Walmart joins Daimler Truck and Frito-Lay to sponsor Women In Trucking’s “Salute to the Women Behind the Wheel.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Plover, WI:  Women In Trucking Association is organizing an event to honor female professional drivers.  The celebration is scheduled for March 27, 2009 in conjunction with the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky.

Walmart has recently joined Daimler Truck (Daimler.com) and Frito-Lay North America (Fritolay.com) as event sponsors. 

"We are extremely proud to partner with WIT to sponsor this event in honor of female truck drivers all across the U.S.,” says Ed Parrish, Senior Director of Human Resources for the Walmart Private Fleet. 

The "Salute to Women Behind The Wheel" is a great way to shine the spotlight on the rewarding careers available to women in the trucking industry, as well as to recognize those female truckers who have served for many years with outstanding contributions.”

All female professional drivers are invited to attend and participate in the event at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville (KY) and will receive a t-shirt to wear for a group photo.  The goal is to create a new world’s record for the largest gathering of female drivers.  The current record is 416, set in November 2004 by an “all women’s” truck convoy in Dronten, Netherlands.  Families are invited to accompany the female drivers. 

In addition to the group photo, the Women In Trucking sponsors will offer refreshments, entertainment and gifts.  “We want to honor the women who have been quietly doing their job in a male dominated industry,” said Ellen Voie, Women In Trucking Association’s President/CEO.

Members of Women In Trucking (womenintrucking.org) are invited to attend and can register at www.Salute2Women.com.  “Although our organization is comprised of both men and women who are members of the trucking industry, we want to take this opportunity to focus on the women behind the wheel,” said Leigh Foxall, Chairwoman of the Women In Trucking Association.  “Without the support of Walmart, Daimler Trucks and Frito-Lay, we could not make this happen,” Foxall added.

Walmart (walmart.com)  (NYSE: WMT) is a leading employer of minorities and women in the U.S. and has more than 869,000 female associates. In April 2009, Walmart was selected as one of the “Top 10 Best Companies for Women” by PINK Magazine. Working Mother Media has also named Walmart as one of its “2009 Top 20 Companies for Multicultural Women,” and National Association for Female Executives (NAFE) named Walmart as one of its “2009 Top 50 Companies for Executive Women.”