Key takeaways
- Paige Petroni's career progression includes roles as vice president of finance, aftermarket sales, OEM sales, and ultimately president of Fontaine.
- As a woman in a male-dominated industry, she views her unique perspective as a competitive advantage and actively promotes diversity and inclusion.
- Petroni's leadership emphasizes collaboration, encouraging diverse viewpoints to foster innovation and better problem-solving.
For over a decade, FleetOwner has looked at ways to shine a light on how women are shaping the transportation industry in the 21st century. This year, the team profiled six women from different parts of the industry, showcasing their accomplishments and how they have overcome. You can view all six profiles here.
Like many leaders in the transportation sector, Paige Petroni did not initially plan on working in the trucking industry. With a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a background in finance, she began her career at a public accounting firm. After earning her CPA, she fully expected to spend her life in a traditional accounting role.
In 2008, however, a recruiter approached her with an opportunity at Fontaine Fifth Wheel. She joined the company as the assistant controller for the parts division, marking her first step into the world of trucking.
“When I talk to people about my career, that’s always when I say the fun began,” Petroni noted.
Today, Petroni is the tip of the spear at Fontaine, serving as president since 2022.
Petroni's journey from accounting to sales
Petroni’s rise through the ranks at Fontaine was fueled by a curiosity that extended beyond the balance sheet. While she moved up the finance ladder—becoming vice president of finance in 2012—she found herself drawn to the other sides of the business.
“I began to take interest in things that were more than just numbers,” Petroni said. “I found myself visiting the manufacturing facility just to better understand the numbers that I was responsible for reporting—and I honestly felt more at home attending trade shows and volunteering at the Technology & Maintenance Council, and I participated in sales meetings as a controller.”
Recognizing her drive, Fontaine supported her transition into leadership roles outside of finance.
“Fortunately, I work for a company that is extremely supportive of this curiosity of mine,” Petroni said. “When the opportunity came up to try my hand at sales, I took it. … My reasoning at the time, and it has honestly held true even in this role that I’m in now, is that—in my heart of hearts—I just love to solve problems,” Petroni said. “I’m a problem solver.”
But moving from accounting to sales was not without its challenges. “Admittedly, I felt a bit out of place,” Petroni said. “I had never been in sales. I had not trained in sales.”
Despite that feeling, she realized that the core of the job was simply helping customers overcome challenges—a strong fit for a problem solver.
“Sales is really just solving problems, and we happen to be solving problems for customers,” she said.
Her career trajectory then accelerated through several key positions:
- 2016: Vice president of aftermarket sales
- 2019: Vice president of OEM sales
- 2020: Vice president of sales and marketing for North America and Europe
- 2022: President of Fontaine
There is value in being unique
As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, rather than viewing her differences as an obstacle, she views them as a competitive advantage.
“The way I relate to people, the way I solve problems, the way I add value to the customer-supplier relationship is unique,” she said. “While I am still one of very few women in leadership in this industry—I notice it less now that I have a few years under my belt—I see it as a privilege to be part of a small group of women who are blazing the trail for those who will come behind me.”
The value for unique perspectives is something she also employs in her method of leadership. She takes care to foster diversity of thought, even if it leads to disagreements.
“I have a very collaborative approach to leadership. I want us to push and pull and tug and spar a little bit; I depend on the people that work for me and alongside me to fight for their position, even if it’s something I don’t necessarily understand or agree with at the time,” Petroni explained. “At the end of the day, we will all end up in a better place if we can bring our own expertise, our own perspectives to the center of all these ideas that we have.”
Petroni also said it helped that Fontaine was part of Marmon Holdings, a Berkshire Hathaway company, which helps support inclusion in its companies. Marmon provided Fontaine with a wealth of information, tools, resources, and coaching to foster an inclusive workplace.
For the last two and a half years, Petroni also served on Marmon’s Women’s Inclusion Council (mWIN), where she helped develop an inclusive culture across Marmon. The mission of mWIN is to “empower women so that they can achieve their full potential … supporting them, encouraging them in their professional and personal development, and providing networking and education.”
That company culture is critical to sharing unique perspectives.
“When we are genuinely our authentic selves, which we’re most comfortable with in our skin, the conversations are easier, the problem solving is easier,” Petroni said. “When that happens—when you solve a problem for a customer—they don’t forget it.”
As a mother of two grown daughters, Petroni wants them to have the opportunity to be what they want. She feels a responsibility to inspire the next generation of professionals.
“If I can help just to illuminate the path for even just one person, I think it’s enough for me,” Petroni said.
About the Author
Jeremy Wolfe
Editor
Editor Jeremy Wolfe joined the FleetOwner team in February 2024. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with majors in English and Philosophy. He previously served as Editor for Endeavor Business Media's Water Group publications.