Paying it Forward

Xiu migrated to the U.S. when she was 12 years old and lived in New York City’s Chinatown where she spoke mostly Mandarin. After a few years, her family’s dream of entrepreneurship took shape when they accumulated enough money to open a Chinese buffet in Decatur, Illinois.

Xiu's transition from New York City to Decatur was a move that initially posed a cultural shock, more than moving from China to New York. In Decatur, people who looked like Xiu and her family were scarce, and she faced cultural misconceptions and challenges being in a smaller town. However, her parents' courage in taking calculated risks inspired her to embrace the challenges. Working at the family restaurant before starting high school in Decatur taught her valuable skills in communication and navigating language and cultural barriers. She learned quickly, which helped her socialize with classmates and later manage the family business throughout high school and college.

Xiu joined Caterpillar as an intern supporting the Large Mining Truck group in May 2002. "I didn't want to go too far from my family," she said. Xiu interned at Caterpillar between her junior and senior years of college and later worked part-time while finishing her degree in accounting. Xiu joined Caterpillar full-time in 2003.