by Women In Trucking Staff, on Jan 14, 2024 4:31:30 PM
Van Zeeland was one of three top industry executives to keynote the 2023 Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas, TX.
She’s a transformative leader who brings passion, creativity and heart to everything she does. Her colleagues say she identifies and attacks issues with careful precision and leads with grace through adversity and triumph. She has nearly 30 years’ experience with Schneider National, a major multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services. And she was named the 2023 Distinguished Woman in Logistics by the Women In Trucking Association (WIT). Meet Erin Van Zeeland, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), Group Senior Vice President and General Manager of Logistics at Schneider National. The annual award is sponsored by the Transportation Intermediaries Association and Truckstop.
“We’re pleased to recognize Erin with the honor of Distinguished Woman in Logistics,” adds Jennifer Hedrick, WIT President and CEO. “Throughout her career at Schneider, as well as in her volunteer work, she has shown exceptional talent and leadership – key characteristics of this award.”
The Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award (DWLA) is an annual award from WIT that highlights the crucial roles of influential leading women in the dynamic field of commercial transportation and logistics, which encompasses logistics service providers as well as motor carriers. Van Zeeland was selected for her outstanding contributions to supporting women in the workforce and demonstrated exceptional leadership in logistics across North America.
Van Zeeland is one of the most high-ranking women in one of the largest transportation companies in North America. She is responsible for the strategy, execution and growth of the company’s fastest growing segment, Logistics, which has become a nearly $2 billion offering and includes brokerage, supply chain and distribution management and power-only services. She also oversees the company’s sales and marketing strategy and capability enablement in her capacity as CCO.
She began her career at Schneider in 1993 as a service team leader and has since held several roles across the company in Logistics, asset-based divisions and leadership focused on customer growth and business transformation. Her leadership extends beyond day-to-day business, as Van Zeeland also co-leads the Schneider Women’s Network, an organization developed with the intent to attract, develop and retain the best talent, and ensure nothing stands in the way of women growing their careers at Schneider.
“Looking back on my 29 years at Schneider, I feel so blessed to work at an organization that uplifts diverse points of view and experience in the workplace and provided me with a resilient skill set to get me where I am in my career today,” says Van Zeeland. “The DWLA reflects my commitment to empower the next generation of leaders, and I’m excited to continue serving as a role model for others building careers in transportation and logistics.”
“Erin is a strong role model across the logistics and transportation industry and continually reinforces the importance of mentorship and inclusivity, especially supporting opportunities for women and empowering her teams. “I’ve seen first-hand the profound impact she has had on our business,” says Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke.
Nominations are OPEN for the 2024 DWLA. Learn more here and nominate a worthy candidate by February 12.
This article was originally featured in Edition 2 of 2023 in our official magazine, Redefining The Road. Download the latest edition here.
Like this kind of content?
As a member of the Women In Trucking Association, stay on top of emerging trends and business issues impacting transportation and logistics; learn the importance of gender diversity in the workplace and the need for more women drivers; and see best practices in encouraging the employment of women in the trucking industry. Join today! Learn More
