With the brain of an engineer and the business sense of an executive, Nicole Murphy has the best of both worlds. Serving as director of business management for Amgen, Murphy has been able to match her education and expertise in chemical and process engineering with her leadership and managerial ability to make herself an asset to her employers and a stand-out member of the Rhode Island business community.
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Murphy worked as an engineer for the agricultural chemical company Monsanto and its spinoff, Solutia Inc. During her time as a process engineer at Solutia, Murphy used her engineering expertise to oversee product development and to reduce operational waste, increasing the efficiency and profitability of her company’s processes.
In 2001, Murphy started her work at Amgen in the Wyeth Pharmaceuticals division as a process automation engineer. Rising through the ranks, she became director of project management, during which time she led a staff of project managers in tackling major initiatives, including $600 million worth of capital projects.
In her current position, Murphy works managing a staff of more than 350, as well as the company’s operational budget. She also facilitates goals, missions and strategic development for the organization, allowing her to utilize her technical knowledge of Amgen’s processes in making decisions and objectives in an executive setting.
A strong believer in the benefits of education, Murphy has taught calculus at the community college level for the past three years. She also headed an investment club for business students interested in finance. Murphy’s passion for education has not been limited to the classroom, however.
As an organization development resource manager, she keeps learning and personal development a high priority in her managerial duties. •
