ATRI’s Rebecca Brewster Wins 2013 ‘Influential Woman In Trucking’ Award

Rebecca Brewster, president and chief operating officer of the American Transportation Research Institute, has received the 2013 Influential Woman in Trucking award.

The third annual award, sponsored by Navistar Inc., was presented late Tuesday at the Truckload Carriers Association’s annual meeting in Las Vegas.

The award seeks to recognize women in the trucking industry who make or influence key decisions, who have a proven record of responsibility and who mentor and serve as a role model to other women.

“This year, we received more than 100 nominations for the Influential Woman in Trucking award, and Rebecca rose to the top in a field of exceptional candidates,” said Ellen Voie, president and CEO of Women in Trucking.

“It was a very difficult year to select a winner because many of our nominees, and certainly all of our finalists, have also done much to influence the industry,” she said in a statement.

WIT and Navistar also honored the three runners-up: Sandra Ambrose-Clark, president of ESJ Carrier Corp.; Lana Batts, co-president of Driver iQ; and Judy McReynolds, CEO of Arkansas Best Corp.

“We want to call attention to the many contributions that women have made to the trucking industry,” said Jan Allman, Navistar’s vice president of manufacturing operations. “It’s not easy to play and win in what has traditionally been a male-dominated world, and women like Rebecca demonstrate that it can be done.”

Judges for the award included Voie and Transport Topics Editorial Director Howard Abramson.

Brewster has been president and COO of ATRI for the past 10 years. ATRI — an independent research arm sponsored by American Trucking Associations — conducts transportation research with an emphasis on the trucking industry’s essential role in a safe, efficient and viable transportation system.

She also serves on the Transportation Research Board’s executive committee and on the Mack Blackwell Rural Transportation Center’s advisory board, and was recognized in 2010 by the 50 state trucking associations for her service to the industry with the J.R. “Bob” Halladay Award.

Prior to joining ATRI, Brewster was public and governmental affairs director for the Cary, N.C., Chamber of Commerce and a Fleet Analyst with Moen Inc.