Leanne Drummond, business development manager for CPC Logistics, has been recognized as a 2023 Top Woman to Watch in Transportation by the Women in Trucking Association (WIT). The non-profit organization’s mission is to encourage the employment of women in the trucking industry, promote their accomplishments and minimize the obstacles they face.
“Leanne is a trailblazer for women in trucking,” said CPC President Butch Wallis. “While her dedication to her work is vital to the success of CPC and our customers, her support of women—whether they are behind the wheel, in the warehouse or a member of the leadership team—makes her an asset to our entire industry.”
Drummond was selected as a Top Woman to Watch in Transportation for her significant career accomplishments, efforts to promote gender diversity at CPC and passion for bettering the overall transportation and logistics field. She was recently elected as the 1st Vice Chair of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) Board of Directors, which positions her to become the first female chairperson in the board’s history. She also currently serves as chairperson of the PMTC’s Young Leaders Group.
Drummond has been voted National Recruiter of the Year by the National Recruiting and Retention Symposium. She has also earned the PMTC Young Leaders Education Bursary Award and the Charles Laferle Memorial Award from the Canadian Institute of Traffic and Transportation. A frequent speaker at industry events and conferences, Drummond has delivered numerous presentations and been a part of many panels promoting the employment of women in the transportation industry.
“The many accolades Leanne has received over the course of her 25-year career are a testament to her ongoing commitment to making the trucking industry better for everyone,” said Matthew Carr, vice president of operations for CPC. “Her work doesn’t stop at what she does to progress her own career. She goes the extra mile to enable others to excel, too.”
In her role at CPC, Drummond works with customers to recruit and retain truck drivers. She ensures women drivers are given equal opportunities by creating jobs that provide safe environments, work-life balance, comprehensive benefit packages and equitable access to facilities and equipment. To help reduce the workforce shortage and encourage more young people to get involved in the industry, Drummond developed and launched a new mentorship program in 2022 that connects students and recent graduates from the logistics and supply chain program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, with the PMTC Young Leaders Group. The collaboration aims to establish career pathways for top students.
“I have admired the talented female leaders who have been recognized as Top Women to Watch in Transportation for years, so I am honored to be included on this year’s list,” Drummond said. “My hope is that other women will see what I have been able to accomplish and become inspired to pursue their own successful paths in trucking. I want women to know that they are welcome and needed in this industry.”