Pat Wheeler Receives Inaugural Wendy B. McDonald Award

To honor the memory of Wendy B. McDonald, one of the power transmission/motion control industry's pioneers, the PTDA Foundation has established the Wendy B. McDonald Award.

The award acknowledges a woman who established herself as a critical contributor to her company's success and affected positive change within the power transmission/motion control industry. The first recipient of the Wendy B. McDonald Award was Pat Wheeler of Motion Industries (Canada).

Wheeler joined BC Bearing (now Motion Industries Canada) in Kitimat in 1980 as a shipper/receiver. She quickly moved into inside sales and then to office manager in 1990. In February 2003, she was appointed branch manager — the only female branch manager in the company at that time.  In 2008, she was recognized by McDonald at the annual sales meetings for almost single-handedly managing her territory.

In her acceptance speech during the PTDA Industry Summit in Orlando, Fla., Wheeler credited McDonald with being her idol and mentor because she paved the way for her to feel confident enough to accomplish all that she has in her 34 year career.  

McDonald's daughter, Penny Omnes, and son, Scott MacPherson, were on hand to present Wheeler with the award.