Lynden companies celebrate women leaders

Above Lynden employees gather at sales conference in Anchorage.

In recognition and celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Lynden is celebrating the contributions of its female leaders and employees. This group has had a lasting impact from the very beginning of Lynden’s operations blazing trails as drivers, software developers, accountants, mechanics, pilots, office managers and so much more.

We asked three Lynden leaders to share their career experiences and accomplishments. Kalise Hastings, Tesia Walker and Brooke Sillers each bring unique perspectives working in different Lynden companies in leadership roles.Above from left, Kalise Hastings, Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer, LTI, Inc./Milky Way; Tesia Walker, Assistant Treasurer, Lynden, Inc.; and Brooke Sillers, Director of Pricing and Sales, Alaska West Express.

Can you share a Lynden project or initiative that you are particularly proud of?

• Kalise: What I am most proud of is how we embrace the family mindset when we take care of our employees. Lynden is a family-owned company, and I have witnessed the leadership of the company taking care of our employees as if we are family. In turn, the employees are very appreciative and want to do what they can to take care of the company. We are humble and hard-working with an expectation of going beyond in our actions. 
• Tesia: I am proud to have been a part of the 2021 project to implement High Radius, a software that automates application of customer payments. This large-scale project required partnering with Lynden IT, High Radius and our banks. After extensive testing and training, we went live with no major issues.
• Brooke: What I enjoy most and take pride in is the extensive web of cooperation when everyone works together from different operating companies to get the job done, One Lynden style.

What major challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?

• Kalise: I have seen a lot of change during my 43 years with Lynden. But when you work for a company you believe in, and offer support where you see a need, it is easy to succeed regardless of your gender. I have had several women who have helped pave the way for me to overcome challenges on the job. One of the best mentors was Kitty Samuel, my first boss. Kitty was trustworthy with a strong work ethic. Ruth Thom was my mentor when I started working for LTI, Inc./Milky Way. She spoke her mind and stood up for what she believed. Watching Ruth work closely with upper management on strategic decisions, it was evident that women’s opinions were valued based on operational knowledge and intelligence. 
• Tesia: One of the biggest challenges I’ve had was taking on my current role in 2020. I was responsible for a team of 19, having previously managed a team of five. Building relationships remotely with the team was harder than being in person, and I seriously underestimated the steepness of the learning curve. Within six months I was the functional lead on two concurrent implementations. It’s cliché but true – I overcame these challenges one day at a time, by doing something each day to learn, improve and make connections with the team.
• Brooke: I find the greatest challenge is balancing work with raising a family. While I strive to focus on work at work and family at home, I am grateful that Alaska West Express’ culture and modern technology help me maintain a balance that works for our family.

Can you describe a time when you turned a potential failure into a success?

• Kalise: When a task seems overwhelming and I cannot seem to stay ahead, I get in the trenches and work side-by-side with my team to get the job done together. Many times, the relationships built working together build mutual respect that lasts a lifetime.
• Tesia: Twice at Lynden, I’ve applied for roles that would have been a promotion and I was not selected. At the time, this felt like failure. I used this as motivation to continue to improve my knowledge and skillset so that I would be better qualified for future opportunities. Ultimately, I ended up being promoted into exciting roles with greater challenges and growth potential.
• Brooke: When something goes sideways, and there is no good or easy fix, take it to your customer right away. This transparent approach of taking responsibility and doing what you can, even if you can’t make the situation right within the customer’s preferred timeline, has more than once earned us the loyalty of that customer. I know it doesn't always work that way, but more often than not, I find it does.

How do you measure success in your role?

• Kalise: One of the ways I measure success is by measuring the growth of people who I work closely with. I am happy to support and encourage their growth. It is important to remember to keep your voice heard when it comes to decision making in your area. You are the Subject Matter Expert.  
• Tesia: Success in my role is measured by the success of my team. It’s my job to make sure that they have the support necessary to thrive in their roles. This can be challenging, but also very rewarding.
• Brooke: I measure it by a continued effort to learn, the ability to work well with others, and a willingness to tackle items that might not be in your initial job description, but typically lead to success and more opportunity.

How do you stay motivated and continue to grow as a leader?

• Kalise: Embrace and learn about the next opportunity. Always have an open mind to learn new things.  
• Tesia: I have been so fortunate to have incredible mentors at Lynden. I truly believe I would not be where I am today without them. I am motivated to continuously improve myself so that I can have a positive impact on others.
• Brooke: Sometimes under the chaos of life, and the demands of the job, there can be periods where you feel uninspired in the role of leadership. Two things I try to do. One, when asked to do something in a leadership role outside my comfort zone, I try to embrace it. History has shown me it is usually not as bad as I anticipate. I will not always enjoy the lead-up, but I will come away from it feeling empowered. The second thing is reading about leaders. This can be anything from historical leaders to present-day business advisors. I almost always come away with some little nugget that inspires me to be a better mentor or communicator, which I think helps me grow as a leader.

What are your future career goals and aspirations?

• Kalise: This year we are implementing new accounting software, Workday, and a new telematics provider so there will be many opportunities to improve processes. One of my goals is to help my team embrace the changes coming in 2025.
• Tesia: I want to be in roles where I can continue to learn and grow, have a positive impact on others and contribute meaningfully to Lynden’s success.
• Brooke: I’ve only been in this role for two years, and my education continues daily. The right opportunities tend to find us when we are ready, so I will trust in that for the future.