Influential Women Showcases Stephanie Siegel: Driving Safety, Leadership, and Growth in the Trucking Industry

KNOXVILLE, TN, UNITED STATES, October 14, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Director of Safety at Pemberton Truck Lines and Specialty Transport Rose From Data Entry to Executive Leadership Through Hard Work, Continuous Learning, and a Commitment to Developing Others

Knoxville, Tennessee – Stephanie Siegel is the Director of Safety at Pemberton Truck Lines, where she oversees safety operations for the company’s dry van fleet and its affiliated Specialty Transport hazmat fleet. In this leadership role, she manages accident investigations, driver coaching, regulatory compliance, recruiting, retention, and onboarding, while ensuring adherence to Department of Transportation standards and industry best practices. As a member of the company’s leadership team, she also helps implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) to strengthen organizational performance, drive innovation, and support continued growth. With 12 years of experience in transportation, she has become a respected voice on safety and leadership. Her career is a testament to dedication, perseverance, and a deep passion for professional development.

Safety in trucking touches every part of an operation, from the drivers on the road to the people who recruit, train, and support them. Stephanie’s responsibilities reflect that breadth. Her specialties in safety, compliance, recruiting, and retention allow her to see how each function influences the others, and how a strong safety culture depends on the people behind it. Investigating accidents, coaching drivers, and onboarding new team members all contribute to the same commitment to safety and growth.

Stephanie’s career began at Skyline Transportation in a data entry position. From there, she steadily advanced through roles as administrative assistant, compliance manager, and safety director before joining Pemberton Truck Lines. Along the way, she earned her Certified Director of Safety (CDS) and Certified Safety Compliance Manager (CSCM) credentials through the North American Transportation Management Institute (NATMI). She also completed the Vistage Emerging Leader Program and is currently enrolled in Crestcom’s leadership program. In addition, she has taught CDL permit classes, sharing her knowledge with people entering the industry. Each step added to her understanding of how a carrier operates, from the details of compliance to the leadership needed to guide a team.

Even before transportation, Stephanie was building the habits that would define her leadership. Nearly five years at Chick-fil-A taught her the value of exceptional customer service, leadership, and a strong work ethic. She attributes her success to hard work, a willingness to take direction, and a commitment to continuous learning. She also credits the steady support of her family and the guidance of mentors including Jeff Reed, Rocky Summers, and John Pemberton, whose influence has shaped her leadership philosophy. Each new opportunity, she has found, has strengthened both her skills and her passion for developing others.

Stephanie has made a lasting mark on the industry as the founding Chair of the East Tennessee Young Professionals Council, helping establish the organization as a resource for developing the next generation of transportation professionals. She is an active member of the Tennessee Trucking Association, the American Trucking Associations, the Young Professionals Council, and Women in Trucking. As founding Chair, she helped give emerging professionals a place to connect, learn from experienced leaders, and grow within the field.

The mentors who guided Stephanie showed her the value of having someone invest in her growth, and she now works to offer that same investment to others. Today, she is committed to paying mentorship forward, including by mentoring her safety team as she grows within the industry. She sees developing future leaders as one of the most meaningful parts of her role and as a way to strengthen the industry for years to come.

The best career advice Stephanie has received is to never stop growing. She sees every day as an opportunity to gain insight from a success, a mistake, or someone with more experience. She has also learned that growth comes from a willingness to take chances. Some of the biggest opportunities in her career came from stepping into roles that felt intimidating and from pursuing goals others thought were out of reach. Even when things do not go as planned, she believes the knowledge, confidence, and experience gained move a person forward. She also stresses the importance of seeing the bigger picture, staying confident, keeping an open mind, and considering different perspectives before making decisions.

Her advice to young women entering transportation is to stay curious, build their knowledge, and remain open to new perspectives. She encourages them to hold their heads high and believe in themselves while staying humble, listening, asking questions, and learning from people who have spent years doing the job. She urges them to understand situations from different perspectives, noting that strong leaders listen before they react. Above all, she wants young women to feel confident that they belong in transportation and have valuable contributions to make. She believes respect is earned through hard work, integrity, and perseverance, regardless of gender. Earning the respect of people from every background, age, and level of experience, she says, is one of the most rewarding accomplishments of a career.

Stephanie identifies recruiting and retaining qualified drivers as one of the biggest challenges facing the transportation industry. Carriers across the country are working to improve, and there is no single solution. Because the industry keeps evolving, companies must evolve with it, whether by improving company culture, strengthening communication, recognizing drivers for their work, or finding better ways to support them. She believes the search for new ideas that make a lasting difference must be constant. She approaches that challenge with the same curiosity and willingness to learn that have defined her career.

For Stephanie personally, one of her greatest opportunities has been the chance to help grow Pemberton Truck Lines and Specialty Transport. John Pemberton has trusted her as a leader and has consistently valued her ideas and input. That trust has allowed her to help shape processes, improve safety, strengthen retention, and contribute to the company’s long-term vision. Her goal is simple: to help build something truly special and to look back years from now knowing she played a meaningful role in the company’s growth.

Integrity, compassion, innovation, honesty, and kindness are the values that guide Stephanie most. She believes in doing the right thing even when no one is watching, treating people with respect, and always looking for ways to improve. Pemberton’s core values of integrity, compassion, innovation, and enrichment align closely with her own, reminding her to lead with character, care for the people around her, and keep finding better ways to serve drivers, customers, and the team. In her personal life, honesty and love are at the center of everything she does, and she hopes the impact she leaves on others will be as meaningful as any professional accomplishment.

From her first day in data entry to her place on Pemberton’s leadership team, Stephanie has shown how persistence and a love of learning can open doors in an industry that keeps the country moving. Her commitment to safety, mentorship, and service continues to strengthen both her company and the wider trucking community. Her path shows that an entry-level role can be the beginning of a career in leadership. Stephanie Siegel stands as an example of what is possible when hard work is paired with a genuine desire to lift others along the way.

Learn More about Stephanie Siegel:

Through her Influential Women profile: https://influentialwomen.com/connect/stephanie-siegel

Influential Women

Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.

Editorial Team
Influential Women