Aili J. Tran is lead communicator of the Global Mining Division at Caterpillar Inc., having served in a variety of communications roles with the company throughout her career. In her previous position at the Caterpillar Foundation, she guided agencies through a challenging investment process, helping them develop goals, outputs, outcomes, metrics and measurements to be more effective and efficient. She put together the foundation’s first nationwide facility investment plan, and led Caterpillar’s move to an online United Way pledge process.
At Caterpillar, Tran is a member of the Young Professional, Women’s and Lambda Network employee affinity groups. She is a Six Sigma Green Belt and member of the Six Sigma team for Technical & Skilled Trade Strategy, a recruiting representative at Illinois State and Bradley University, and a representative for the Illinois Diversity Council.
Not only dedicated to her career, Tran has demonstrated a passion for the community through her involvement in a variety of volunteer efforts. Since becoming involved with the Heart of Illinois United Way, Tran has become an unofficial ambassador and strong advocate for the organization, serving on its Self-Reliance Allocation Committee and contributing countless hours as a grant reviewer, evaluating proposals submitted to the organization. Her expertise and experience with corporate foundations was instrumental in shaping the core of the United Way’s emerging leaders group, GENeration United, and she serves on many of its committees, including the Executive Committee (founder), LEAD Committee (co-chair) and BoardSERVE Committee (chair).
Tran has devoted her time supporting Common Place, Neighborhood House, Midwest Food Bank, The Center for Prevention of Abuse and the Peoria Symphony. She is a member of the Peoria Symphony Marketing Committee, the Bradley Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Accreditation Team, Young Professionals of Greater Peoria, and Illinois State University’s Young Alumni Association. She is also a graduate of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership School and a strong supporter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. iBi
