Born and raised in Mexico, Maria Graciela Trillanes Gallardo realized early that she had a love of math with an aptitude for numbers, decided to become a mathematician, yet discovered there were few careers in the field in her home country. Thus, she chose to leverage her mathematical talent to study chemical and industrial engineering, which exposed her to numerous professional opportunities. Today, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo is the chief commercial officer of HGmotive.
As part of her extensive and storied journey, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo spent 12 years serving in the Mexican army as a technician at the Laboratorio Central de Pruebas, earning a Medal of Honor for her service in 1982, after which she began working in private industry. Holding a Bachelor of Science in chemical and industrial engineering and a Master of Business Administration, both of which she earned at Instituto Politécnico Nacional in Mexico, she became a sales manager with General Electric (GE) Plastics in 1984, garnering invaluable experience before immigrating to the United States in 2001. After moving to Detroit, Michigan, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo continued working for GE Plastics as a platform manager and automotive product manager. On the rise, in 2005, she became the global product manager for GE Plastics in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
During her upward career trajectory, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo became a product manager with GE Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania, in 2008. From 2011 to 2017, she worked for the company as an executive product leader, continuing her industry ascent and developing her skills as a corporate leader. After leaving GE in 2017 after more than 30 years with the company, she became the sales and marketing director for HGmotive, formerly known as CNGmotive. In 2019, she accepted the position of chief commercial officer. As an in-demand and sought-after leader in her industry, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo was hired as the components project director and business development manager for Alstom in Hornell, New York, where she spent three years. Yet, in 2023, she returned to HGmotive as the chief commercial officer and now thrives in this key role.
As a corporate leader at HGmotive, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo puts into practice her prowess in project oversight to tackle important problems facing the world. She is passionate about reducing greenhouse gas emissions by using alternative fuels for locomotives, such as hydrogen and renewable natural gas. In recognition of her professional and managerial excellence during her time with GE, the company honored her with a Management Award. Moving forward, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo hopes to achieve the extremely valuable and necessary milestone of zero emissions in the long-haul railroad industry. As a vehement supporter of women pursuing technical careers, she has been proud to serve as an inspiration to aspiring women professionals in mostly male industries. Ms. Trillanes Gallardo plans to share her knowledge and expertise with the next generation by writing a book about her experiences.
Crediting her success to her upbringing, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo hails from a family of hardworking professionals who greatly influenced her. Grateful for her grandfather’s support, she also thanks her mother, who worked in biochemistry, for being an inspiration. Ms. Trillanes Gallardo feels that keeping an open mind, accepting advice from her mentors, and remaining dedicated to her constant growth and development have always been major factors in reaching her goals. She has separated herself from others in her field through her adaptability, leadership skills, and willingness to use failure as a learning opportunity.
Unwavering in her devotion to improving the world around her in her career and personal life, Ms. Trillanes Gallardo enjoys volunteering with the United Way, the PKD Foundation, and various local initiatives, including food banks and holiday gift-giving programs. When she is not working to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the railroad industry or helping others through her charitable endeavors, she enjoys mentoring, cooking, and gardening.
