She Didn’t Set Out to Be a Hero: The Quiet Power of Sheila McCutchan

Sheila McCutchan didn’t set out to be a trailblazer in logistics either. She set out to teach.

Born and raised in Evansville and a graduate of the University of Evansville with a degree in elementary education, Sheila’s early life felt far removed from freight: “I worked as a pharmacy tech all through high school and college,” she remembers. When a post-college job didn’t appear, she pivoted into systems work for Humana and later McKesson—practical moves that quietly set the stage for something else: a career built on problem-solving, relationships, and a relentless calm under pressure.

“I went in and was like, ‘Oh, it’s fun what you guys do,’” Sheila says about her first days around the freight business. What began as convenience—working alongside her husband’s office and avoiding nights away from home—turned into a vocation. When the Danville (DAN) office needed a steady hand during the recession, Sheila stepped up in 2008 and took it over.

If the industry looks chaotic from the outside, Sheila describes it like a jigsaw puzzle: “It’s basically just putting pieces of a puzzle together.” A customer emails a late bid; a driver calls in from the road; a forklift runs out of gas. The agent’s job, invisible to many end customers, is to make those edges line up. “You have to call trucks…make sure the drivers can be out of their other load in time…sometimes you’ll make 40 or 50 calls on a load to get everything lined up,” she says. That tenacity, combined with genuine care for people, is what earned her recognition long before the recent spotlight.

This spring, Sheila was named a CLT Hero at the Expeditors Carrier Awards—a distinction she calls meaningful because it’s peer-nominated. “They just nominated me and said that I’m always available to help them with their loads, and I always make sure appointments are made, that drivers are on time, and that I communicate with the shipper,” she explains. Sheila still remembers the moment she learned she’d won. “I was thrilled! It was nice to be rewarded for my and my team’s hard work.” For her, the award isn’t a single heroic moment; it’s a nod to years of consistent, steady work. “I think it’s over time,” she reflects. “I’ve worked with the same guy pretty much the whole time he’s been there. So, I feel like they’re showing their appreciation of my work ethic throughout the many years, not just like 1 or 2 instances, but for the long haul, year over year.”

Her steadiness defines her work. She’s had a string of career pivots turned into a practice rooted in relationships and resolve. Sheila credits the human side of the job for this: “I know what their families are doing, what their kids are doing… it’s just a relationship kind of thing.”  She’s frank about the demands: “You gotta love it or don’t do it because there can be a lot of stress with the job.” And when she makes a promise, it carries weight. “If I say I’m going to get a load for them, I’m going to get it for them.” Her attitude has helped Sheila develop trusting and loyal relationships with everyone she works with.

Her approach also reflects the kind of partnership Mercer aims to foster. Sheila speaks warmly about the company’s systems and people: “They give us the tools we need to be successful… the coordinators are always willing to help,” she says. And where the industry can feel mechanical, she emphasizes Mercer’s human strengths: “Mercer is known for billing quickly and paying drivers quickly. So, I think we’re pretty much at the top of the industry in my opinion.”

Growth has followed that combination of grit and grace. Sheila recalls transforming the Danville agency from modest beginnings: “When I took over, they were doing about a million a year. Now the agency, at its best, moves 10 million in a year.” She shares her proudest achievement of “just being able to grow this from pretty much nothing, up to being a top 15 agent now,” with graceful pride that makes the numbers feel more personal than boastful.

Outside of work, Sheila is grounded by the things that matter most to her: family and the chance to experience life beyond the office. “My kids, my grandson, and traveling. We travel a lot,” she says simply, but it’s clear those few words carry weight. For someone who spends her days solving problems and lining up moving parts, time with family and time away serve as a necessary counterbalance. The flexibility of remote work has allowed her not just to manage freight, but to manage life. Now, being in South Carolina allows her to be present for the moments that don’t appear on any schedule or spreadsheet.

For those seeking an example of quiet leadership, Sheila’s career is instructive. She didn’t arrive as a superstar; she arrived curious, patient, and willing to learn from those she admired at agent meetings. She treats every relationship as an investment and measures success not just by revenue, but by respect: “People respect you, and people acknowledge what you’re doing for them,” she says. “That’s the biggest part.”

That humble confidence is the throughline of her story: a woman who moved from classrooms and pharmacy counters to the world of freight because she loved the work, the people, and the challenge. The CLT Hero award acknowledged what drivers and partners have known for years: Sheila McCutchan is the kind of agent who quietly makes complicated things look simple, and along the way, builds a business that others want to be part of.

Her success isn’t loud, but it’s undeniable. Built not on flash, but on faith, follow-through, and a life lived with intention.