Roquita Coleman Williams
MEDIA KIT Entrepreneur Author Mentor Speaker
Roquita Coleman Williams
Roquita Coleman-Williams Roquita has crafted a reputation as a diligent, forward thinking professional capable of identifying visionary initiatives and making them work.
ABOUT ROQUITA Roquita Coleman-Williams is a railroader, a supply chain leader and innovator, and an ambassador for the advancement of women in the transportation industry.
Based in her hometown of Memphis, she develops forward thinking sales and marketing strategies to drive sustainable growth for a Class 1 Rail Network. She also serves in a critical appointment, by the Mayor of Memphis, TN, to Memphis Area Transit Authority board of commissioners. She brings to her leadership roles, a reputation of a diligent professional capable of identifying visionary initiatives and making them work. She has made her mark as an advocate in the Memphis transportation community; bringing a high energy, laser sharp focus to a male dominated industry. She is a dynamic wife and mother who is the epitome of a woman of excellence who knows how to balance marriage, motherhood and career. She continues to share her unique journey in supply chain innovation, diversity advocacy, and the path to leadership with students, corporations, women leadership groups and supply chain leaders.
The SUPPLY CHAIN LEADER
Beginning at the young age of 20, Williams has worked on the management level throughout her career. She began at UPS, transforming the Decatur, IL in-house customer support group into a revenue generating inside sales division. Her acumen led to key management appointments, including three years with the Atlanta-based UPS Capital as a Regional Business Development Manager directing over 30 Account Managers to produce division leading revenue. Charged with risk mitigation and cash flow delivery solutions, she created positive bottom line benefits by leading sales teams in incorporating financial services into their common carrier portfolio. She has spent a great deal of her 18 year career raising awareness across the logistics industry and selling Fortune 500 companies on the “Memphis Logistics Advantage.” She’s a board member/supporter of various logistics organizations; serving in 2011 as the first African American President of the 66 year old Memphis World Trade Club.
Roquita Coleman Williams
THE RAILROADER
In 2006, Williams transitioned to new opportunities with CN Railway, which is classified as a Class 1 Railway, operating the largest rail network in Canada. With 20,600 route miles of track that extend into the United States, CN Railway is the only transcontinental rail network in North America, offering connections to 3 coasts. CN’s supply chain portfolio includes rail, intermodal, trucking, freight forwarding, warehousing and distribution, logistics parks, truck brokerage, transportation management, and marine services. Williams’ duty is the development of new markets for CN’s breadth of supply chain innovation. She leads progressive, high impact rail enabled supply chain projects to create sustainable value for rail users. She develops creative marketing strategies and equips railroad sales professionals with skills and tools to generate top line revenue. Williams is a recognized leader in the railroads community and stakeholder engagement efforts. In 2010, Roquita successfully assembled and moderated the Multimodal Conferences’ very first panel representing all 5 of Memphis’ Class 1 Railroads. She served as Chairman of 2011 Southeast Freight Conference inviting CN Chairman and CEO Claude Mongeau to participate as Luncheon Keynote. His first major keynote in the US as CEO, Mr. Mongeau, was able to deliver a strategic message of CN's precision railroad model to an audience of nearly 400 attendees. Williams’ facilitation of branding opportunities for the CN Railway bolstered her nomination for a CN Corporate Services Vision Award and winner of Progressive Railroading Magazine’s 2014 Rising Star of North American Railroads .
THE innovator
Williams is the first African American to hold the appointment as President of the distinguished Memphis World Trade Club. In this role, she has worked across the transportation industry promoting her company's brand and her connectivity to the global markets, delivering strategic messaging, and facilitating more cooperative engagement with major stakeholders. Roquita’s extensive community and industry engagement has earned her the recognition of a leader in brand messaging, regional marketing, and stakeholder engagements.
THE ambassador
Williams serves the advisory board for the Memphis Regional Chamber and Female Society of Transportation Professionals. She has been featured on her expertise international trade, her role as an industry trailblazer and her advocacy for diversity in the logistics industry. She has been invited to address matters of logistics industry/leadership diversity at universities, national conferences and Fortune 500 companies including Hilton Corporation and FedEx. During the 2015 FedEx Corporate Women’s Leadership Summit, she shared the stage with Fedex executives; discussing her unique path to leadership with an audience of over 400 Fedex team members.
In the media Roquita Coleman-Williams has been interviewed and featured nationally, on her expertise in international trade and her role as an industry trailblazer.
Roquita Coleman Williams
In the media Roquita Has Been Featured In The Following Media: • • • • • • •
Cargo Business News Commercial Appeal Grace Magazine Memphis Business Journal Progressive Railroading Magazine RSVP Magazine The New Tri-State Defender
Roquita Has Been Recognized As: • • • • • • • •
Honorary City Councilman New Generation of Freight Industry Leader Top 40 Under 40 Who’s Who Among Corporate Leaders Woman of Excellence Kindle Award for Community Service Med Week Outstanding Leader In Supply Chain and Logistics People on the Move
Roquita Coleman Williams In the media
Roquita Coleman Williams
THE speaker
SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS • 2nd Annual Fedex Women in Leadership 360 Summit “Success Principles of Leadership” • Cargo Logistics Canada Expo Vancouver BC “How Deep is the Bench” • Hilton Worldwide’s Celebration of Women of Character, Courage and Commitment “How a Chip on your Shoulder Can Make You Fall” • Southeast Freight Conference “Women in Logistics” • Transload Distribution Association Conference “What Rail Means to Memphis” • Germantown Rotary Club “Using Social Media to Promote your Organization’s Brand” • 4th Annual Memphis Multimodal Conference “The Memphis Advantage: 5 Class 1 Railroads” • City of Memphis Be the Dream Youth Empowerment Symposium hosted by Mayors Office of Youth Services “Workplace Etiquette” • City of Memphis Youth Symposium “Preparing Youth for Future Job Opportunities with the Railroad” • Loving Me Rocks Conference “Gearing up for College” • Saturdays with Singletary Women’s Empowerment Radio Show “Developing the Support System You Need To “Lean In” • Youth About Business “Deciding, Developing and Demonstrating the Idea of You Through Social Media” • Youth About Business Event “The Power of an Idea” • Mayor Wharton Ambassador Leadership Program "Social Media with a Purpose” • Follow your Dreams Conference Sponsored by Memphis Urban League -“Making Mistakes on Purpose”
Roquita Williams’ dynamic transportation background includes: common carrier, international, air freight, rail, domestic and international intermodal, NVOCC, ocean freight, cargo insurance, credit insurance and other financial services for the transportation industry. Roquita raises awareness, across the logistics industry, and sells Fortune 500 companies on the “Memphis Logistics Advantage” and CN Railroad’s connectivity to global markets through Memphis. She is a board member and supporter of various logistics organizations; serving in 2011 as the first African American President of the 66 year old Memphis World Trade Club. In 2010, Roquita successfully assembled and moderated the Multimodal Conference’s very first panel representing all 5 Memphis’ Class 1 Railroads. The next year, as Chairman of the Southeast Freight Conference, she invited CN CEO Claude Mongeau as keynote speaker giving her organization a unique audience and opportunity to outline its strategic direction and intention around the southern region. Considering Mr. Mongeau’s recent transition to CEO, at the time, this was a welcomed branding opportunity for the CN organization facilitated by Roquita.
The advocate Although Roquita manages a pretty full schedule, in her down time she enjoys reading a book, meditation or maintaining her Bikram (Hot) Yoga practice. She is currently writing a book of her experience as a "business yogi" and shares insightful posts on Facebook and Instagram under #livewhilemakingaliving #thecareerclimb #frontlinesofabattlewithayogamat
“If you can, help others; if you can not do that, at least do not harm them” Dalai Lama
Roquita Coleman Williams
TESTIMONIALS
We were honored to have Roquita Coleman participate in the Hilton Worldwide Women's History Month celebration in 2014. On a panel consisting of amazing, bright, successful, accomplished and personable women, Roquita was a shining star! Her engaging honesty about her career successes, and maybe more importantly, missteps left a lasting impression. Her insights into women succeeding in the business world were strengthened by personal experiences working and being promoted in a male-dominated field. A year later Hilton women were still referencing her comments and her appearance and relating her experiences to their own career steps. As a further testament, their male counterparts remembered and absorbed her comments! Roquita was a key component in our successful panel, and Hilton team member resource groups have her on the invite list for future speaking events. Denise Carpenter VP & Managing Director NW Region Hilton Worldwide
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Roquita in various capacities for several years now in the conference business, including featuring her in public speaking roles where she has expertly and keenly focused on the challenges and opportunities for women in logistics and transportation, plus diversity in the workplace. Aside from her strong presentation skills, Roquita is able to speak directly from her experience as a woman of color who has risen in the ranks of the transportation industry. I heartily recommend her and hope to utilize her speaking talents again. The Entire Supply Chain Under One Roof At North America’s only Multimodal Shows Peter Hurme Show Director & Editor Cargo Logistics America Cargo Logistics Canada An Informa Business "She works tirelessly as a mentor and teacher always taking the time to lend her voice, her talent and time to those seeking to either start their career or move it forward. I first became acquainted with Roquita while she was serving as the President of Memphis World Trade Club. The organization flourished under her leadership paving the way for others to take advantage of the career opportunities Memphis provides...." Cheryl Burch Citrone Vaco Logistics Executive Search Roquita is an extremely passionate champion for the Supply Chain industry and more importantly, the workforce behind the industry. She is dedicated CN employee with her commitment to make not only the industry better but the community in which CN has a major presence in. She is involved in numerous organizations to make the Memphis region a better place to live and do business within. She is extremely connected throughout the industry and continually strives to make the industry better and more efficient. In addition to these outstanding qualities, she is also passionate about the next generation of workforce and extremely involved with networking, mentoring and coaching the next generation of leaders to the industry. Her relentless dedication to the industry will have impact for years to come which is one of the greatest compliments I can give her. Dan Pallme, Director of Transportation Leadership at University of Memphis
The Raves Are In! We've had so many talented speakers over our 27 year history however, none of them have held our audience spell bound as you did! Everyone left with new exciting concepts on college and careers. Your presentations are ALWAYS bold and exciting. You touched on some very deep spiritual truths about life after high school, but wove them into a fine and palatable fabric for some that may have not been introduced to such ideas. I hope that you will join us next year! Dr. Tavis Wade-Jones MDL Inc- Executive Director
Roquita Coleman Williams
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For Press Related Inquiries or if you are interested in booking Roquita Coleman Williams for future speaking engagements, contact her at 901.598.7139 or send an email to roquitacoleman@aol.com
ENTREPRENEUR MENTOR AUTHOR SPEAKER
Roquita Coleman Williams
Entrepreneur Author Mentor Speaker