HVIA thanks everyone who attended the sold-out first Women’s Network event held since the initiative’s launch in February 2026 – staged on Monday, May 18 at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley.
Three months on, it was heartening to see so many fantastic women and men in the room to hear from HVIA board members Shay Chalmers and Heather Bone, who have championed the Women’s Network from the beginning.
Held alongside HVIA’s TruckShowX 2026 conference, the room fittingly overlooked several of the electric trucks and Healthy Heads’ truck ‘Kenny’ which were on display at the event.
HVIA CEO Todd Hacking opened the event, throwing his full support behind the Women’s Network and attracting and retaining more women in the heavy vehicle Sector.
Many new friends were made that morning, with some participants telling us they had met at the conference and since caught up for a morning walk, or another participant saying that until that morning, she hadn’t known anyone at the conference but now had some people to seek out and sit next to during sessions.
Image Gallery: HVIA Women’s Network Breakfast
Matthew Crisp from WHG Technologies came and spoke to us later and said it was a highlight to attend the event and offered to help with the Women’s Network in any way possible. He was one of around 10 men now who have proactively approached us or met with us about getting involved and increasing female representation in the industry and making it a place where everyone wants to come to work. These men are very much part of the Women’s Network too.
A big shout out to members from the following companies who have either reached out or joined our Women’s Network Advisory committee: Team Global Express, Charge Hub, GLT, WHG, Hendrickson, Knorr-Bremse, Air Brake Corp, Air Brake Systems, IVECO Perth, NTI, CMV Truck and Bus, Daimler Truck, Smedley’s Engineers, Freighter Group, AMA Group, Toll, Airtec Corporation, Penske, Velocity Vehicle Group, KOR, Trail-Link, Air CTI, Drake Group, Truck-Tech, Scully RSV, Zenobe, Teletrac Navman, Inca Lifts and Wagner.
We encourage members who may be interested in being involved to get in touch with us or join the HVIA Women’s Network mailing list.
Our advisory board will next meet later in June to discuss future initiatives and events. We exist for our members, to assist in growing our local workforce and encouraging all young people to consider the heavy vehicle industry when choosing their future career paths.
Discover more from Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.