F a l l 2 0 1 9 • S T U F F 1 9
S T U F F M a d e I n C T . c o m
Right after graduation, she started working for a medical-
device manufacturer who came to recruit at her college.
While working, she did night school for a dual degree: a
master's in business management and an MBA, at Albertus
Magnus College in New Haven, all while raising her son, who
was a toddler at the time.
LaBarre elevated to management and earned promotions, as
supervisor of quality, then manager of manufacturing.
"I was responsible for two shift operations with over 400
reporting to me. It was a lot of delegating," she said.
"I didn't have a lot of role models or mentors to help me
navigate the waters," said LaBarre. "I was shy and quiet but
had to outgrow that."
Manufacturing led to a Pennsylvania relocation for a time,
where she took a senior process engineering position for a
company that made baby diapers and feminine products.
"When you go from a company that makes surgical
instruments to a company that makes baby diapers, it shows
how wide and diversified the manufacturing industry is," she
said.
After two years it was back to Connecticut with the same
company for a director of quality position, which she stayed
in for more than 20 years, before the company was bought
out. Then she came to RK Manufacturing, which has 130
employees in all, 21 on her staff. About 65 women work in the
company's cleanroom; RK Manufacturing has other women
Karen Flanagan
TITLE:
Quality supervisor
COMPANY:
Okay Industries, New Britain & Berlin
LIVES: Southington
THREE GENERATIONS:
She has three children
and two grandchildren.
