The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) is pleased to announce the three finalists for the 2025 Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award (DWLA). This prestigious award, sponsored by the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) and Truck stop, honors the exceptional achievements of women in the North American transportation industry, celebrating their leadership and contributions to this essential field.
The finalists for the 2025 Distinguished Woman in Logistics Award are:
- Martha Payne, transportation attorney, Benesch Attorneys at Law
- Peggy Mecca, president and CEO, Mecca and Son Trucking
- Sharon Johnson, chief legal officer, chief compliance officer, and corporate secretary, MODE Global
These women have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing the logistics and transportation industry, leaving a lasting impact on their organizations and communities.
Martha Payne represents North American transportation and logistics providersas a transportation attorney at Benesch, offering counsel on a broad range of transportation issues. Her practice focuses on risk analysis, contract negotiation, and supply chain management. With significant knowledge in cargo liability, risk management, and contracting, Payne has worked with U.S. carriers and served on the National Law Center for Inter-American Free Trade’s Sub-Committee on Uniform Liability Regime. She has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Transportation Lawyers Association and continues to serve on the board of Fields of Peace, a nonprofit promoting global peace through children’s leadership.
Peggy Mecca, president and CEO of Mecca and Son Trucking, has led the company for 55 years, expanding its operations from regional trucking to global logistics, port drayage, and specialized freight. She modernized the business and built a large fleet, expanding services to include commodities requiring special handling. Mecca has guided her company through recessions, natural disasters, and the pandemic, always prioritizing employee stability and growth. As a Certified Women’s Business Enterprise, Mecca actively drives industry change through various organizations. Collaborating through her board role on the Bi-State Motor Carriers Association, she has worked closely with the NY/NJ Port Authority and Director of the Federal Maritime Commission. She is proud to have helped improve carrier and port operational practices dealing with demurrage and per diem regulations. Her engagement continues in organizations such as the New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s (NJBIA) Women Business Leaders Council.
Sharon Johnson serves as chief legal officer for MODE Global, overseeing the company’s global legal and compliance affairs. In 2024, she was named Compliance Week’s Compliance Innovator of the Year and received the Outstanding General Counsel award from D CEO magazine. Johnson has guided MODE’s compliance program to achieve the Navex Excellence in Ethics and Compliance Award for two consecutive years. An advocate for ethics and compliance, she regularly speaks at industry conferences and is a board member of the Texas A&M University School of Law Alumni Board. Johnson leads a collaboration between TIA’s Fraud Task Force and TCU students to enhance fraud analysis, data visualization, and carrier vetting.
The finalists were selected by a distinguished panel of judges, including:
- Brent Hutto, senior advisor, Truckstop
- Chris Burroughs, president and CEO, TIA
- Dr. Stephanie S. Ivey, director, Southeast Transportation Workforce Center, University of Memphis
- Jennifer Hedrick, president and CEO, WIT
- Sarah Ruffcorn, president, Trinity Logistics and 2024 DWLA recipient
The winner will be announced during the TIA Capital Ideas Conference and Exhibition on Thursday, April 10, in San Antonio, Texas.
The DWLA continues to celebrate the women who are transforming the future of transportation and logistics. By recognizing their leadership, the award highlights the growing influence of women in the field and inspires the next generation of women leaders in transportation.
