“Being a woman in a leadership role, such as the Sr. Transportation Manager for The 99 Stores company, is a privilege. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to create strategies that help move business forward, but it also requires me to use compassion and understanding to build relationships and mentor others. It means having open communication with not only my internal team and colleagues, but also with external stakeholders such as suppliers, store operations and other companies and customers that rely on our services. I strive to maintain my approachability while setting clear expectations – which is something I take seriously in my role as a manager while balancing grace under pressure.”

Ninwa Decker

Sr. Transportation Manager | Commerce, CA

“Been a leader is taking care about my team personal development, emphasizing teamwork and authentic communication as a key to success. I feel very proud of all my team members who had level up to other departments that shows me that I don’t only want them to perform at the highest, I want them to achieve more goals.

A little history: One of the earliest female leaders in Logistics/Transportation was Sarah Clark-Kidder who, in 1901, she was voted as president of her husband’s railroad after his death. She retired in 1913 and left the company in much better shape financially than it had been before she took over.”

Carolina Ledezma

Backhaul Planning/Inbound Scheduling Manager

| Commerce, CA

“I personally believe being a successful leader means effectively supporting, motivating, and guiding others to bring their best selves to the table. I lead my team by being a knowledgeable resource for others and listening to the needs of those around me. I take pride in working hard to lead by example in driving our business forward. Doing this while celebrating our individual strengths helps us to achieve common goals in ways that only make us stronger as a team. To me, what you do to actively lead a group of people means more than any title and defines strong leadership. I am a firm believer that I don’t need to be the leader of a team to be a leader on the team.”

 Brandy Alexander

Senior Buyer, Health & Beauty | Commerce, CA

“It is great because woman have made contributions and they are being recognized for it. They have offered helping hands! I’m just doing my job to help my store and my customers for the last 17 years.”

“My mom inspires me because she is a very hard-working person that taught me to be a hard working person! She is a great woman and I love her very much!”

Mary Ann Lapak

Cashier | Las Vegas, NV

“Though leadership evokes a sense of authority, being a leader is primarily about cultivating relationships with your team, vendors, and companywide partners. This also reflects my philosophy with my team: I am dedicated to both mentoring and learning from my colleagues. The ability to see the potential in others comes from taking an interest and paying attention to those around you. Lastly, being a leader requires a good relationship with yourself. Leadership is about modelling competency, commitment and hard work. I try to push past my limits and I encourage an environment that strives for excellence.”

Jane Rolfe

Vice President, Import Merchandise | Commerce, CA

“It means that woman are very important! They have made great contributions to history and the workplace.”

“My mom inspires me because she is a really hard-working lady. She has struggled being a widow twice, but all my brothers and sister, 6 of us, got educated and are working. She set a great example.”

Sofia Kalteux

Cashier | McAllen, TX

“Over 25 years ago when I started to work in this great company as a cashier, I always looked forward to getting the opportunity to be in the leadership position. I always felt that I would be able to make a difference in our stores and in our teams. Years later, now I am here as Market Director. Being a leader as a Market Director, for me, means I always have to be transparent and direct, have clear vision and clear communication with everyone and have resiliency. A leader is someone that inspires people, brings the best out of everyone and delivers positive results.”

Amalya Bagdasaryan

Marketing Director | Los Angeles, CA

“It means everything to me. This is the 1st job that I have had that I like, and I love that I am woman in a business that can help people. This is how I make my living. It is how I raise my grand-babies.”

“My boss, Karla Favela, inspires me because she is always on the move and helping to move business forward.”

Rhonda Tellez

Stocker | Phoenix, AZ

“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey has profoundly impacted me both personally and professionally. Throughout my career, I constantly turn to Mr. Covey for guidance on how to live my values, build relationships & trust, and sharpen my professional skills.”

Ping Wu

Sr. Instructional Designer, Enterprise Learning

| Commerce, CA

“Making sure that each of my teammates have all of the necessary tools so that each of us can be successful in our job roles.”

Sheryl Sykes

Keyholder | Placentia, CA