Influential Leader Award
Presented by
About the 2022 WIL Influential Leader Award
At OTR Solutions, we want to recognize amazing women in our logistics community who inspire and lead others. With that, we are proud to sponsor the Women in Logistics (WIL) Influential Leader Award!
The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000!
And the winner is...
Gretchen Long
Owner & CEO of Long Money Trucking Services, LLC
Meet The 2022 Influential Leader Award Winner
Gretchen Long
Owner & CEO
Long Money Trucking Services, LLC
2022 WIL Influential Leader Award Winner
Gretchen and her business have changed the landscape of the trucking industry by providing opportunities to others through education and the dynamic community she has built through her social media platforms. We know she will put the $5,000 GRAND PRIZE to great use!
“Gretchen has been such a leader, a selfless guide, helper and one of the biggest cheerleaders that everyone needs. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have had the success or even got started with my business in logistics. Her knowledge and love that she has for this industry, And the willingness to share the knowledge also follow up to make sure your understanding is crystal clear is unmatched.”
“Gretchen has defied the odds of launching and scaling her business amidst great personal and professional tragedy. She has leveraged her corporate skill set and infectious smile to amass a tremendous social media following and build a company, brand, and legacy anyone would be proud of. She is further changing the landscape of the trucking industry by providing opportunities to others through her courses.”
“Gretchen is an Alumni of the Goldman and Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, a member of the NAWOSB and a Minority-Owned small business. She has been featured as one of her Communities Women to watch in 2022.”
“Gretchen Has shown leadership by launching social media platforms that truly offer value to those within the industry or looking to enter. Her transparency about her journey in entrepreneurship and the challenges she faced allow her audience to relate to her in a authentic way and see a piece of themselves in her. This attribute showcases her skills of bottom-up leadership as we all know this journey can be difficult, many hide their mistakes and flaws and misguide the masses she teaches us through those mistakes and flaws which separates her from the rest putting her in a class of her own!”
“She has generated over $3 million dollars of revenue for her clients within the past 9 months. She has also touched lives and influenced many people of the trucking industry. Gretchen is a great leader and role model, passionate of her work and very good at it.”
“Gretchen provides a community scholarship to her high school alma mater for graduates looking to go into a non-traditional college I.e: Trade schools or technical colleges.”
The Fab-Four Finalists
Lateasha & Lashanta Witherspoon
Owners
LLG Transportation Consultants
“Assisted over 200 students learn about the trucking industry through LLG University. Always willing to share their knowledge with others. This isn’t restricted to just trucking but life in general.”
“I am nominating Lateasha Witherspoon because (among her being intelligent, strong, selfless, caring, and an expert in trucking) she is a great leader and mentor. From the first day I met her, she has significantly impacted my business and life. She helped me discover a talent I possess and suggested that I offer it as a service. After taking heed of her advice, I have gained more clients and have successfully solved their business pain points. Furthermore, she has helped me overcome fears that previously hindered my professional growth.”
“This company has been reaching back and helping others get started. They really are about bringing people up as they move forward themselves! This includes sending free resources to those incarcerated who desire to learn more about trucking.”
“Lateasha and her partner, Lashanta, helped start over 100 trucking companies in their first year in business and have served over 600 trucking professionals. They arguably have one of the best compliance and back-office support training courses. They have been interviewed and featured in the Truckin’ Hustle podcast, Trucker Tools, and other well-known media outlets. And they recently held a successful conference in Dallas that provided invaluable information about different aspects of compliance. What is remarkable about this is that they have accomplished all of this in under two years of being in business.”
“Host their First Compliance Conference this year with over 100 in person attendee and virtual attendance as well.”
Lola Taylor
CEO
3D Dispatch
“Lola is a very strong, positive woman. She has changed so many lives in the logistics industry. She owns a dispatch company and trucking business. One thing about her, she not only loves what she do but she has a passion for logistics. Lola has changed so many lives including mine. And I will always be grateful to have her in my life. She is definitely someone I can learn and grow from.”
“The reason I am nominating Lola of 3-D Dispatch is because she is a phenomenal female businesswoman who is extremely passionate about trucking, but she actively and consistently helps other women do the same. Her training sessions are excellent! She is always professional and courteous! She is a women of faith and has applied her knowledge and expertise to grow trucking solutions & sales exponentially!”
“Lola has shown so much leadership in her community. From teaching women to open up their own dispatch business, to mentoring women on how to succeed in the trucking and logistics industry, teaching compliance, creating events for women to talk to each other about logistics, and support every woman she meets. She loves her logistics business and her community. She offers free events to men and women in logistics that are from her community. I feel that Lola is definitely a true leader, a supportive woman, and a great business woman.”
“Lola has expanded her fleet of trucks, has multiple locations & offers beginners and advanced level training courses for aspiring candidates who also wants to join the trucking industry. She is selfless and truly serves her customers, students, and community at large while employing and educating others.”
Michelle Harris-Deadwiler
Co-owner
3 Rivers trucking school
“Because she goes above and beyond her duties as an owner and instructor. She is very motivational, she does her best to make sure first time operators are comfortable and everything is broken down to the simplest form. She inspires the class and pushes people including myself to set goals and achieve them beyond expectations. But most of all I love how committed she is in getting people second chances, helping them with housing, helping them to get a job, and helping them reconstructing and reforming their life.”
“She is a phenomenal woman with a heart of gold. I love the school and its mission to assist those with challenging backgrounds obtain the ability to become working individuals.”
“By being a forefront of reformation. Helping those who were/are incarcerated transform their life in a positive manner to achieve goals and to overachieve statistics set out for them. She is a phenomenal woman with a heart of gold. I love the school and its mission to assist those with challenging backgrounds obtain the ability to become working individuals.”
“First black Woman Trucking school in GA, the Highest success rate in CDL Training, and overall phenomenal Woman of Color.”
Yvette Hartman
Owner
Independent Logistics Specialist
“I started out 5 years ago as a new dispatcher and have grown into a well-seasoned independent logistics specialist, who loves and admires our industry and everyone that is involved. I have the privilege to work not only with my clients/carriers but some of the brightest people on the factoring, insurance and broker side.
I have been blessed to work with some of the most professional individuals in every aspect of this industry, who pride themselves on their integrity and hard work. And I have been honored to work with many of my clients/carriers from the beginning steps of their journey to becoming an owner operator. To witness someone work so hard to become an owner/operator, knowing all the obstacles that they may come across. And to witness them do just that, fearlessly, has been truly inspiring for me personally and professionally.
Having started out 5 years ago as an independent dispatcher with literally 1 client/truck (and not a vast knowledge of every side of the industry), I have worked unbelievably hard to build my client base and knowledge over these years, to where I am now a sought after independent logistics specialist who has worked with dozens of carriers all over the country and who has built a strong, long term relationship with many, as well as other organizations and individuals in our industry. I have been witness to new carriers growing and becoming extremely successful businesses.
Knowing these people have put their trust in me to help their business grow and thrive; and to see them flourish; and become family to one another and be thanked, on a daily basis, for helping them achieve their dream. It’s been the most humbling experience. And I am grateful every day for being able to do what I do, and work with the people I work with. My goal is to expand by the end of next year, to take my clients and business even farther. And because of everyone, on every side of trucking that I work with on a daily, I know that dream will become a reality.”
Eligibility
To be eligible, nominees must meet the following criteria:
- Self-identify as a female
- Work in the logistics industry
- Be nominated by an OTR client, vendor, partner, or affiliate
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
Award Timeline
Selection of Finalists
Five award finalists will be selected on:
- Influence in the industry
- Tenure in industry
- Community service/projects
- Achievements
- Nomination origin
- “Wow” factor
- *Grand prize winner will be selected by a public vote. Additionally, if selected as a finalist, you will be asked for a professional photo and to confirm relevant personal information for announcement
What is women in logistics?
Women in Logistics (WIL) is one of several inclusion programs here at OTR. WIL is a resource group that supports women in our workforce, leadership team, clients, and industry partners. WIL supports OTR’s mission to maintain a culture that provides opportunities for all employees to achieve greatness and success.
Founded in 2018, the primary goal of WIL was to build a community of women to foster growth & professional development. Together, we want to excel as logistics professionals in the company and to pass on the core values, attitudes, and foundation of quality leadership here at OTR.
To fulfill our goals, we invite guest speakers, host networking events, plan charity and service opportunities, spotlight female clients, and maintain a mentorship program, which is the cornerstone of WIL. The mentorship program pairs new female hires with our veteran employees to help them interact with and learn from established professionals in the company – with the goal of empowering the next generation of female leaders.