Sonya Walton

Sonya joined Messer in 2007, applying her expertise in supplier, workforce, and community engagement to advance the company’s Economic Inclusion efforts and help make the construction industry a better place for people from all backgrounds. She is a member of Messer’s Executive team and leads its Economic Inclusion department, which has garnered numerous national and local awards for supplier and workforce engagement.

Sonya is a Certified Supplier Diversity Professional (CPSD) with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. She received the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council’s Leadership award and Advocate of the Year award in 2016 and 2019. Sonya has been featured in the Who’s Who of Black Cincinnati publication and is a graduate of the Cincinnati Regional Chamber’s Leadership Cincinnati USA and WE Lead programs, the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio’s Urban Leader Institute, and the YWCA Rising Star Leadership Program.

Sonya is a board member and vice chair of Partners for Change and a board member for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, ArtsWave, Employee-Owned S Corporations of America, and Lighthouse Youth & Family Services, New Life Properties division. She also serves on the Steering Committee for AGC’s Women’s Construction Leadership Forum. At Messer, she is an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) Trustee and chairs the Messer Women in Construction Committee and Supplier Engagement Leadership Team. Prior community leadership has included serving as vice chair of the 2022 ArtsWave Community Campaign, co-chair of the Ohio Minority Supplier Development Council’s Local Advisory Committee, and board member of Lighthouse Youth Services, Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati, and Partnership for Supplier Diversity Professionals – Indianapolis.