Top five coolest women making waves in the supply chain sector

For decades, women have been making waves within the supply chain and logistics industry, we take a look at HighJump’s top five from over the years.

1. Anna Drake

Image source: AWESOME

Anna Drake is the founder of Achieving Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain Operations, Management and Education (AWESOME). After becoming the only woman to receive a Distinguished Service Award from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) in 2012, Drake started to reflect on why no woman had ever been recognised before. This led Drake to strive to identify the barriers preventing women from being successful in the supply chain industry.

AWESOME is a leadership initiative that strives to help women stake their claim in the industry by providing learning, mentorship and professional growth opportunities.

2. Megan Smith

Image source: LinkedIn

Megan Smith is the current CEO of Symbia Logistics. Over the years, Smith has started and sold multiple businesses, finding her niche in the logistics world building on her family’s legacy of over 150 years by propelling the Amware Logistics into a new era. Backed by the National Women Business Owners Corporation, Smith rebranded the company into Symbia Logistics building a business with gender diversity initiatives at its roots.

SEE ALSO:

• Read the latest issue of Supply Chain Digital here

3. Edwina Justus

Image source: Union Pacific 

In 1976, Edwina Justus, became the first black female locomotive engineer to work for Union Pacific Railroads. She started her career as a traction motor clerk, shipping livestock, airplane wings and cars to Wyoming and Colorado for the next 22 years.

4. Ellen Voie

Image source: LinkedIn

Ellen Voie is the current President and CEO of the Women in Trucking Association. According to Indeed, only 8% of truck drivers are women, as part of the Women in Trucking Association Voie is dedicated to change this statistic, by traveling around the world to give talks and empower women to join the trucking industry.

5. Melonee Wise

Image source: Fetch Robotics

Forging the future of supply chain robotics solutions, Melonee Wise is the CEO of Fetch Robotics developing autonomous mobile robotics to create more efficient warehouses when it comes to tracking, picking, finding and moving inventory. 

So far the company has raised US$94mn in funding and has several hundred robots around the world.

For more information on procurement, supply chain and logistics topics - please take a look at the latest edition of Supply Chain Digital magazine.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.