a car accident that made her stay and look for a job in Mexico.

In 2003, after collaborating with the North American company Delphi Automotive System in Queretaro, she was invited to work in a plant settled in Michigan, as an environmental engineer.

Although her initial 2-year offer extended to 5, Rosario was a Mexican employee of the company, with the intention to return to mother land, project that changed, when she met her husband Brad.

The company she worked for had several reconstructions, hence, Rosario decided to look for better opportunities: "Toyota in that time announced the start of the plant in Mississippi and with my experience, I decided to look for an opportunity."

With Toyota's offer, Rosario decided to move to Mississippi, where she currently is system administrator of environmental management and coordinator of the reside handling in the plant.

Located in a small town called Blue Springs, Toyota's Shipping plant in Mississippi is one of the 10 plants the Japanese corporate has in United States and has been designed by Toyota Motor Corporation as the Model Assembler Plant in Sustainability in North America.

"Since its construction, they installed high-tech equipment in environmental management; such as the painting plant who was fewer discharges of pollutants in the atmosphere and less residue generation", says the proud professional. She has also participated in volunteer systems with Mississippi's Government and the community in promoting environmental health.

Thanks to the labor done by the engineer from Guanajuato and the collaboration of shipping plant workers, have been acknowledged as environmental leaders by the North American government, Toyota's workers participate in programs that contribute in improving parks and sustainable projects for the zone.

Currently Rosario supports his partner Sean McCarthy, who leads the project of a garden where they reproduce native plants of the state and with it, aid in the path of the Monarch Butterfly through this zone.

The Chemical Engineer recognizes that besides the experience achieved in opening plants in Mexico and handling ISO 14001, UG gave her the bases to perform in a country different to hers "not only in technical foundations, they taught me to be self-sufficient, to analyze, to seek improvement and different alternatives of a problem, work in teams and, somehow develop initiative."

Rosario is proud of the growth Guanajuato is experiencing in the automotive industry and the next arrival of Toyota to the state, which speaks of the potential of the workforce, in addition of the challenge that quality and environmental sustainability represent.

"It is an incredible opportunity (this industrial growth) for the students, for the future graduates and for who still is preparing. Many times, a woman limits herself, she wants to be a mom and the professional career stops, but everything is possible, you have to look for a balance."

Married for eleven years and with a 7-year-old son, Rosario considers that the professionals must conciliate their personal, work and family life to provide a balance, besides taking advantage of the opportunities that present: "My message for the students and professionals is to never give up on their goals, continue preparing, study a second language, and always seek opportunities."