Rachel Rutter, 28

Product manager
Taylor Water Technologies
Sparks, Maryland

Rachel Rutter joined Taylor Water Technologies in 2020 as a research and development chemist, bringing her scientific background to an industry she was eager to learn from the inside out. “It is truly an honor to get to wake up every day and go to work with such a hard-working and dedicated team,” Rutter says. Within a year, she transitioned into product management — giving her a broader view of the company’s operations and direct involvement in shaping Taylor’s product line.

Her role expanded again after Taylor was acquired by Fluidra. While continuing to manage products, Rutter took on responsibilities in education and training, guiding customers and internal teams in understanding and using Taylor’s testing solutions. Balancing the two functions was no small feat. “I had to call in some backup and let a few projects go that I was very close to in order to ensure nothing fell to the wayside,” she says. It taught her the importance of delegation and trusting others to share the workload.

In 2023, Rutter’s dedication was recognized with the Circle of Champions Excellence Award, a peer-nominated accolade celebrating her commitment to Taylor’s products and customers. “It was an honor to be recognized,” Rutter says.

Rutter is focused on launching innovative products, advancing within product management and making the industry more inclusive. “If I could change one thing about this industry, it would be the number of women,” she says. “We are significantly outnumbered here, and it would be awesome to see the gap close even more over the next five to 10 years.”

Away from the office, Rutter still invests in leadership development as chapter adviser for Alpha Omicron Pi at Towson University, guiding college students as they grow into confident leaders. When she’s not mentoring, she enjoys reading, exploring new cities and mountain biking with her boyfriend.