Three Ryder Leaders Recognized at 2026 Women in Supply Chain Awards
Ryder System, Inc. a leading provider of supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, has announced that three of its senior professionals have been recognized as recipients of the prestigious 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum™ Awards. The recognition highlights the achievements of women who are making significant contributions to the supply chain and logistics industry through operational leadership, workforce development, innovation, and business transformation.
The three Ryder leaders were selected across different award categories for their outstanding professional achievements, measurable business results, and commitment to strengthening the supply chain workforce. Their accomplishments demonstrate how experienced leaders and emerging professionals are helping organizations improve operational efficiency, develop talented teams, and respond to the evolving demands of modern supply chains.
The Women in Supply Chain Forum Awards recognize influential women who are helping shape the industry’s future. The program celebrates professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, introduce innovative approaches, deliver meaningful business results, and create opportunities for other women to advance in supply chain careers.
According to the award organizers, women are playing an increasingly important role in transforming the supply chain sector. Their contributions extend across business leadership, logistics operations, compliance, technology adoption, workforce development, and organizational innovation.
Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Supply & Demand Chain Executive and Food Logistics magazines, emphasized the growing influence of women in the industry.
“When it comes to women in the supply chain space, one thing is clear: they are increasingly driving industry innovation; leading companies, divisions, markets and sectors; executing on all fronts to ensure compliance; and creating pathways for the next generation,” Mayer said. “They’re making a difference in the supply chain, both personally and professionally.”
For Ryder, the recognition reflects the company’s efforts to develop strong leadership across its supply chain operations while encouraging professional growth and continuous improvement. The three award recipients represent different areas of expertise, ranging from large-scale logistics management and workforce innovation to quality assurance and operational excellence.
Cherie Brinkerhoff Recognized as a Trailblazer
Cherie Brinkerhoff, Ryder’s senior vice president of operations for retail, technology, and healthcare, was named a recipient in the Trailblazer category. This award recognizes female executives and industry leaders who are influencing the future direction of logistics and supply chain management.
With more than 25 years of global industry experience, Brinkerhoff oversees approximately $900 million in supply chain and transportation operations across 40 locations throughout North America.
Her responsibilities involve managing complex operations, supporting customer requirements, improving service performance, and ensuring that supply chain solutions deliver measurable value. Her leadership experience has contributed to operational improvements across multiple industries, particularly in sectors where reliability, inventory visibility, and timely fulfillment are essential.
One of her significant achievements during the past year involved transforming the supply chain operations of a large Midwest hospital network.
Traditionally, the hospital network relied on a distributor-managed supply chain model. Under this arrangement, an external distributor played a central role in managing product distribution and inventory-related activities. Brinkerhoff helped lead the transition toward a self-distribution model, allowing the healthcare organization to gain greater control over its supply chain operations.
The transformation delivered substantial improvements in operational performance.
Following the implementation, the hospital network achieved fulfillment rates of more than 99%. The initiative also provided 100% real-time inventory visibility, enabling the organization to monitor inventory more effectively and make informed operational decisions.
Additionally, the transformation reduced order processing costs by 80%, demonstrating the financial and operational benefits of redesigning traditional supply chain processes.
These improvements are particularly important in healthcare logistics, where supply availability, inventory accuracy, and distribution efficiency directly influence the ability of healthcare providers to maintain uninterrupted operations.
Brinkerhoff’s leadership in this transformation has also earned her multiple industry awards, further highlighting her contributions to advancing healthcare supply chain management.
Her recognition as a Trailblazer reflects her ability to manage large-scale operations while introducing innovative solutions that improve efficiency, strengthen customer relationships, and establish new standards for logistics performance.
Kimberly Boan Named Workforce Innovator
Kimberly Boan, Ryder’s director of customer logistics for automotive, aerospace, and industrial (AAI) operations, was recognized in the Workforce Innovator category.
This award category honors professionals who are advancing supply chain education, workforce development, employee engagement, and talent management.
Boan’s recognition highlights the importance of building high-performing teams and creating workplace environments that encourage employees to develop new skills, improve productivity, and contribute to organizational success.
Since 2024, Boan and her team have generated more than $6.5 million in savings for a large industrial customer through continuous improvement initiatives and operational efficiency programs.
The savings reflect the team’s focus on identifying opportunities to improve processes, optimize resources, and strengthen overall supply chain performance.
Continuous improvement is an important part of modern logistics operations. Businesses must regularly evaluate their processes to identify inefficiencies, reduce unnecessary costs, and improve service delivery. By encouraging employees to participate in these initiatives, organizations can develop practical solutions while strengthening accountability and operational performance.
Boan has focused on cultivating teams that are motivated to innovate, collaborate, and achieve measurable results.
Her approach places considerable importance on employee development and retention. Rather than focusing exclusively on short-term operational targets, her leadership emphasizes creating an environment in which employees have opportunities to build their capabilities and contribute to long-term business improvements.
This approach is particularly relevant as supply chain companies face growing demands for skilled workers, technological knowledge, and specialized operational expertise.
The logistics industry continues to evolve through digitalization, automation, changing customer expectations, and increasingly complex distribution requirements. Developing a capable workforce is therefore essential for companies seeking to remain competitive.
Boan’s achievement demonstrates how workforce development and operational excellence can work together to produce significant financial and organizational benefits.
The more than $6.5 million in customer savings generated since 2024 represents a measurable outcome of her team’s efforts to improve processes while maintaining a strong focus on people and performance.
Her recognition as a Workforce Innovator highlights the role of effective leadership in building sustainable supply chain operations.
Christine Xiong Receives Rising Star Recognition
Christine Xiong, Ryder’s senior manager of continuous improvement, received recognition in the Rising Star category.
The Rising Star award celebrates emerging supply chain professionals whose achievements, leadership potential, and innovative thinking are helping shape the industry’s future.
Xiong leads quality assurance, continuous improvement, and engineering functions across a portfolio of customer business valued at approximately $300 million within Ryder’s automotive, aerospace, and industrial vertical.
Her responsibilities involve identifying opportunities to strengthen operational processes, improving service quality, supporting engineering initiatives, and ensuring that customer operations meet performance expectations.
Through her leadership, Xiong has driven several initiatives designed to improve account performance and customer satisfaction.
Her work focuses on identifying operational challenges and implementing practical improvements that create long-term value for customers. These initiatives include process improvements, space optimization, and more efficient resource utilization.
One of her notable achievements involved generating nearly $2 million in savings for a customer within a single year.
The savings were achieved through a combination of operational improvements that helped eliminate inefficiencies, make better use of available space, and improve resource allocation.
Space optimization is an increasingly important consideration for logistics providers and industrial customers. Warehouses, distribution facilities, and manufacturing-related operations must use available space effectively to support growing business requirements while controlling operating costs.
By improving facility layouts and optimizing the use of resources, companies can increase productivity, reduce unnecessary movement, and improve workflow efficiency.
Xiong’s continuous improvement initiatives have also contributed to stronger account performance and improved customer satisfaction scores.
Quality assurance and engineering functions play an important role in maintaining consistent service standards. Through structured improvement programs and performance monitoring, organizations can identify potential problems, implement corrective measures, and improve operational reliability.
Her recognition reflects the impact that emerging professionals can make when they combine technical knowledge, operational expertise, and a commitment to innovation.
The nearly $2 million in annual customer savings demonstrates the tangible business value of her work and highlights her contribution to Ryder’s broader operational improvement objectives.
Ryder Leadership Highlights the Importance of Women in Supply Chain
Ryder’s three award recipients represent different stages and areas of professional leadership within the supply chain industry.
Brinkerhoff’s recognition highlights executive leadership and large-scale operational transformation. Boan’s achievement demonstrates the importance of workforce development and employee engagement, while Xiong’s Rising Star recognition reflects the contributions of emerging professionals who are delivering measurable improvements through innovation and continuous improvement.
Together, their accomplishments illustrate how effective leadership can influence multiple aspects of supply chain performance.
Steve Sensing, president of supply chain and dedicated transportation solutions for Ryder, congratulated the three leaders and highlighted their contributions to the company and the wider industry.
“Cherie, Kimberly, and Christine represent the kind of leadership that is shaping the future of the supply chain industry,” Sensing said. “They translate deep operational expertise into measurable value for our customers, while building strong teams and creating pathways for the next generation of leaders. This recognition reflects the impact they are making across Ryder and throughout our industry.”
His comments emphasize the importance of combining operational knowledge with people-focused leadership. Supply chain organizations increasingly require professionals who can manage complex business operations while developing teams capable of responding to changing market conditions.
The achievements of the three recipients also demonstrate that operational excellence involves more than reducing costs. It requires improving customer experiences, developing employees, maintaining quality standards, and introducing processes that support sustainable business growth.
The Growing Role of Women in the Supply Chain Industry
The recognition comes at a time when the global supply chain industry is experiencing significant changes.
Businesses are investing in technology, automation, data visibility, warehouse optimization, and more efficient transportation networks. At the same time, they must manage workforce challenges, rising customer expectations, and increasingly complex distribution requirements.
These developments are creating opportunities for professionals with strong leadership, technical, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
Women across the industry are contributing to these changes by leading business divisions, managing large logistics networks, introducing innovative operational strategies, and developing the next generation of supply chain talent.
Awards such as the Women in Supply Chain Forum recognize these contributions and help highlight the importance of professional development, leadership opportunities, and inclusive workplace environments.
For companies operating in logistics and transportation, developing diverse leadership teams can also strengthen decision-making and encourage new approaches to operational challenges.
Ryder’s three award recipients demonstrate how leadership at different organizational levels can contribute to customer success and business performance.
Their accomplishments include significant cost savings, improved fulfillment rates, greater inventory visibility, enhanced customer satisfaction, and stronger workforce development initiatives.
Recognition Reflects Ryder’s Commitment to Operational Excellence
The 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum Awards provide additional recognition of Ryder’s leadership capabilities and its focus on delivering effective supply chain solutions.
The achievements of Brinkerhoff, Boan, and Xiong demonstrate the company’s emphasis on operational transformation, customer-focused innovation, continuous improvement, and employee development.
Their contributions span healthcare, retail, technology, automotive, aerospace, and industrial supply chain operations, reflecting the broad range of markets supported by Ryder.
As businesses continue to modernize their logistics networks, experienced professionals and emerging leaders will remain essential to improving efficiency and maintaining competitive supply chain operations.
Through their individual achievements, the three Ryder leaders have demonstrated how strategic leadership, workforce innovation, and operational improvements can create measurable value for customers.
Their recognition in the 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum Awards celebrates not only their professional accomplishments but also their contributions to the continued development of the supply chain industry.
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