This, Too, Shall Pass by WIT President & CEO Ellen Voie

from Redefining the Road Magazine Ed 3 2020

New Advertising Opportunities through WIT

This, Too, Shall Pass

Ellen Voie, CAE, President & CEO Women In Trucking Association, Inc.

A few years ago, Women In Trucking (WIT) decided to hold the Accelerate! Conference and Expo. We partnered with MindShare Strategies to create an exciting, new annual event that focused on empowering women working in supply chain. Our very first conference attracted over 300 women and men who came to learn, network and support the mission of WIT – all while having some fun.

Every year, we ask for feedback and we consistently hear common themes. The top reason for attending the conference is to connect with others (particularly women) who share a passion for transportation. Attendees want to learn how to be successful in a male-dominated environment and, ultimately, make an impact on the paradigm shift to more gender diversity and neutrality in the industry.

Ensuring relevant content is also important. Our speakers talk about negotiation skills, communication styles, industry trends in recruiting and retaining talent management, best practices across all disciplines, and so much more. We hold break-out sessions with panels and speakers and pre-conference events for networking and self-defense.

Attendees clearly appreciate the quality content, peer networking, and access to resources. They have told friends and colleagues and encouraged them to attend – and, in 2019, we had more than 1,100 registered attendees!

The 2020 conference was scheduled for September, and we expected to attract over 1,500 people. Then, COVID-19 hit. We kept hoping we could meet in person. We watched as other conventions and conferences cancelled their in-person events, one by one. Yet, we closely monitored the situation, kept our fingers crossed and scheduled our speakers and our exhibits. Rooms were booked and flights were scheduled.

After much thought and research, we ultimately made the decision to cancel the in-person event due to safety concerns.

However, for the past several months we have been diligently focused on delivering a powerful networking and educational experience as we transition the in-person event to a virtual Accelerate! Conference and Expo in November.

We’re adapting. We are learning. We’re mastering virtual meetings and finding new ways to engage and give you the best value for your investment.

Thank you for supporting us and attending our virtual conference. We have designed a conference that is as interactive as possible, but we need your understanding that we’re still learning and adapting. We value your feedback, and we look forward to seeing you in Dallas next year.

Remember, “this, too, shall pass,” and we hope to be back in person in 2021!