At the recent PTDA Industry Summit, Sylvia Silveira, NTN Canada, was honored as the 2023 recipient of the PTDA Foundation Wendy B. McDonald Woman of the Year Award and Alex Vitou of Dodge Industrial, Inc. received the PTDA Foundation Robert K. Callahan Advancing Leaders Award.

Wendy B. McDonald Woman of the Year Award Goes to Sylvia Silveira

The Wendy B. McDonald Woman of the Year Award recognizes a woman who has established herself as a critical contributor to her company’s success in the past year and has affected positive change on the power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry at any level in her career.

During Silveira’s 13-year tenure at NTN Canada, she has steadily climbed the ranks from HR manager to HR director to VP of Human Resources & Operations. In the last year alone, she implemented a range of employee engagement strategies that were pivotal in improving the overall success of NTN Canada’s business. She led the development of a recruitment strategy to attract and retain top talent for NTN Canada’s inside sales roles. The program achieved 95 percent of its recruitment goals with its success attributed to the development of hybrid remote roles.

Silveria’s enthusiasm for the PT/MC industry is also reflected in her volunteer work on the PT WORK Force Education, Research and Knowledge committee. She’s also passionate in her continual quest to develop the knowledge and experience of her employees through mentoring, making Silveira a sought-out colleague.

The Wendy B. McDonald Award was established by the PTDA Foundation in 2014 to honor its namesake––Wendy B. McDonald––a true power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) industry pioneer. Read more about Sylvia and this award or view her acceptance remarks at ptda.org/WendyBMcDonaldAward.

Alex Vitou Receives Robert K. Callahan Advancing Leaders Award

Vitou currently serves as plant manager at Dodge’s Belton, S.C. plant, a role he assumed in October 2022, and oversees the manufacturing of its standard duty gear boxes. Described by his industry peers as “an exceptional young professional whose accomplishments and progress are almost effortless,” Alex demonstrates a dedication and passion for raising awareness of the industry and improving it for those who currently work in it.

“The PT/MC industry is critically important to the world, and I am happy to be a part of it,” says Vitou, who began his career in the PT/MC industry in 2011, joining Dodge immediately out of college. He has also served as the head of the Product Design Engineering department with responsibility for managing all application engineering.

Vitou takes pleasure in connecting with his customers and learning about their issues and is committed to talent development, coaching and bringing more people into the industry.

“Getting information about the PT/MC industry into the hands of the younger generation is imperative,” Vitou says. “We have been working on introducing STEM to grade school students to pique their interest right from the start.”

The Robert K. Callahan Advancing Leaders Award was established in 2021 in honor of past PTDA Foundation president and 25-year PTDA Foundation Trustee Bob Callahan (formerly of SENQCIA MAXCO LLC) in recognition of Bob’s commitment to the advancement of new talent within the PT/MC industry. The first award was bestowed in October 2021.