Ingrid Mattsson was introduced to the plastics industry in 1995 when she worked for Wirsbo, which was later renamed to the parent company, Uponor, in 2006. Now, as the director of brand and sustainability for the plastic pipe manufacturer based in Apple Valley, Minn., Mattsson builds and manages sustainability initiatives in North America to ensure strategy is aligned with the European headquarters. She also works to enhance the Uponor brand.
"I like to think that I take care of the heart and soul of the company," she said.
Mattsson has a bachelor's degree in Spanish and Latin American studies, with a business minor, from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and a master's degree in business communications from the University of St. Thomas.
Mattsson has been recognized endlessly for her work. She was honored as an Exceptional Businesswoman by the Sun This Week, a local Twin Cities publication, in 2015 and named Woman of the Year by the Champions of Business Awards in 2016.
In 2018, she was the first woman to receive the Carlson-Holohan Award of Excellence for two decades of service in the industry. "The award, which is not so much won as it is earned, recognizes an industry advocate every two years for dedication to advancing the steam and hydronics industries," she said.
"There is so much opportunity in this industry and the plastics industry has done so much to contribute to the health, safety and convenience of our society," she said. "And now we can do more to figure out how to keep all of that but turn plastics into a renewable so that we are part of the solution, not part of the problem in terms of waste."
Q: What is your greatest achievement?
Mattsson: Together with my colleagues, I am proud of the respected and valued brand we built in Uponor. We all have worked hard to create a brand and company we are proud of and we all live into our culture of continuous improvement.
Q: What has been the most unexpected thing you learned from the pandemic?
Mattsson: Personally, I have learned to live in the moment and take each day as it comes. In sustainability and marketing, we have the long view — always planning six months to a year out — so I was always living in the future. I now really have value for today and now.
Q: What's an accomplishment of yours that most people don't know about, either for work or in your personal life?
Mattsson: My friends and colleagues mostly know that I'm a lead singer in a rock band. And I am passionate about CrossFit. The accomplishments in CrossFit, while physical in nature, have also showed me that perseverance and resilience have much to do with your mindset. CrossFit has trained me to just keep going, and I'm better for it in all aspects of my life. It's not necessarily about coming in first; It's about staying in the race.