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TRC’s Allison Kender Recognized as Emerging Leader in the Automotive Industry

TRC’s Allison Kender Recognized as Emerging Leader in the Automotive Industry

Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation has honored TRC administrator for her significant early-career contributions to the mobility and automotive industry.

EAST LIBERTY, OH – Allison Kender, executive director of administration and director of technical services at the Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC), has been honored as recipient of the 2020 Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation’s Emerging Leader award.  The award is presented annually to an individual who has been in their career less than ten years and has already made significant contributions to encourage and support women in the mobility and automotive industry. 

“It is a distinct honor to receive this recognition from my peers in the industry and from an organization dedicated to advancing and empowering women in our profession,” Kender said.  She received her award at the Foundation’s annual Holiday event, held virtually this year on December 2.

TRC President and CEO Brett Roubinek said, “All of us at the Transportation Research Center congratulate Allison and take pride in her well-deserved achievement.  Her work here has made her a nationally recognized leader in helping create and sustain a diverse automotive industry.”

Kender joined TRC in 2015 as a research engineer and currently leads a consortium of public- and private-sector automotive leaders to provide the research needed to inform the design for occupant safety systems that emerging automated driving technologies will require.  Prior to working at TRC, Kender held positions with several Fortune 500 companies, including General Mills, Unilever, General Motors and Amgen.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Columbia University and her master’s degree in business from The Ohio State University.

Transportation Research Center Inc. is North America’s most advanced, independent mobility testing and research organization, providing the world’s leading transportation innovators with a full range of engineering and research expertise and a comprehensive array of transportation testing and evaluation facilities. TRC Inc.’s offerings include a 4,500-acre, full-service automotive proving ground and laboratory facility in East Liberty Ohio, which is home to the SMARTCenter, TRC Inc.’s automated and connected vehicle test facility.