Her Story
About Dawn
Dawn Hinzman is the Chief of Staff at Wallace Logistics Services, LLC, where she brings more than two decades of executive support, leadership, and business experience to a growing transportation company being built from the ground up.
Her career began in executive support, where she spent several years working alongside senior leadership before transitioning into the transportation industry. Throughout her career, Dawn consistently grew beyond the traditional scope of an executive assistant, taking on increasingly complex responsibilities and high-level business initiatives. Her experience includes KPI management, coordinating sales teams and company summits, developing bonus structures, and leading a major cost-savings initiative that ultimately delivered millions of dollars back to the organization. Her contributions also earned her a company-wide Team Player Award among a workforce of over hundreds of employees.
Following a period in business development, Dawn returned to work alongside trusted former leadership and became involved in building Wallace Logistics Services, LLC from its earliest stages. As Chief of Staff, she plays an integral role in establishing the systems, processes, and culture needed to support the company’s continued growth. Her responsibilities span marketing, recruiting, employee orientation, documentation, legal and administrative matters, and broader operational oversight as the company expands its fleet and organization.
Dawn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, which she earned as a non-traditional student while raising three children. In doing so, she became the first person in her family to graduate from college and was recognized with an academic award in sociology and criminal justice.
Dawn credits her success to hard work, resilience, continuous learning, and the lessons she has gained from experiencing both strong and ineffective leadership throughout her career. Those experiences have shaped the way she leads today, with a belief that accountability and empathy can, and should, exist together. She believes people are more willing to go above and beyond when they feel genuinely valued, respected, and recognized for what they contribute.
Looking ahead, Dawn hopes to expand Wallace Logistics Services, LLC’s involvement in community outreach while continuing her own volunteer efforts supporting individuals in need. She is also passionate about empowering women in the trucking and logistics industry, encouraging women to recognize the value they bring to the table, support one another, and create opportunities for each other rather than compete.
For Dawn, success is not defined by a title. It is defined by the impact she makes, the way she treats people, and her willingness to continue learning, growing, and taking on challenges beyond what others may have expected of her.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dawn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to learn from the leaders I've worked alongside, both the strong ones and the ineffective ones. I've also benefited greatly from mentorship, particularly from Dan Wallace, and from never limiting myself to what my job title suggested I should do.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I ever received came from Dan Wallace, who told me to stop being perfect. That advice taught me to accept mistakes as a natural part of growth and to give myself permission to relax and keep moving forward.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women not to underestimate their experience simply because of their job title. Take on as much responsibility as you can to grow, and if an employer doesn't recognize your value, don't be afraid to move on to one that will. Most importantly, support and celebrate other women rather than viewing them as competition.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field right now is recruiting and retaining quality drivers while continuing to meet the demands of a constantly changing transportation industry. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity in building a strong culture and putting systems in place that make employees feel valued, supported, and invested in the company’s success. When leaders are willing to invest in good people and create an environment where they can grow, it strengthens retention and creates a solid foundation for long-term growth.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy, validation of others, hard work, resilience, and family are the values that matter most to me, both professionally and personally.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.