An exciting start to 2020 for Wallis Shipping, who are celebrating after their Sales & Marketing Manager, Jenna Morgan, won Young Freight Forwarder of the Year.
The prestigious award was announced at last week’s BIFA Freight Services Award Ceremony in London.
Presented by host, and Paralympian, Ade Adepitan, and sponsored by Virgin Atlantic Cargo, Jenna, was up against three other finalists in the top category for Young Freight Forwarder, competing for the title that recognises the ‘best in the industry’.
Jenna, who re-joined the family business four years ago, said: “I’m really surprised but also so pleased to have won the award, it’s a real honour to be recognised nationally, by BIFA and the freight community. It’s also quite nice to still be considered young!”
“Although it’s a personal award, it’s really down to Wallis that I owe thanks, especially the work of the Event and Exhibition team on which my submission was largely based on.”
After being shortlisted for the award, Jenna had to present to a panel of judges, including those from sponsor, Virgin Atlantic Cargo. Commenting on Jenna’s award, the judges said it was a “Well-deserved win. We were all in agreement that you were the winner on the day. One thing we were impressed with was that you were combining your interview with us with fitting in traveling to see clients – we all thought that was a testament to you juggling time and work.”
As a result of the fantastic win, Jenna has also now been nominated into the International Young Freight Forwarder Awards, in which she must submit a dissertation. The YIFFY Awards will be presented at the FIATA International Conference at Busan in Korea in October.
Wallis Shipping’s MD, Stuart Gregory, and also Jenna’s father, commended her, saying: “It’s a real coup to win this award in the industry, for both herself and the company – we are all incredibly proud.”
Jenna went on to say, “Whether I consider myself “young” is one thing, but a leader in freight forwarding, is another. For one I never set out with the intention of working in logistics. Growing up in a family of freight forwarders you’d expect that it would be a given. But I resisted for many years what I thought was the “easy option” of joining the family business. What on hindsight, I didn’t realise, was that working in a quick-paced and non-stop industry, would at times be one of the most challenging and fulfilling jobs I’ve ever done.”
Part of Jenna’s award submission included plans for the future, which included expanding Wallis’ offering of event logistics, launching a carbon emissions repayment scheme and setting up a Females in Freight group to meet with likeminded women in the industry.
For the immediate future, however, Jenna will be taking a step back to go on maternity leave with her second child. Jenna said, “When my parents first set up the business 30 or so years ago, and I was growing up, I didn’t give them the credit they deserved of juggling work and family life. Now, being a mum myself, plus pregnant with my second, I recognise the daily struggles and stresses that they would have had to go through. I now see the business with a fresh pair of eyes.”
We wish Jenna all the best with her growing family and with the International award submission!
Photo credit: www.phillipagedge.com