Q: Tell us a little about yourself and how you came to trucking.
I was born and raised in Wisconsin and the trucking world. The stage was set for me to take over for my dad, who was the owner of a trucking company himself. My dad died when I was 13, but trucking stayed strong in my family with me. I still keep my CDL-A up to date and jump in the truck. I’m a truck driver for life. Trucking is just in the blood of the people in the industry; it becomes part of who you are and it’s tough, maybe even impossible, to leave it behind.
Q: What brought you to Midwest Carriers?
My entire career has been in supply chain, logistics and freight. I’ve managed two ports in Wisconsin and oversaw warehousing across the country. I was going to retire seven years ago, but I’ve known the VanHandels for years and when the opportunity to join the team presented itself, I said yes and I’ve been here ever since.
Q: What is your role on the team?
In short, I work directly with our customers. I set pricing and share supply chain shifts and changes with our customers and potential partners. I’m the liaison between operations and our customers – ensure we’re setting the right expectations and following through to meet our customers’ where they needs are.
Q: Why should customers choose Midwest?
A lot of businesses would claim integrity and not be able to live up to the test. That’s not true at Midwest – the reason our customers choose to keep their business with us is because they trust us. And they trust us for a reason – we’ve earned it because we stand by our word. Plus, with the way we’re structured, our customers reap the benefits of a close connection with their freight carrier, which means we help solve their problems and facilitate their business success.
Q: What is your biggest challenge?
Shifts in the market and changes in the supply chain, especially like the ones we’ve been experiencing in recent years. Normally these things go up and down and over the long term, costing charts look like soft, rolling hills. Conversely, current costing charts that follow market trends look like the Rocky Mountains.
There are plenty of reasons for this, but one interesting dynamic is how instantaneous communication about the market affects our industry. It used to take a long time for people to get on the same sheet of music. There’s so much fluctuation because these things are changing all the time and now, people know about it right away. The constant worry that you’re overpaying for something is always present in the ever-changing supply chain landscape and people are often reactionary.
Q: What problems are you excited to tackle next?
When the market changes, your customer base changes. Former customers return and demand can increase. We’re excited to emerge from the current state of the market ready to tackle the other side. We’re increasing our efforts in logistics and brokerage, which will greatly impact our ability to meet our customers’ needs, where they’re at and as they change. With greater brokerage ability we’ll be able to take the call and find a solution for our partners, every time. And I think that’s really exciting.
Q: What are you most proud of since you’ve been working with Midwest?
That’s pretty easy – I’m proud of our ability to diversify. When I came aboard, we were strictly over the road. Since then, we’ve started a local and regional fleet in the past six years and it’s been exciting to see that really take off for our local team. We’ve been able to educate our customers around the volatility of the market, strengthening our relationships to weather the shifts in the way the trade winds are blowing.
We are a leader in the industry – I am proud to have cut my teeth and honed my craft in this industry and we’re proud of the expertise our leadership represents at Midwest. Our customers come to us with questions and problems, and we find answers and solutions. Every time.
Q: What do you think makes Midwest different as a carrier company?
Our culture of transparency and “telling it straight” is appreciated by our business partners and customers. We have a healthy dose of Midwestern values and we stay grounded in our company history. As individual members of this team, we’re proud to come to work every day because it’s easy to stand behind the work that we do – it’s honest, hard-working, and customer-focused – a triple win!
Q: What’s a quick piece of advice for new drivers?
I tell drivers – you’ve got the second hardest job in the world. You’ve got to have patience. There’s a lot of anxiety now. The job has only gotten more complex. You’ve got to be ready to ride it out when it gets tough, with the promise of a rewarding career and a essential job function.
Q: What makes a driver successful?
Having family support and the support of their driving family at Midwest is foundational. You’ve got to have somebody to talk to because it can get lonely out there. It’s quiet and there’s plenty of time to think you just need to know someone’s in your corner. Knowing who your people are and communicating with them to be reminded of your “why” is incredibly important.
Q: What keeps you at Midwest?
I can relate to all our drivers and customers. And as my wife says, I’ve got diesel for blood.