Influential Woman · Sales - Government and Facilities Management

Danielle Tate

Government Representative, Grainger

Pittsburgh, PA

Her Story

About Danielle

I've been working as an Account Manager with Grainger for almost three years now, and my focus is on serving local government clients in the Pittsburgh area, including the city of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the Pittsburgh International Airport. What I do is really about navigating how to make facilities functional while being conscious of taxpayer dollars and the political aspects of government spending. My most notable achievement so far has been my work with the Pittsburgh International Airport, which became a $2 billion completed facility in November 2025. I was able to help them with various needs, including owning the hand sanitizer business throughout the whole entire airport, which helps keep everybody safe who's coming through. Even though the airport is complete, I continue to sell all the materials needed to upkeep the airport the way it's supposed to look, plus all the tooling and janitorial bathroom items for everyone who works there. I also handle specialized products like FAA-approved materials for fixing cracks on the runways. My job is to go in there, find what they need, and implement it so that way it keeps the business coming back and I'm solving all their problems so they can focus on something else. I'm also passionate about supporting women-owned businesses - I work with Gojo, a women-owned small business from Ohio, and I've placed them in the airport and pushed for them in all of my county parks and city parks.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Danielle

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to my drive and my tenacity - I just don't give up. I'm not sensitive, I don't take no, and I am not afraid to speak up. I've learned to advocate for myself because no one else is gonna do it for you, and I mean that in any situation. I've learned to be charming, so it's like a chameleon in the room, but I feel like it's important to go into that room and be confident and just advocate for yourself. Whether you want a new customer or you want your husband to do something, you say that. I take that everywhere with me in life - I'm gonna do what needs to be done, and it's beneficial to me, and to help me get further ahead, or to help my life be easier.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I've received is to advocate for yourself, because no one else is gonna do it for you, and I mean that in any situation. I am someone who has learned to be charming, so it's like a chameleon in the room, but I feel like it's important to go into that room and be confident and just advocate for yourself. You want a new customer? Get a new customer. You want your husband to do this? You say that. I take that everywhere with me in life - I'm gonna do what needs to be done, and it's beneficial to me, and to help me get further ahead, or to help my life be easier. The power in women is very strong, and I think that's important for people to recognize - women don't stop. Even if you don't have a crappy husband, you're still taking on a load. Women are going to work, we're doing the household chores, we're doing stuff for our kids, so we have to advocate for ourselves.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Don't ever feel insecure anywhere you go. Fake it till you make it, even if you have to.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

In the sales world, our challenge is the economy and money, and continually finding new ways to meet these new goals that we get. But on the upside, it seems like there's more opportunities for women more than ever. We are doing well in our field, so we are now taking advantage of that and going higher, because I feel like today's woman isn't just sitting at home like in the 1950s - we're actually going out and working and still doing all the things moms do when we get home, but we take pride in going to work every day. Grainger allows that. They're really good about that. There's so many women in higher job placement than me at Grainger, so you can see that it can happen for you as well.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I think work-life balance is extremely important, and I think that no one wants to go to work unless you appreciate and love what you do. So go to work with a good attitude, be happy and mindful of the people you work with, and then when you're at home, be at home.

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