Q: Can you share a little bit about yourself? Are you from the Midwest?
A: I’m a Midwest kid from Kiel, Wisconsin. I grew up on the lake and I’ve never left. I now have a wife and three children and we’ve rooted our family here.
Q: What drew you to a career at Midwest?
A: I have been familiar with the brand and senior leadership for many years and have been continuously impressed with the brand integrity and their growth within the industry. This company is customer-focused, goal-oriented trucking company that truly believes in the people they’re contracted through. They don’t just count people as numbers and that respect extends to the support team and the drivers. I truly believe that Midwest is a great company doing good work. I always thought this would be a great company to work for, and this time it was the right time.
Q: What are you excited about at Midwest?
A: Any time there are shifts and changes in an industry, those can be viewed as opportunities for companies to be willing to adapt and think creatively. One of the reasons I decided to join the team here is their readiness to take on the challenges facing the trucking industry in this moment.
Q: What is most compelling to you about the Midwest brand?
A: Midwest’s tagline is “Driven by the people we serve” and they mean it. A premium carrier with a great reputation, they get the job done safely, on-time, and meeting the customer’s specifications.
Q: What do you see as current challenges in the industry?
A: Recruitment is always a challenge within truck driving and we have only seen the problem intensify over the pandemic and following. We’re only as good as the drivers we have. We’re going to have to get creative with our efforts, listening to the work force and staying aware of shifts in the industry in this technological age. Thankfully, Midwest Carriers is committed to creating a fantastic environment, competitive pay and benefits, and plenty of job growth potential to attract talent.
Q: How do you see your role at Midwest?
A: I’m here to make sure our operations run smoothly and our drivers have the support they need to meet the quality we guarantee our customers. I’m also here to motivate our work force to meet our operational goals. We will leverage technology to increase efficiency and improve the driver experience.
I always thought this would be a great company to work for, and this time it was the right time.
Eric Jens
Q: You’ve worked in management for over 20 years. Can you share a little about your management philosophy or your leadership style?
A: Making the best decisions we can is my top priority – across the board. I encourage people contributing their perspectives, experiences and opinions in a collaborative way to reach an alignment around the best way forward. I prioritize creating a shared vision for success across the organization. Then, we can go tackle the problems standing in our way as a united front.
Q: Tell us more about your professional background?
A: I’ve worked for privately-held companies my entire career. I come from a background in operations, supply chain, and logistics. I’ve had the opportunity to work in a variety of industries and have stayed adjacent to the trucking and freight hauling industries the entire time. Most recently, I have worked in logistics and supply chain for food transportation. This experience has primed me for the time constraints and specific challenges facing a refrigerated trucking company such as Midwest Carriers.