Ann Mary Myers has had a passion for heavy-duty engineering since high school. She ended up taking that passion to further her education in engineering and control systems in college, making her dream a reality.
Five years ago, Kenworth Truck Company found Myers’ resume, which included some of her electronics projects from college. Those projects included a black box for automobiles and a vehicle obstacle avoidance system. “The rest, as they say, is history,” noted Myers.
While working as an engineering supervisor for Kenworth Truck, the company nominated Myers to join the highly competitive Paccar Leadership Development Program, a rotational program on five continents over 18 months with assignments including finance, operations, and marketing. She has been in that role since December 2019 and works with different divisions within Paccar in various functional areas and geographical locations to gain a broad understanding of the business.
Myers has a master’s degree in electrical engineering, with a specialization in control systems, from New York University. She also earned her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington in 2019, and she obtained her Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) in Washington State.
She is part of the Women In Trucking Association and is on the board of the nonprofit F-Factor, which supports at-risk youth in the Seattle area through fashion by providing resources needed to dress for success. Myers also served time with the Society of Women Engineers as the chair of the Scholarships and Awards committee in the Pacific Northwest.
Myers explained that she thoroughly enjoys being part of an industry that has constantly been on the cutting-edge of technology. “Transportation and automotive are among some of the few industries that have perfected efficiency and economies of scale,” she noted. “That makes me very proud.”
However, one challenge that Myers had to face in her trucking career was driving a 1994 Class 8 truck that wasn’t suited well for people her size.
“At five feet, three inches, I am not the tallest person,” she said. “It was a difficult experience as the seats and mirrors could not be adjusted to suit my height, which compromised my road visibility and ability to reach the pedals.”
In comparison, Myers said the Kenworth W990 makes her feel as comfortable as she would driving her car.
During her time at Kenworth, Myers noted that all her roles have stood out in their own ways, starting with her first role as an engineer responsible for the MX engine software release in North America. In addition, the work that she and her team have accomplished over the past few years at Kenworth will launch soon with the OEM’s new product.
“I can’t provide more details about it, but what we achieved is unparalleled in the industry, and I can’t wait for you to see and try it out,” she said.
When Myers is looking to hire new talent, besides the typical skill sets for the particular job, she looks for a prospective candidate’s willingness to learn.
“Never stop learning,” she advised. “In my early days at Kenworth, I took The Strength Finder test as a part of a training program. This was back when I was more worried about my weaknesses and the skills I didn’t have rather than the skills I did. The biggest learning experience I had through this was focusing on your strengths really helps you become even more open to learning new things, which, in turn, helps mitigate your perception about weaknesses.
“I always encourage people around me to believe in themselves,” Myers added. “I completed my CDL training while working full time and raising a four-year-old. Saying that it was difficult would be an understatement, but at the same time, it was not impossible. I want to conclude by saying, always keep going, onward and forward.”
