GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Women in Trucking Association (WIT) has recognized Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA) for its leadership in helping to advance women in the trucking industry.
Honored at the 2023 Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas on Nov. 5-8, VTNA “has shown its dedication and commitment to increasing gender diversity in the traditional male-dominated commercial trucking industry,” a WIT news release noted.
During the conference, female representatives accepted the awards for two categories: Top Companies for Women to Work for in Transportation and Top Women to Watch in Transportation by Redefining the Road, the official magazine of WIT.
“This year, Volvo Trucks increased its sponsorship commitment to the highest level to help spotlight the vital contributions of women across the transportation industry. As we navigate towards a more inclusive future, we are working to empower more women to drive their careers to greater success,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of VTNA. “We are thrilled to accept the award that acknowledges our commitment to provide women with enhanced opportunities for success at every level. We take immense pride in the numerous successful women representing Volvo at the conference, sharing their knowledge and experiences.”
Iris Austin, the people and culture director for VTNA, was the representative to accept the 2023 Top Companies for Women to Work in Transportation award on behalf of the company.
“This annual Accelerate! award highlights the top companies in the trucking industry that go above and beyond to be an exceptional workplace for women in all roles of the transportation industry,” the news release stated. “This also includes supporting gender diversity, accommodating family and life balances, offering competitive compensation, benefits, continued training and more.”
The Southeast District Sales Manager for VTNA, Elizabeth McMillian, was honored as one of the 2023 Top Women to Watch in Transportation by Redefining the Road, WIT’s official magazine. According to WIT, more than 80 women in a wide array of roles have been recognized based on career accomplishments in the past 18 months and how they have managed their careers to provide value to the enterprises that employ them. McMillian shared her success story, inspiration, and practical tips in the How Women Rise – Stories from Top Women to Watch panel.
Katy Link, electromobility sales manager for VTNA’s western region, participated in A Pivotal Moment in Trucking: Battery-Electric Vehicles panel to provide insights about the truck industry’s transition to zero emissions and the momentum in adoption of battery-electric vehicles, including the Volvo VNR Electric truck.
“Volvo Trucks was a pioneering manufacturer in delivering Class 8 battery-electric commercial trucks in North America in December 2020,” according to the news release. “It has now delivered trucks to customers throughout the U.S. and Canada to operate their daily freight routes. Link is one of many women involved in this sustainability transformation and supports fleets in and around California with their electrification journey.”
The Director of Complete Vehicle at VTNA, Margarita Mann, was honored by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) with the Patent Recognition Award for impacting SWE and the broader engineering community.
The Patent Recognition Award recognized Mann for her hydrogen fuel cell inventions having novel applications — mobile electric vehicle direct current fast chargers and power generators. VTNA also had two panel speakers during the conference and expo, which was anticipated to attract more than 2,000 transportation professionals in all areas of the field.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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