Influential Woman · Manufacturing
Joy Reid
Regional Territory Manager, SE Regional Sales Manager
Clermont, FL 34711
Her Story
About Joy
Joy R. is a Southeast Regional Sales Manager for Tommy Gate, an OEM specializing in commercial aftermarket liftgates, where she oversees a five-state territory and manages a network of 135 distributors. In her role, she serves as both a strategic sales leader and a technical resource, handling everything from quoting and product specifications to distributor training and troubleshooting. Joy plays a critical role in strengthening relationships across the distributor network while also contributing internally as a consultant on manufacturing processes, machinery, and factory technology. Her ability to bridge field execution with high-level operational insight makes her a key driver of both sales performance and product advancement. What sets Joy apart is her rare combination of deep technical expertise and client-facing communication skills. With over a decade in manufacturing, she is equally comfortable speaking in technical jargon with mechanics and electricians as she is translating complex machinery investments into clear, value-driven decisions for executives and stakeholders. Her professional philosophy centers on confidence, humility, and continuous learning—principles that have guided her success in both engineering and sales environments. She is known for her solution-oriented mindset, commitment to customer success, and ability to simplify complexity without losing technical accuracy. Joy’s career began in the U.S. Navy, where she served as an aviation electronics technician working on F-18 aircraft and specialized systems like inertial navigation. After her military service, she entered the industrial machinery field, quickly distinguishing herself through intensive training in Germany, where she learned to build and troubleshoot machines from the ground up across multiple disciplines, including electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, and PLC programming. She made history as the first woman globally in that company to serve as a technician—an achievement that underscores her drive and technical capability. Over time, she transitioned from hands-on technical roles into sales, an uncommon but impactful move that allows her to bring unmatched credibility and insight to her work today.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Joy
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the mentors who invested in me, the technical and leadership training I gained in the Navy, and my willingness to continuously learn while bridging technical expertise with sales and business conversations.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Greet every day with the mindset that you don’t know everything and will learn something new every day.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
To any young woman entering a male-dominated technical field: Be confident yet humble, and always genuinely eager to learn. Technology evolves rapidly, so you’ll discover something new every single day — you’ll never know everything, and that’s okay.
The key is showing up prepared and confident in what you do know, while staying humble and open to growth.
To build real confidence, use these practical strategies:
• Prepare thoroughly: Master your projects, data, and technical details before meetings or presentations so you can speak with authority and reduce self-doubt.
• Practice speaking up: Contribute in meetings even when you feel unsure — your unique perspective adds value, and each time you do it, the habit grows stronger.
• Track your wins: Keep a simple record of accomplishments, positive feedback, and solved problems to review when imposter syndrome hits.
• Use strong body language and communication: Speak clearly and at a measured pace, maintain eye contact, stand tall, and replace unnecessary apologies with direct statements like “Here’s what I recommend.”
• Find mentors and allies: Seek out supportive people (inside or outside your company) who can give honest feedback, celebrate your progress, and remind you of your capabilities.
That powerful combination of confidence grounded in humility and a relentless drive to keep learning is what will help you thrive and succeed.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is navigating doubt and ego in a historically male-dominated industry, but that also creates an opportunity to shift perceptions by consistently delivering results. At the same time, rapid technological advancements in manufacturing present both a challenge to stay current and an opportunity to lead through innovation.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are confidence, humility, continuous learning, mentorship, and a commitment to helping others grow.
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