A Founder’s Reflections

“I remember sitting in meetings and being the only woman (and young as well) in the room. It was disempowering,” says WTS founder Chris Vineis of her early days in the transportation industry. In fact, most of the time, she was the only woman around at all. “It was very lonely.” One ally she did have, though, was her boss, who challenged the 20-something railroad lobbyist to connect with other women in the transportation industry around Washington D.C., as they were probably feeling isolated, as well. So she did just that. A few years prior, there had been a group of women that held luncheons titled, “AACRW Sponsors a Women’s Transportation Seminar”. Vineis contacted the participants on the original mailing list with a request that they start meeting again, and the rest is history…WTS history.

Now, 30 years later, WTS is stronger than it has ever been, with over 4,000 members in 41 chapters spanning the globe. Vineis notes WTS’ growth with the same excitement and joy as that of a parent watching her child blossom. “I watch with such great pride at all the strides that WTS has taken.”

Vineis took time off in the middle of all of it to raise her children, but when she returned to the workforce and started her own company, WTS proved to be a valuable tool. The motto of her company Capital Partnerships, LLC is “Simply Connected” and she believes that WTS helps make sure that is true. “I use WTS as a foundational resource for serving clients.” She finds the WTS membership directory is a tremendous tool for networking and connecting, because everybody is bonded by a common denominator.

WTS helps her business in many other ways, as well. Being involved in WTS helps keep her up to date on the important industry changes. “WTS is one source that keeps my practice, fresh, innovative and progressive.”

Being active in the WTS local and international events also helps Vineis and her clients, because it provides access to CEO’s and some of the highest-level decision makers in some of the biggest companies in this industry. This access and WTS’ reputation as the premiere women’s organization in the transportation industry, really does impress her clients. Because of this, she’s been the link to some of her clients’ becoming WTS members.

But Vineis’ involvement in WTS has been unilaterally beneficial for both parties. Chris Vineis has held a number of positions within the organization from being President of WTS, Member of the Year, and serving on her local chapter board to currently participating on the WTS Scholarship Board and the 30th Anniversary Committee.

“The theme of my plenary session at the opening of the 30th Anniversary Conference is a look at ‘How the Women’s Transportation Seminar has Changed the Face of Transportation’ and it really has! Scholarships, mentoring, leadership and involvement, top-notch speakers and many other services make it uniquely valuable to its members and to the industry.”

The value Vineis sees from WTS is not all work-related. The lifetime of wonderful friends and relationships is important to her, as well. “How lucky am I to have a relationship (with the organization and members across the country) that spans three decades?”

As WTS progressed in strength and reputation, it attracted men as members and leaders, but what about those men Vineis worked with 30 years ago? How did they react to the success of this organization?

“Some, like my boss at the time, were tremendously supportive. Others soon joined, because they saw the value and what we stood for. Some took longer, but eventually (they) came around, when they saw that we weren’t picketing or burning bras- just maintaining our goals and high standards as industry professionals.”