Big ideas bloom at Trinity’s inaugural Week of Wonder

Trinity Logistics proudly hosted its first-ever Week of Wonder, an internal initiative designed to spark creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving among its Team Members. Its goal was to empower Team Members across departments to develop forward-thinking solutions aimed at improving Trinity’s operations, customer experience, and service offerings. The event took place from February 24th to the 27th.

Rooted in the Working Genius model, Week of Wonder encouraged Team Members to group up and tap into their individual strengths and collective ingenuity to address and solve real-world logistics challenges. After months of planning and collaboration, finalists presented their concepts to an esteemed panel of judges from the fields of logistics, academia, and technology.

“Innovation isn’t just about big, flashy ideas—it happens at every level, in every role, when people are given the space to think differently,” said Russ Felker, Trinity’s CIO. “Week of Wonder showed that creativity and problem-solving aren’t limited to a single department or title. The energy and collaboration we saw this week is exactly what drives our company and industry forward.”

Meet the finalists

Out of several teams, three emerged as finalists with solutions focused on improving operational efficiency, fraud prevention, and Carrier relationships:

Trinity CarrierOne Experience

Submitted Pitch: An enhanced Carrier Portal offering Carriers a streamlined, user- friendly space with improved access to key tools.

Team Members: Michael Adams, Amanda Ashford, James Beveridge, and Jessica Clapp

Executive Mentor: Chad Taylor

Fraud Force

Submitted Pitch: A fraud detection and prevention program using advanced technology to protect Carriers and Shippers.

Team Members: Tracy Mitchell, Kristin Deno, and Angela Smith

Executive Mentor: Derek Wise

The predictive profits

Submitted Pitch: A Carrier grading tool that uses data-driven insights to rank Carriers and enhance routing decisions.

Team Members: Chris McAvoy, Laura Willey, Cheryl Swain, and Zach Howard

Executive Mentor: Greg Massey

After careful deliberation, the Trinity CarrierOne Experience team was crowned the inaugural Week of Wonder winner. Their upgraded Carrier Portal pitch stood out for its immediate usability, long-term scalability, and potential for cross-functional impact.

“Collaborating with Team Members across departments to solve this problem for our Carriers was an exciting experience,” said Amanda Ashford, Analyst II at Trinity and member of the winning team. “By bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise, we created a solution that not only serves Carriers better but also improves experiences for Shippers, Team Members, and our Burris Logistics relationships.”

A judging panel of industry experts

Finalists presented their innovations to a distinguished panel, who evaluated each concept based on problem relevance, impact, and feasibility:

• Dr. Raj Agnihotri, PhD – Industry Engagement Dean, Iowa State University
• Donnie Burris – CEO, Burris Logistics
• Joe Negron – Owner, NGS Logistics
• Zach Buckner – CEO, Glyphic Software
• Donna Palumbo-Miele – Executive Director, Center for Supply Chain Research, Penn State

“Learning about all the creative and impactful ideas was fun, but what stood out most was the thoughtfulness behind each presentation,” shared Dr. Raj Agnihotri. “It was refreshing to see diverse teams from Data Science, Compliance, Carrier Development, and Operations come together. The experience was wholesome, and I appreciated the opportunity to be part of it.”

A culture of innovation takes root

The success of the first Week of Wonder reinforces Trinity’s commitment to cultivating a workplace where innovation is not only encouraged but expected.

“Week of Wonder was a perfect example of how collaboration, guided by the Working Genius framework, can turn ideas into real impact,” said Carlie Crouch, Senior Director of People Operations. “Seeing our Team Members challenge themselves and create solutions that will shape our future was truly inspiring. This is just the beginning.”

Trinity Logistics looks forward to making Week of Wonder an annual tradition by expanding its scope and continuing to drive meaningful innovation throughout the logistics industry.