Women In Trucking and Navistar announced the six finalists for the 2015 Influential Woman of the Year award which highlights the achievements of female role models and pioneers in the trucking industry.

This is the fifth year for the award which was developed by WIT and Navistar in 2010 as a way to honor female leaders and to attract and advance women within the trucking industry. 

Last year, nearly 100 women were nominated and winners included women from all over the industry in corporate, manufacturing, supplier, owner-operator, driver, and sales or dealership roles.

This year’s finalists are:

• Angie Freeman, Chief Human Resources Officer, C.H. Robinson; President, C.H. Robinson Foundation

• Elise Chianelli, Senior Product Manager, Safety & Compliance, PeopleNet

• Karen Rasmussen, President and Chief Executive Officer, HELP Inc.

• Karen Smerchek, President, Veriha Trucking Inc.

• Kari Rihm, President and Chief Executive Officer, Rihm Kenworth

• Shelley Simpson, Chief Marketing Officer and President of ICS & Truckload, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc.

WIT will be announcing the winner and holding a panel discussion on March 10 at the Truckload Carriers Association annual convention at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Fla.  The Panel discussions will take place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Naples, Rooms 1-3 and the Reception will take place from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Destin, Rooms 1-2.