Humor as a strategic weapon. Hands-on learning as a competitive advantage. The unstoppable drive to succeed in spaces where you're told you don't belong. These are just a few elements of Tina Hubbard's extraordinary journey from being the first female heavy-duty sales rep at Federal Mogul to her current role as CEO and President of HDA Truck Pride.
Along with host Behzad Rassuli, Tina takes us behind the scenes of a career spanning over three decades in the male-dominated heavy-duty trucking industry. With refreshing candor, she shares how she used quick wit to defuse tension in boardrooms and negotiation tables—turning potential confrontation into productive conversation. "I use humor as to not be extremely rude," she explains with characteristic directness, revealing how this approach became her signature leadership style.
What truly sets Tina's story apart is her relentless pursuit of knowledge. Early in her career, she took the remarkable step of asking a customer if she could work in their engine rebuild shop to better understand the products she was selling. "I don't even know what they do. I don't know where they go," she admits about the engine components she was tasked with selling. This hunger to learn through hands-on experience became the foundation for her success and the first phase of her personal philosophy: "learn it, earn it, return it."
Now in the "return it" phase of her career, Tina focuses on championing others, particularly women in the industry. She recounts her efforts to highlight the accomplishments of Bonnie Greenwood, a female diesel technician who won second place in a prestigious competition but received minimal recognition. This advocacy work extends to the industry as a whole, as she fights for right to repair legislation and reminds everyone of the essential nature of trucking with the powerful motto: "If you bought it, a truck brought it."
Whether you're fascinated by stories of breaking barriers, seeking insights on authentic leadership, or simply want to understand the backbone of our supply chain, Tina's perspective offers valuable lessons that extend far beyond the trucking industry.
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