March 26, 2026

Leading the Way: Women Shaping the Future of Heavy Equipment Dealerships 

The women leading the heavy equipment industry embody the industry’s core values: hard work, precision, and resilience. While Women’s History Month offers an important moment to recognize their contributions, the impact these professionals make extends far beyond a single calendar month.

Across the equipment dealership landscape, women are driving transformation. Their work touches every part of the business, from service bays and parts counters to system implementations and boardrooms.

To highlight this, we connected with six women working within equipment dealerships that partner with XAPT. Each shared reflections on her career, her approach to leadership, and her advice for others looking to grow in the industry.

Perspectives from the Industry

The heavy equipment sector has historically been male-dominated, but that picture continues to shift meaningfully. It’s no longer a surprise at all to see women holding critical roles across dealership operations, including:

• Leading ERP implementations
• Managing service teams
• Overseeing digital strategy
• Steer enterprise-wide transformation

Their contributions are reshaping how dealerships operate, adopt technology, and serve their customers.

What stands out across these perspectives is a shared commitment to trust, consistency, and people-centered leadership. These are professionals who have earned credibility through results, built teams through collaboration, and helped their organizations navigate complex change. 

Their stories reflect not only individual achievement but also the broader evolution of an industry that benefits when leadership is diverse, experienced, and forward-thinking.

In Her Own Words

Lindsey Connolly — Senior Director of Digital, Marketing, and Information at Foley Inc.

Lindsey brings together technology, data, and customer insight to drive digital progress at Foley Inc. With a hands-on, results-focused approach, she works closely with cross-functional teams to improve visibility, streamline processes, and make digital tools easier for people to actually use. 

Her leadership style centers on trust, consistency, and delivering outcomes that matter. For her, leadership is not about always having the perfect answer; it is about making a decision, moving forward, learning from the outcome, and adjusting course when needed. She believes that progress comes from action, not standing still.

On her proudest achievement: Lindsey is most proud of earning trust and helping people grow in an industry that hasn’t always made that easy. She leads by showing up prepared, listening first, and delivering results: focusing on developing people (not just projects) and creating space for others to build confidence and take ownership. 

Her advice: 

In an industry where leadership can be mistaken for dominance or being the loudest voice, clarity, empathy, and accountability go a long way. Know when to speak, when to listen, and when to ask the right questions. Challenge the norm, take risks, and keep moving forward—even when change makes others uncomfortable.

Tracey Haeseker — Senior Vice President, Innovation, Talent & Transformation at Gregory Poole Equipment Company

Tracey is a CPA and CGMA whose career at Gregory Poole spans 41 years, beginning as a Staff Accountant and progressing through roles including Accounting Manager, Corporate Controller, VP of Accounting, and VP of Administration. Over that time, she helped guide the company through decades of meaningful growth, including expanding revenue, workforce, and locations. 

She steps into retirement in April 2026, leaving behind the legacy of a people-centric culture and a next generation of leaders well positioned to carry it forward. As she gets close to retirement, she reflects on the contributions she’s made over her career: 

“I am most proud of my stewardship of the company, honoring the strong foundation laid by those who came before me while helping guide it through decades of meaningful progress.”

On earning trust: For Tracey, trust starts with uncompromising integrity. She approaches initiatives as a partner and teammate, not a competitor, and has found that the best results come from asking a simple but powerful question: “How can I help you?” 

And then truly listening. Her advice:

The heavy equipment industry values hard work. Do the work, and you will grow into the leader you aspire to be. Be passionate, be good at what you do, and keep evolving. Show up each day with the intention of being a little better as a professional, teammate, and leader.

Sarah Westberg — Director of ERP Systems, Milton CAT

Sarah’s tenure with Milton CAT began 20 years ago as an IT Business Analyst. She then spent 10 years as the System Support Manager, and two years as the IT Manager, before her current role as the Director of ERP systems.

Sarah’s career has been defined by the relationships she’s built within and across the broader dealer community, through industry groups like NADITA, and with trusted business partners. Those relationships have been foundational to her growth as a leader and to driving meaningful, collaborative outcomes throughout her career. She builds relationships by prioritizing meeting people where they are. She listens, she engages with them directly, and she works to understand their challenges. 

On driving results: Earning trust starts with being present and willing to do the work alongside colleagues. Credibility follows from consistency, integrity, and follow-through.

Her advice:

You belong—there is a place for you in this industry. While the path may not always be easy, find your voice, advocate for yourself, and surround yourself with people who support your growth. Confidence, resilience, and a strong network make all the difference.

Renee McNey — ERP Systems Support Manager, Gregory Poole Equipment Company

Renee began her career at Gregory Poole in 2004 as a Service Administrator in the Marine Division. Within a few years, she moved into the role of Senior Warranty Analyst and Prep Shop Supervisor, and later became the Service Manager for Marine. When Gregory Poole began its transition from DBS to NAXT2012, Renee served as a subject matter expert, bringing deep operational knowledge to the implementation. Following that transition, she moved into the role of Service Business Analyst, and today she leads the ERP team as ERP Systems Support Manager.

Renee’s success has come from earning trust and driving results by letting her actions speak for themselves. She values integrity, consistency, and a strong work ethic, and these have served as the foundation of her leadership.

On leadership: What Renee is most proud of is the impact she’s had on people and teams. For her, meaningful leadership starts with relationships: earning trust, understanding strengths, and creating an environment where people feel supported and capable of growing. 

Being a good listener, she notes, strengthens relationships and leads to better solutions.

Her advice: 

Let your work speak for itself, and don’t feel like you need to change who you are to succeed. Embrace challenges, be a good teammate, and lead with integrity and a strong work ethic. When you show up consistently and stay true to yourself, opportunities will follow.

Carrie Kaminski — ERP Solution Architect, Gregory Poole Equipment Company

Carrie started at Gregory Poole in 1987 as a temp filing time cards. She earned her CPA in 1993 and held various accounting roles before transitioning into system conversion work as a Finance Business Analyst, leading conversions to DBS, DBSi, CODA, and eventually to AX2012. Carrie became an ERP Solution Architect in 2018 and recently served as Project Manager for the company’s D365 upgrade in 2025. 

Across 37 years, much of her growth was shaped by the mentorship of Tracey Haeseker, whose example and guidance created opportunities for Carrie to lead impactful initiatives.

On building credibility: Carrie believes influence and decision-making are most effective when grounded in data and facts, and when presented with confidence and passion.

Her advice: 

Let your work and results speak for themselves! Focus on delivering strong outcomes and continuously improving how you communicate and present your ideas. Take every opportunity that comes your way, even when it stretches you beyond your comfort zone. It’s through discomfort that growth, visibility, and leadership take shape.

Priscilla Fuentes — Principal Business Lead, HOLT CAT

Priscilla brings more than 25 years of cross-functional experience to her role at HOLT CAT, where she is currently leading the organization through their XAPT ERP journey with a targeted go-live in 2028. She has spent the past 15 years in the heavy construction industry, the majority of that time at the largest Cat® dealership in the United States, leading complex initiatives that balance operational excellence with employee experience. 

Beyond her professional role, Priscilla is an active community volunteer and STEM advocate, passionate about mentorship and helping individuals grow with confidence, authenticity, and purpose.

On leading transformation: Priscilla is most proud of delivering results by enabling people to be their best selves and do their best work. In the heavy equipment industry, change is complex and operationally demanding, so her focus is on building trust, aligning teams, and creating clarity through uncertainty.

Her advice:

Focus on being authentic, consistent, and committed to doing the work. Show up prepared. Stay curious. Learn the business. And follow through. Leadership is all about how you show up. When you focus on you—your growth, your impact, and how you lead every day—opportunities will follow.

Andronicca Masemola — Chief Executive Officer, Barloworld Equipment Southern Africa

Throughout her career, Andronicca has found the most meaningful moments to be those where she was able to create access for others within the heavy equipment industry. She reflects most proudly on experiences where she supported aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs at critical points in their journeys, whether by mentoring women as they built confidence and found their voice, or by guiding emerging entrepreneurs with strong vision and experience but uncertainty around how to take the first steps forward. Being able to open doors, offer perspective, and then watch others grow and succeed independently has been deeply fulfilling for her.

On earning trust: In a traditionally male‑dominated industry, Andronicca’s approach has been grounded in authenticity, preparation, and continuous learning. She believes strongly in being comfortable in your own skin and doing the work consistently. By staying prepared and focused on contribution, she has built trust and influence through action rather than title. She often asks herself what would be missing if she were not in the room, a reflection that helps her stay clear on the value she brings and the impact she can make.

Her advice:

Success isn’t luck. It’s what happens when you consistently put in the effort to make a difference..

Technology, People, and the Future of Dealerships

Across these six perspectives, several themes emerge. 

Technology may be reshaping how dealerships operate, from ERP implementations and digital tools to data-driven decision-making, but the professionals leading that change emphasize that transformation is ultimately about people. Trust, collaboration, and strong relationships are the foundation for every successful initiative.

These women also highlight the growing need for cross-functional expertise. Modern dealership operations require leaders who can bridge service, sales, finance, and technology as well as guide teams through change with clarity and empathy. 

That combination of technical skill and people-centered leadership is what drives real results.

Looking Ahead

The heavy equipment industry continues to evolve through innovation, collaboration, and the expertise of professionals across its dealerships. The women featured here represent a broader community of leaders who are shaping a future that is built on hard work, integrity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

We’re grateful to Lindsey, Tracey, Sarah, Renee, Carrie, and Priscilla for sharing their perspectives, and we’re proud to partner with dealerships that invest in the kind of leadership that moves the industry forward.

These women are helping shape the future of heavy equipment, and NAXT is part of that journey. Talk to us to learn more about how dealerships are partnering with XAPT to drive the industry forward.