by Women In Trucking Staff, on Oct 23, 2023 9:00:00 AM
ARLINGTON, Va. – Oct. 23, 2023 – The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) announced today three finalists for the 2023 Influential Woman in Trucking award sponsored by Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), the leading manufacturer of Class 6-8 commercial vehicles in North America. This award was developed in 2010 to recognize female leaders and to attract and advance women in the trucking industry.
The award highlights the achievements of female role models and trailblazers in the trucking industry. The 2023 Influential Woman in Trucking finalists are:
- Tori Blake, Chief Financial Officer and Co-owner, Western Logistics Express and WLX
- Megan Ferguson, Vice President and of End-to-End Delivery Acceleration, Walmart
- Shelley Simpson, President, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
Tori Blake, Chief Financial Officer and Co-Owner of WLX and Western Logistics Express “WLE”, has made it her mission to mentor women in all facets of her business. In her role, she is responsible for financial management, talent acquisition, employee development and strategic visioning. WLX|WLE have been recognized as one of Kansas City’s fastest growing companies each year Tori has been on the team, as well as one of Kansas City’s best places to work. She was also named Kansas City Business Journal’s 2023 CFO of the year.
At the start of her career, Tori was an auditor at Ernst & Young, one of the four largest accounting firms in the world. Over her 16-year career as an executive leader, she has led startup companies and has a true passion for entrepreneurial endeavors.
Tori has a heart for serving others. She was instrumental in supporting Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City through “Sunshine Taggie” blankets for patients, handmade by WLX|WLE employees. She has also served as chairwoman of her church board, has been a children’s church teacher for over a decade, and is serving as the church mission trip leader. Tori is also a coach of two youth sports teams where she has the honor of coaching and guiding 25 young female athletes and leaders each year.
Megan Ferguson, Vice President of End-to-End Delivery Acceleration at Walmart, holds over 15 years of experience at Walmart and Sam’s Club, with a deep background in transportation operations and strategy and merchandise operations. Megan joined Walmart in 2007 as a Private Fleet Strategy Intern and moved into the role of Project Manager of Walmart’s Private Fleet Strategy upon obtaining a degree in Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University.
During her career at Walmart, she has filled transportation leadership roles in sourcing and procurement, inventory management and optimization as well as merchandise operations. In her current role, Megan brings Walmart’s delivery strategy to life, across first, middle, and last mile, and always prioritizing the customer’s needs.
Megan is a passionate mentor and leader to her teams. She co-leads Walmart’s Women of Supply Chain Council as well as hosts educational sessions and mentorship circles while continuing to grow herself as an active member in the Walmart’s Women’s Officer Caucus.
While her passions lie in advocating for women in the transportation and supply chain industries, her mentorship extends to all associates seeking guidance in managing relationships, peer collaborations, and various business topics. Megan prioritizes volunteering her time to train and participate in fireside chats and panel discussions to inspire other women to take on leadership roles.
Shelley Simpson is President of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. Her 29-year career at J.B. Hunt reflects the company’s continued progression as an innovative leader in the transportation and logistics industry.
Since joining J.B. Hunt as an hourly customer service representative, she has held multiple positions in business segments across the company, including leading Integrated Capacity Solutions, Truckload, Customer Experience, Highway Services and most recently serving as Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President of People and Human Resources.
While leading the strategic direction of marketing, sales, customer experience, and external product development, Shelley also led the development of the company’s freight matching technology platform J.B. Hunt 360°®. As the company evolved the platform and its technology-driven services, Shelley was also responsible for commercializing them on a global scale as the leader of International Services.
In 2021, she was named one of the Top 100 Women in Supply Chain by Supply Chain Digital and has been named one of the top 100 HR Professionals by the National Diversity Council in 2022. She recently received the 2022 Woman of the Year in Innovation award by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and the Excellence in Free Enterprise Award from Economics Arkansas.
There will be a panel discussion at the WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo held in Dallas, TX, Nov. 5-8, 2023. The winner will be announced after the panel discussion on Tues, Nov. 7 at 10:15 a.m. CST.
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About Women In Trucking Association, Inc.
Women In Trucking Association, Inc. is a nonprofit association established to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize obstacles faced by women working in the trucking industry. Membership is not limited to women, as 17 percent of its members are men who support the mission. Women In Trucking is supported by its members and the generosity of Gold Level Partners: Arrow Truck Sales, Bridgestone Americas, Daimler Truck North America, FedEx Freight, Great Dane, J.B. Hunt Transport, Michelin North America, Navistar International, Inc., PACCAR, Penske Transportation Solutions, Ryder System, Walmart, and WM. Follow WIT on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. For more information, visit www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.
