Leadership came naturally
When you hear the phrase born to lead, who comes to mind? If you knew Abbay Blankenship of Southern Machinery in Nashville, TN, that is exactly who would come to mind. Abbay’s father worked his way up to majority owner of Southern Machinery and as a child she was taken to their offices on a regular basis. Her mother was a very strong woman and leader, so Abbay never questioned whether she could be one as well. She was born into leadership and strength because her parents led the way for her. 
Surrounded by strong women
Abbay also attended an all-girls high school where every leadership position from sports to academics had a female. It was very normal for her to see women in governance positions throughout her life. When she went off to college to become an engineer, she never imagined working at Southern Machinery. So, when in 1997 when her father approached her about an engineering position and offered her that job, she was shocked, but took the offer, and the rest is history. 
Onward and upward
Sadly, her father passed suddenly in December of 2018, and Abbay took over as Owner and continued to be an Engineer. She has knocked running a company out of the park, and with her partnership with Mellott, Southern Machinery will continue to grow and thrive for years to come. Abbay had this to say regarding the partnership and bright future her leadership will bring, “Since 1958, Southern Machinery Company has enjoyed serving our customers in the aggregate industry, and now we are looking forward to a bright future with Mellott as our partner.” The future is bright with Abbay at the wheel. 
