After 20 years of service with MEMA, and even longer in the transportation industry, Ann Wilson, MEMA’s executive VP of government affairs, is ready to pass her torch to the next generation. And it’s an impressive torch. A senior leader for several associations, Wilson was named an Industry Influencer by the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2022.
Wilson credits her long list of accolades to her ability to take advantage of every opportunity, even if the opportunity came with challenges.
But she’s also grateful for the people she’s met along the way who’ve helped her learn, especially in the trucking industry. “They have taken a lawyer lobbyist, and they've said, ‘We want to teach you what's important so that you can advocate for us, and we want you to understand what our concerns are.’”
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To be successful in her career, Wilson needed both this enthusiasm and her willingness to learn and connect with others, both of which are traits she hopes to see in the next generation of women.
Entering the industry
Wilson’s entry into transportation was not straightforward. After earning her law degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, she worked in poverty law, state government, and municipal lobbying. This eventually sent her to Washington, where she joined the American Trucking Associations’ state law project. This transition came with a bit of a learning curve, such as understanding the parts of a fifth wheel.
“The first week or two weeks that I was [at the ATA], I was working on truck sizes and weights, which was an enormous issue in the ‘80s and early ‘90s,” Wilson recalled. “And I had to figure out what a kingpin was.”
This experience highlighted the first of several lessons Wilson learned, namely the necessity of understanding tire construction, emissions systems, and more to be able to communicate industry issues.
Additionally, Wilson learned about the importance of connections between sectors, such as manufacturing and transportation, and the connections between people. She recommended that industry leaders understand the point of view of both those sitting on the same side and across the political table.
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“We may differ on some issues, but we are all trying to protect and defend and advocate for the trucking industry in some way, shape, or form,” she explained. “And that's when an open mind, understanding, and questions come in handy.”
Navigating challenges
This kind of openness is also critical in the face of challenges, such as the Firestone and Ford tire controversy of the 1990s. According to a case study from the University of New Mexico, the situation saw Ford and Firestone pitted against each other in the wake of safety concerns regarding Firestone Wilderness AT tires mounted on Ford Explorers that resulted in crashes, deaths, and injuries due to tire tread separation. At the time, Wilson represented the tire industry and found herself thrust head-first into the situation.
“That was a crisis of mammoth proportions for both the tire industry and for Ford Motor Company,” she remembered.
While tackling this challenge, Wilson said she was able to learn about technical communications and advocacy, as well as how these crises can be valuable learning opportunities. “You don't have to solve everything, but it's an opportunity to learn from others around you. That will further your career in ways that you may never know,” she said.
Women entering the industry need to be bold. While Wilson is happy she’s no longer the only woman at meetings anymore, she said women must continue to be brave in offering their input to their organizations and supporting each other.
“I think the other thing is to learn to reach down and not just reach up,” Wilson advised. “Oftentimes, we need to turn around and say, ‘Oh, what can I do to help other women in my office or in other organizations also succeed?’ because that success is just going to buoy your own.”
Wilson hopes that this kind of support, and the groundwork she has laid during her career, will only serve to strengthen not just the female transportation leaders but the next generation overall.
“We've done a lot of wonderful things for the industry in the last 20 years,” she concluded. “But there's a new generation of ideas on how we lobby, how we advocate, and how we engage coming up behind me. And it's time for them to be able to go out there and take on these new challenges.”
