CHICAGO, September 23, 2025 - A distribution truck from a female-run organization might look the same as the semi-hauler of any broadliner managed by good ol’ boys. But how a delivery is supported behind the scenes may be a different matter, according to women who've cracked the sector’s glass ceiling.
Gender is less of a differentiator than the fresh thinking a new school of distribution leaders are bringing to the food-away-from-home business. And it’s no coincidence, say some of the standout examples, that more of those strategists are women. Labor pressures are forcing even the most entrenched old-guard thinkers to be more open-minded about who's in the c-suite.
Two women who’ve risen into leadership positions will air their assessments during the upcoming Presidents Conference of how the distribution community is being reshaped by the rise of more women into decision-making roles. Susan Adzick, President of system-distributor McLane, and Heather Bradshaw, EVP of broadliner Gordon Food Services, will be joined on the main stage by Teri Trullinger, Group VP of Foodservice Sales for Cargill, who’ll serve as moderator.
Drawing on personal experiences, the trio will provide a bird’s-eye view of how increasing gender diversity should be credited along with consolidation and technology for the profound changes unfolding in distribution.
The Presidents Conference is hosted annually by IFMA The Food Away from Home Association. This year’s program has been tweaked to focus intensely on three pressing concerns of the FAFH industry: Government regulation and trade policy; changing consumer behaviors; and supply chain issues.
In addition to the “Power Moves: Women in Distribution” session, the supply chain pathway will include presentations on how advances in digital technology are influencing distribution, and how foodservice suppliers can sharpen their appeal to buyers within emerging sectors of the food-away-from-home industry.
The Presidents Conference is scheduled for Nov. 2-4 at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Scottsdale, Ariz. More information is available here.
More information about the event is available here.
As Managing Editor for IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, Romeo is responsible for generating the group's news and feature content. He brings more than 40 years of experience in covering restaurants to the position.