“I believe the most important attributes of successful leaders today are self-awareness, good communication skills and integrity,” said Angelina Twardawa, CEO and founder of Angie’s Transportation. “A leader needs to constantly be aware of their actions so they can lead by positive example.”
Angie’s Transportation is the fastest-growing certified, woman-owned trucking company based out of St. Louis. It is the leading carrier of refrigerated and dry goods in the Midwest, operating across 49 states and Canada. The company specializes in FTL, LTL, warehousing, cross-docking, intermodal and trailer storage.
Raised in the trucking industry, Twardawa grew up going on the road with her father. After her father started his own company, Twardawa worked for him, gaining a solid understanding of how to run a successful trucking business. Those experiences laid the foundation for a love of the industry, and in 2012, she started her own company, Angie’s Transportation, with her brother, Rafael Twardawa.
They started with one truck, a whiteboard and some leased equipment. Today, Angie’s Trucking operates with 65 trucks, and the whiteboard has been upgraded to sophisticated transportation management software. Revenue has grown from $1 million to almost $20 million yearly. All this despite a major setback in 2017 involving a fire, deemed one of the worst in St. Louis history, that leveled the business.
“What sets us apart from many other carriers is not only our team, but that we are a family-run business focused on building relationships with our customers and drivers for the long haul,” Twardawa said.
The company vision combines old-school trucking core values and principles with innovative ideas to keep the company viable into trucking’s future. Coming soon, the company expects to be situated in its new terminal/headquarters in Soulard, currently under construction, offering expanded warehousing and cross-docking.
Over the years, Twardawa has garnered a lot of recognition in the industry, including, most recently, Heavy Duty Trucking’s 2022 Emerging Leaders Award. She was also featured in Gazelle magazine’s 2021 Holiday Edition for Gazelles in Our Midst.
What makes Twardawa a titan is her passion for her company and her industry, and perhaps her tenacity in the face of adversity. She is constantly learning and improving her business and the industry. In a male-dominated field, she has a voice in creating safety policies and programs for her company and for other local and regional carriers.
