Rengel Joins Watco Legal Team

Matt Rengel | Corporate Counsel

When Matt Rengel accepted the role of Corporate Counsel with Watco there was no way he could have anticipated the amount of personal and professional change that was on the horizon. Within weeks of starting his new position, the world’s population withdrew into the protection of its own homes, offices closed and encouraged their team members to work remotely, and courthouses all but shut down except to honor constitutionally guaranteed protections.

“The COVID-19 pandemic provided me with a unique opportunity to familiarize myself with the company instead of focusing exclusively on claims and litigation” said Rengel.

As Corporate Counsel, Rengel’s primary responsibility will be to represent Watco and its subsidiaries from bodily injury and property damage claims and similar litigation throughout North America. He will also focus on overseeing workers’ compensation, longshore claims, employment, and environmental matters with the assistance of team members Jamie Wilson, Lori Magee, and Lacie Moore.

When asked what attracted him to the opportunity at Watco, Rengel noted that the company’s culture appeared to align with his personal and professional values.

Rengel said, “I immediately recognized a real sense of family at Watco. I went through a rather intensive interview process and was struck at the amount of attention that was paid to whether I’d be a good fit for the team. There seemed to be a genuine concern about if I was the type of person who could seamlessly flow into the role and be a positive influence on those I worked with. I came away from those interviews knowing that I was going to work for a company that was committed to providing me with an opportunity to lay down long-term roots and develop myself.”

Prior to joining Watco, Rengel served as Senior Counsel for YRC Worldwide. In that role, Rengel was responsible for managing YRC’s nationwide liability portfolio of trucking and logistics claims. “I’m incredibly excited about bringing my prior legal experience in the transportation industry to bear for Watco. There are significant similarities between the business models that will allow me to capitalize on the hard-fought lessons I’ve learned in my almost 20 years of legal practice.”

One thing that Rengel wants to make clear in introducing himself to Watco is that he wants his fellow Watco team members to view him and his team as a resource.

“I want the team members in the field to understand that Watco’s legal team is here for you anytime day or night,” said Rengel. “We want to be a valued member of your decision-making process and are more than happy to talk you or your team through any legal challenge you may have. Whether it’s gathering information in the field for a claim or negotiating with a customer over a contract, don’t be afraid to use us as a resource. That’s what we are here for.”

Although Rengel spends a large portion of his time familiarizing himself with Watco’s legal portfolio, he likes to spend his evenings and time off being a father to his almost 2-year-old daughter Abigail and a husband to his wife of four years, Gena. Having grown up in the northwest suburbs of Illinois, Rengel has made the Kansas City area his home for the past 18 years and is looking forward to raising his family there for years to come. Rengel and his wife are excited to welcome a second child to their family in August 2020.