Winter 2019 Edition
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TMC Transportation
PLATT BRABNER Recognized as Top Four Transition Trucking Finalist
O
n Friday, December 14, 2018, Mordaunt “Platt” Brabner was honored at the Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. along with three other Transition Trucking: Driving For Excellence award program finalists from various trucking companies. Earlier this summer Platt had been designated as a top ten finalist, and traveled to the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas where they narrowed the group down to a distinguished final four. The mission of the Transition Trucking: Driving For Excellence award program is to inspire the hiring of more veterans, National Guard members and reservists into the trucking industry. As the main part of the campaign, deserving veteran drivers who had made a successful transition from military service to the trucking industry were able to participate, with the top prize being a fully loaded Kenworth T680. Platt was named the third runner
up and went home with $5,000 and an array of prizes. The winner of the Kenworth T680 was Werner Enterprises driver and Army veteran, Quinton Ward. Platt came to TMC in July 2017 upon obtaining CDL from Roadmaster Drivers School. He is an accomplished Marine Corps and Navy veteran, and his goaloriented mentality and worldly wisdom lends a hand in making him a standout professional truck driver at TMC. Not only was Platt a top contender for this contest, in August Platt was also presented as the WINNER of the national Trucking’s Top Rookie contest, an industry wide program placing attention on the professionalism of drivers in the industry for less than a year while promoting truck driving as a viable career choice during a time when there is a shortage of drivers.
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Mordaunt “Platt” Brabner was named Trucking’s Top Rookie in August 2018.
TMC is proud to have Platt as an exceptional representation of the Black and Chrome. He transcends every piece of criteria set in both programs through his decorated military career and the poise and determination he brings to the trucking industry. Congratulations, Platt! <
THE HOME DEPOT FLATBED CARRIER OF THE YEAR
TMC
TMC Earns Prestigious Title for Fifth Straight Year
Transportation has been named The Home Depot’s Flatbed Carrier of the Year for 2018, making it five consecutive years of earning the honorable distinction. The ceremony took place in Atlanta, GA the last week of January.
TMC first established a relationship with The Home Depot in 2004, and has since maintained a long-standing reputation of providing superior service. TMC dedicates flatbed transportation services to move products from nine bulk distribution centers to The Home Depot stores throughout the United
States. Additionally, the two often join forces to provide disaster relief to communities in need. “Receiving this distinguished award is a testament to our employees’ hard work and focus on supporting the delivery service needs of The Home Depot,” says Damon Gehrels, TMC’s Vice President of Dedicated Operations. “TMC is honored to have the opportunity to partner with The Home Depot, and we look forward to additional opportunities to improve and expand our services with them in years to come.” <
TMC SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS AT THE PENTAGON 2018 Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Signing Ceremony
TMC
recently had the opportunity to proclaim support for military veterans and attend an ESGR signing ceremony in Washington, D.C., initiated by FASTPORT, an organization that promotes the hiring of our nation’s heroes. The ESGR is a Department of Defense program that promotes
cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers, and assists in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee’s military commitment. The signing took place on December 14 at the Pentagon after our own Platt Brabner was recognized as a top four finalist in the Transition Trucking: Driving For Excellence award program
at the United States Chamber of Commerce. Public Relations Manager, Justyn Hardy, signed on behalf of TMC. FASTPORT partners with employers that lead their industry and are willing to devote resources to take an active role in military recruiting to help change the way service members, veterans, and spouses transition into civilian employment. <
Left: Justyn Hardy, Public Relations Manager, singed on behalf of TMC. Above: Several companies took part in the ESGR signing ceremony. Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 3
‘TIS THE SEASON the holiday season is AtourTMC,favorite time of year, and as
2018 TMC Holiday Highlights
always, we hosted many events and activities to raise awareness and give back to our communities (both local and nationwide), and of course, to have a little fun! Here’s a look at how we have spent the last few months of 2018!
OCTOBER On Friday’s, we wear pink! Throughout the whole month of October, we encouraged our employees to wear pink each Friday and donate to organizations that help fund breast cancer research and support to patients. It becomes a competition of sorts to see which of our locations can make the biggest pink wave! While we only highlight awareness for one month, breast cancer affects
countless women and families yearround, including some of our family here at TMC. October is also Employee Ownership month, which is near and dear to the employees of TMC. Especially this year as we marked five years of TMC becoming an employee owned company. To commemorate the occasion, we highlighted one week in October to continue to educate and share all of the growth we have seen with our ESOP so far. This included testimonies from retired TMC employees and sweet treats around the offices to celebrate.
NOVEMBER October had us seeing pink, but November got very HAIRY! No Shave November is a month for the guys where participants give up their regular shaving habits to raise men’s
Pink Friday at TMC’s Bentonville, AR location. 4 | Destination: Excellence | Winter 2019 Edition
cancer awareness. All participants took before and after photos and at the end of the month, we voted on the best beard! This year’s top beard was Sam Solano from our IT Department in Des Moines!
Sam Salano, the winner of TMC’s No Shave November contest.
We had a record number of participants this year, so TMC decided to donate $5 per hairy face to No-Shave.org to help aid cancer research, education and prevention. With 50 participants, we donated $250! The most popular tradition during the season of giving is the annual TMC Food Drive! Taking place just before Thanksgiving, this event allows for some friendly competition throughout the company, with eight teams competing to win daily challenges and bring in the most “most needed” items by local food banks and homeless shelters. At the end of the week, TMC collected 25,118 non-perishable food and wellness items!
Above Left: Food donations from the annual TMC Food Drive. TMC collected 25,118 non-perishable food and wellness items. Above Right: The Customer Service & Operations Departments held their own contest - Pie in the Face!
For an added incentive to collect donations, the Customer Service and Operations departments in Des Moines held their own internal contest. Employees who donated the most money or items each day got to choose a VP or Manager to “Pie in the Face!”
DECEMBER During the most magical time of the year, we shift our focus to the importance of family, giving back and having fun! To start our holiday festivities, Santa made a visit to TMC driving his very own Black and Chrome TMC truck! Kids got to take a picture with Santa, make Christmas crafts and enjoy some milk and cookies! While there were a few tears of overwhelming excitement, there were many more smiles! Following the visit from the man in red, TMC started a new holiday tradition that we hope to continue in the future. We had our first annual volunteer week, titled “Delivering Help for the Holidays.” This was a week-long event where our employees could sign up for a number of charitable activities around the Des Moines area. We worked with local homeless shelters, held a blanket drive, visited an area animal shelter to help furry friends in need,
Food Donations from TMC’s Bentonville, AR location.
and also packaged meals to help feed underprivileged families worldwide. Employees also donated countless toys and adopted nine families through Adopt a Family. Along with the spirit of giving, employees had the option to donate money to our annual Holiday Giving Raffles for a chance to win prizes such as a little extra holiday home time or some cold hard cash! The money raised from the raffles is given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Joplin Children’s Haven. This year, we surpassed last year’s total and raised $5,125 combined for both of these
great organizations. Lastly, our annual “Ugly Christmas Sweater” day was held again this year. Employees broke out their most hideous, atrocious and Grinch-iest garb to adorn the offices with cheer. There is nothing like family during the holiday season, and being a part of the TMC family is a gift in its own. Thank you to our wonderful drivers and staff for making the season of giving the best yet. As we count down the days to December 25, we remember that at Christmas, all roads lead home. <
Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 5
Michael Annett WINS at Daytona
Michael Annett kicks off the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Season with a WIN at Daytona!
Above: Michael Annett crossing the finish line for his win at Daytona. Right: Michael Annett poses with trophy alongside crew chief Travis Mack and JR Motorsports founder Dale Earnhardt Jr.
M
ichael Annettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first race in the No. 1 Pilot Flying J/American Heart Association Chevrolet was definitely one to remember. Switching car numbers for the 2019 season, from No. 5 to No. 1, Annett came to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday with the idea of racing well and near the front in the season-opening NASCAR Racing Experience 300 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He did just that, winning the 120-lap event over JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier. It was the first victory for Annett in the series and came in his 230th NXS start. His best finish previously was a secondplace run in 2017 on the road course at Road America. The day started out with a third-place run in qualifying, which was his best career NXS start as well, and just got better from there. On the initial start, Annett moved his black-and-red Chevrolet to the front row after polesitter Tyler Reddick was forced to start from the back due to
a tire change. Annett fired off well, but the top line was the place to be and he faded to eighth at the end of the first lap. Rejoining the top line, Annett rode to the end of Stage One in 13th place. On his pit stop, Annett took four tires and fuel on his Chevrolet Camaro SS with no adjustments, and gained four spots on the exchange. However, an uncontrolled tire during the stop caused him to drop to 30th for the restart.
put him fourth for the restart, and after a brief drop to sixth, he was fourth on lap 72 when the caution waved for debris. Mack called Annett down pit road again a lap later for fuel only, and sent his driver back out with instructions to save fuel. It would be the final stop for Annett and the No. 1 team until the car rolled into Victory Lane.
Starting second with Brandon Jones on the point, Annett ran second for two laps before sweeping to the lead on lap 76, the first time Annett had led an NXS race at Daytona. Keeping his Chevrolet on the top groove, Annett led the field through another caution for a spin on Unperturbed, Annett started the long road the backstretch five laps later, and held serve on the ensuing restart despite a back to the front and climbed to 19th in brief surge by Christopher Bell. Allgaier two laps and was 11th with 10 to go in the 30-lap Stage Two. A last-lap scramble had lined up in second spot and Annett maintained his perch at the head of the saw Annett gain two more spots and he finished Stage Two in ninth, earning stage pack for the next 37 laps. Allgaier and points for the first time this season. It also others in the pack worked to mount a set up the series of events that eventually charge at Annett, but none struck home and the 32-year-old Iowa native crossed got him to Victory Lane. the line .116 seconds ahead of Allgaier. Crew chief Travis Mack called his driver His 45 laps led set a career high for to pit road for right-side tires and fuel, Annett in a single race, and the victory with no adjustments, and he came off pit was JRMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 45th as a team and sixth at road fifth for the final 60-lap run to the Daytona International Speedway, all checkered flag. A penalty ahead of him by different drivers. Annett is the fifth
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driver to earn his first victory with JRM, and it is the first triumph for JRM’s No. 1 Chevrolet since Elliott Sadler won at Kentucky Speedway in 2016. For Pilot Flying J, it was the company’s first victory with JRM and the car featured a paint scheme promoting the American Heart Association’s “Life is Why We Give™” campaign. The victory also puts Annett and his No. 1 team into the NXS Playoffs later this season. Michael Annett Quote: “This is amazing. I couldn’t have done this without these (No. 1 team) guys. They stuck with me through the hard times, when everybody counted us out. They worked their tails off on this American Heart Association/Pilot Flying J Chevrolet. We got the No. 1 team in Victory Lane this year, and our slogan is ‘One Team, One Dream, One Goal.’ This was one of them, so we’re starting off good. I was waiting for that second line to get formed, and I know they tried, but it just wasn’t there. When it hadn’t formed with about three laps to go, I knew they weren’t going to have enough steam to get us. I started worrying about my teammate. If you’re going to have someone back there, I knew Justin (Allgaier) was going to be the best one. He’s aggressive, I knew he was going to push hard but I knew he was going to go for it. We had to keep him
in our mirror and keep the gap right. Jason (spotter Jason Jarrett) did a great job on the roof, for sure.” Back for a third season with JRM, Michael’s win at Daytona has certainly given him and his team a confidence boost as he continues on into the rest of the season. His best 2018 finish was 7th place at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 18. His other top-10 finishes included a 10th place finish in Darlington on September 1 and 9th place at Homestead-Miami for the last race of the season. Michael also posted 12 top-15 finishes throughout the
year. As has been the case for the past two seasons, Annett has primary sponsor Pilot Flying J in his corner, along with TMC Transportation and Allstate Parts and Service. Want to know when Michael will be repping our favorite paint scheme? The TMC sponsored races for the 2019 season are April 27th at Talladega, June 16th and July 27th at Iowa, August 10th at Mid-Ohio and October 5th at Dover. Visit www. MichaelAnnett.com for the full season schedule. <
Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 7
TMC to Act as Primary Partner for Karsyn Elledge
18-Year-Old Earnhardt Family Member Embarks on her First Full USAC Season
TMC
will serve as the primary partner for Karsyn Elledge, the 18-year-old granddaughter of NASCAR Hall-ofFame driver Dale Earnhardt and niece of two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt, Jr., across multiple races comprising the 2019 USAC National Midget Championship. TMC Transportation is familiar to dirt racing die-hards. Harrold Annett, the Chairman and CEO of TMC, fielded teams adorned in TMC’s black and chrome across various divisions of short track racing, including a decorated sprint car team from the 1970s through the late 1990s for drivers such as Mike Brooks and Sammy Swindell. From 1988 through 1993, Swindell piloted the TMC entry to 145 feature wins, including the Short Track Nationals in 1990, the Syracuse Dirt Nationals in 1990 and 1991, the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway, the Inaugural Asphalt Nationals at Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway and 89 World of Outlaws race victories. That same livery will adorn Elledge’s No. 1 Tucker-Boat Motorsports entry in select events.
“Karsyn is a terrific up-andcoming driver from a great racing family who we believe will be a tremendous representative for TMC Transportation,” said Annett. “We’re happy to have the opportunity to return to dirt racing and look forward to cheering on Karsyn.”
2018 USAC championship standings.
“We are thrilled to have Karsyn and an iconic brand like TMC join Tucker-Boat Motorsports for the 2019 season,” said Chad Boat, co-owner of TuckerBoat Motorsports. “TMC is well known in the racing industry and it will be an honor to have them on board our No. Also pursuing a degree in Criminal 1 Spike/Toyota-powered midget. The Justice at IUPUI, Elledge joins the entire team looks forward to seeing USAC ranks in 2019 with two Box Karsyn develop as a driver throughout Stock Class championships, the 2015 the year.” Open Class Rookie of the Year award and over 40 feature wins in Outlaw Fellow partners Brandt, iRacing Karts on her record. After competing and Nationwide will also feature in select POWRi Midget Series races prominently on Elledge’s car and the 2019 Chili Bowl Midget throughout the 2019 season, with Nationals, she embarks on her first full Brandt adorning her midget in the midget racing season. season opener on Feb. 8 in Ocala, Fla. TMC will make its debut on the No. 1 in “The history that TMC carries in dirt the March 9 event in Du Quoin, Ill. racing is so incredible and something I have always admired,” said Elledge. “To ABOUT TUCKER-BOAT be able to represent their company is MOTORSPORTS: USAC National a dream come true for me. I’m grateful Midget team Tucker-Boat Motorsports for Chad Boat, Billy Boat, TMC and was formed in 2016 under the everyone that is making this season direction of longtime motorsports possible for me. I’m excited to get on supporter Corey Tucker and driver track!” Chad Boat. The pair operates a toptier program fielding multiple drivers in Elledge and TMC join Tucker-Boat events in the USAC National Midget Motorsports, a top midget racing Championship and the POWRi Midget team that finished second in the Series.<
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INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AT TMC
Intership Programs at TMC Provide a Fast Track to a Rewarding Career
a long history of TMC has providing internship
programs to students from all across the country. Currently, we have interns in Naperville, IL; Fort Worth, TX; Bentonville, AR; Brownsburg, IN; Joplin, MO, and Ames, IA. By interning with TMC, students gain valuable skills and experience by working with TMC personnel and interacting with real customers. They are able to witness the responsibilities and dedication required for the job, all while building professional relationships they can carry into the future. Here are a few interns who recently moved into fulltime roles here at TMC!
TEMI AGBAJE
Logistics Intern to Logistics Sale Representative - Ames, IA
“I loved my internship here at TMC. I’ve been able to really learn and grow here. Everyone wants you to succeed and I love that about TMC. Because of my internship, I feel confident about my transition into a full-time position. I will be on Garret Alt’s team as a Logistics Sales Representative and I’m excited to see how I can contribute to the success of the team and TMC.”
TRYSTAN FAULKNER Customer Service Intern to Customer Service Representative - Joplin, MO
“In 2018, I was lucky enough to obtain an internship with Jason Spurlin’s Customer Service Representatives team in the Joplin office through MSSU. I’ve really enjoyed the last eight months here and love the atmosphere of the company. I graduated in December with my Bachelor’s in Logistics, so I am very grateful and excited that I was offered a full-time position as a Customer Service Representative following graduation. I am looking forward to putting my education and skills to use for TMC!”
DANIEL STONE
IT Intern to Software Developer - Ames, IA
“I learned more about the industry in my first two weeks at TMC than I did my first year of college. We are a growing company and the culture here is fantastic. I was given not only the tools I would need to work in the industry, but real life problems to work through. The work I did as an intern was not just busy work, but a real contribution to the company.”
ALEX VANVLEET
Logistics Intern to Logistics Sales Representative - Ames, IA
“My internship at TMC only lasted for a few months, as I was hired in late October. From the get-go, my plan was to work at TMC for a while and then transition over into a full-time role. I have enjoyed my time at TMC more than any other job I have ever had. The atmosphere in the office makes every employee want to be there. It’s been truly amazing working with these guys and gals up here and I am more than excited to start my full time adventure. The main thing I am looking forward to is building lasting relationships with our clients and customers.”
So how do interns benefit TMC? New employees, particularly college students, are the future of TMC. If we can hire employees who have begun to learn the ropes and understand the company culture, this cuts back on training and gets our new full-time employees to work faster. Take our office in Ames, IA, for example. “The idea is to develop a successful program that we can adopt in other offices,” says Kenny Kyle, Ames Office Manager. “In the last two years, we have seen the conversion rate improve and the numbers increase.” TMC hires interns multiple departments: IT, Customer Service, Operations and Logistics. “Our interns receive real-life training experience,” says Kenny. “Our goal has always been to offer students hands-on experiences where their work makes a difference, and I think we have made well on that goal.” “We are dedicated to long-term improvement and when we dedicate ourselves to developing these interns, we see the return when they transition to full-time and are ready to take on their career for the long haul,” says Jordan Evans, Human Resources Recruiter. “It’s been really neat to see!” <
Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 9
Indianapolis Lincoln Tech Reveals TMC Sponsored Diesel Training Center
Pictured from left to right: Mike Duffy, TMC Coporate Maintenance Manager; David Bailey, TMC Brownsburg Service Manager; Dan Reeves, TMC Brownsburg Building & Grounds Manager; Jason Webb, TMC EVP, Asset Management; Scott Shaw, CEO & President, Lincoln Educational Services; Daniel Richins, Lincoln Tech Campus President; Steve Buchenot, SVP Campus Operations, Lincoln Educational Services.
pride in being AttheTMC,bestwein take the business when
it comes to our professional drivers and top-notch equipment. To uphold this reputation, we are continuously seeking not only talented drivers, but also skilled mechanics to keep the Black & Chrome fleet rolling safely down the road.
Lincoln Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TMC sponsored training center took place this past Thursday, January 10, facilitated by Scott Shaw, CEO and President of Lincoln Educational Services, Steve Buchenot,
For much of the tail end of 2018, TMC has been developing upon an already longstanding and valuable relationship with Lincoln College of Technology, Indianapolis, by investing in the education of their students through the sponsorship and renovation of their diesel tech training center. The ribbon cutting ceremony for 10 | Destination: Excellence | Winter 2019 Edition
SVP of Campus Operations, Daniel Richins, Campus President, and Rod Allee, Academic Dean. Several of TMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personnel were in attendance, along with many Lincoln Tech students
eager to begin their training. The event included a tour of the 128,000-sq./ ft. campus followed by a networking luncheon. TMC established a presence in the Indianapolis area in 1998 with a small operational and maintenance facility just south of the metro to supplement the company’s corporate headquarters in Des Moines, IA. In 2017, TMC made the move to a 34-acre plot in Brownsburg, IN, complete with a 17,000-sq./ft. office and 60,000-sq./ft. state of the art maintenance center. “We’ve had a great partnership with Lincoln Tech over the last 20 plus years,” says Jason Webb, Executive Vice President of Asset Management at TMC. “We’ve been hiring students and graduates since we first came to the area, and we currently have 27 Lincoln Tech graduates working with us at our maintenance facility in Brownsburg, some of which have worked their way into management positions.”
In true TMC style, the center is complete with polished floors surrounded by chrome kick plates and images of Black and Chrome Peterbilts at work. TMC’s signature black, orange and gold elements are prevalent throughout, along with the tagline Destination: Excellence brightly displayed in massive proportion. “I want to thank Lincoln Tech for this fantastic opportunity to grow our partnership and allow us to sponsor their diesel tech training center,” says Webb. “We are excited to be able to provide a clean, bright facility for the college to continue training future technicians.” TMC would also like to extend appreciation to a few of our hardworking employees who, along with Lincoln Tech staff, aided in the planning and development of the center; Dan Rees, Brownsburg Building and Grounds Manager; David Bailey, Brownsburg Service Manager;
TMC’s Jason Webb, Executive VP Assets Management, speaks to Lincoln Tech executives, teachers and studentsat the ribbon cutting ceremony.
George Barcus, Brownsburg Assistant Service Manager; and Mike Duffy, Corporate Maintenance Manager. TMC is excited to share the standards of quality and excellence with this esteemed organization, and to continue to hire talented diesel mechanics for many years to come. <
Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 11
TMC’s DRIVER OF THE QUARTER Meet Randy Buhs, 2018 Driver of the Third Quarter
every day, and to do so with a safety conscious work ethic. “In this industry, it is so important to be alert, aware and do everything you can to keep yourself and motorists safe out on the road,” Randy explains. “To achieve this goal, I make sure to do everything with a deliberate, easy pace and not get in a rush. At the end of the week when I park my truck I look back, review and ask myself what I could have to be more safe and efficient. I strive to always do better than I did the day before.”
W
ith 18 years and nearly two million safe driving miles, both consecutively with TMC, Randy Buhs is the epitome of a TMC Driver of the Quarter. The Peoria, IL native and Army veteran came to TMC at the turn of the century and immediately made a name for himself. Randy has experienced just about every opportunity the truck driving industry has to offer. Before he came to TMC, Randy drove reefer regionally for 11 years. Seeking a change of scenery and a more challenging routine, Randy decided he wanted to drive flatbed, and was drawn to TMC because of its sparkling reputation. Upon onboarding with TMC, Randy enjoyed seeing all that the United States has to offer while driving on the over-the-road linehaul
division. He was even was a driver trainer for several years before he joined the elite TMC Specialized Division, hauling heavy equipment until a local dedicated position opened up near his hometown, where he continues to be a shining representative of TMC. “From the very beginning I was very pleased with my choice to drive for TMC,” says Randy. “The quality of this company is evident with the top-notch equipment, and having my name on my door makes me feel like I am not just a number. TMC values their drivers and gives you all the tools to be your own boss and be successful.” Driving two million miles while maintaining a spotless safety record is no accident (no pun intended). Randy’s number one goal is to give 100% effort to his job each and
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Not only does Randy find pride in the job he does, he is grateful to work for a company that gives back to their employees. Randy experienced the implementation of TMC’s employee-ownership program in 2013, and found that it gave him even more motivation to work harder and smarter. “It is amazing that our owner thinks so much of his drivers and employees that he chose to keep TMC’s core values and turn his company over to us,” says Randy. “It lights a fire under you. The better you do your job, the more successful the company is and all TMC employees get to share in those benefits. In the five years since we’ve been employee-owned, the growth and success has been tremendous, and I couldn’t be happier in my choice of companies to work for.” Most are familiar with TMC’s signature motto, “Destination: Excellence”. When Randy first began
driving with TMC, he always thought it was a nice expression, but couldn’t fully understand what it meant at first. “After 18 years, that motto has resonated with me and really made an impact on my goals for the future,” he says. “At the end of your driving career when you step out of that truck, did you really achieve that destination of excellence? When I retire, I want to be able to say that I did.”
SAFE DRIVING AWARDS 1 Million Miles
5 Years
Michael D. Bouma
Michael D. Anderson
Blaine H. Butts
David L. Baker
Darrell C. Cobb
Dion G. Blair
Jon M. Etheridge
Charles E. Bowen
Frederick D. Jones
Eric S. Coyle
James H. Levan
Christopher J. C. Donkers
Mark S. Majetich
Michael P. Garske
Jon S. McDowell
Jerry L. Grossman Jr. James R. Hawes
2 Million Miles
Brandon S. Hoffman Donald R. Katterhenry
“Randy does an excellent job on the Arconic dedicated account,” says Brent Funk, Randy’s Fleet Manager. “He is a driver that I can consistently count on to get the job done right and on time. Randy has a phenomenal work ethic and is very deserving of this award. I look forward to seeing Randy continue to succeed at TMC.”
Douglas E. Brookins
Scott J. Langager
Gary D. Davis
Timothy K. Luis
Randy resides in East Peoria, IL with his wife of 37 years. He has two grown children and is a proud grandfather to two young grandchildren. We are blessed to have Randy as a part of the Black and Chrome family, and we greatly appreciate the hard work he puts in each day. Congratulations, Randy! <
James L. Gade
Criteria for Driver of the Quarter recognition includes years of service with the company, safe driving record, excellent customer service, professionalism and overall quality performance. Once a driver is recognized as a Driver of the Quarter they are eligible to receive the prestigious Wheel Master Award.
James R. Hawes (right) with Josh Perry, Safety Manager (left).
Steven W. Mullins
20 Years Richard E. Collins Larry L. Himes Arthur L. Prosser II
Matthew T. Roberts Brian P. Schweinlein Christopher O. Slaton Brandon N. Wiley Thomas P. Wingate Richard A. Wood Jr.
15 Years
Dion G. Blair (right) with Rick Malak, Safety Manager (left).
William F. Bloom Timothy S. Haggard Dwayne S. Neidig Jahmil M. Norals Joe Phelps
10 Years Willie L. Edwards Jr. Alvin B. Kenney Christopher L. LaChance Timothy A. Majors Albert J. Seimet Jr. Tommy L. Simmons
Steve W. Mullins (right) with John Young, Safety Manager (left). Josh Perry, Safety Manager (left) with Donald Katterhenry (right). Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 13
DRIVER TRAINER AWARDS
David Somers (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Dennis Jordan (left) with Jeff Wisgergof, VP of Driving Training (right).
Dennis Price (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Joe Dorey (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Driver Trainers are awarded custom hard hats when they have a minimum of 25 weeks of training under their belt. The trainers add decals to their hat for every trainee they have graduate to their own truck, and they also help others to recognize the driver as a trainer. The hats are presented to trainers, in person, by heads of the training department. They represent the hard work that trainers put forth every day by preparing our future drivers for the job and helping to promote work safety. Great work, gentleman! <
John Sumner (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Ken Bates (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Jeremy Durant (right) with Jeff Wisgerhof, VP of Driver Training (left).
Michael Krisch (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
14 | Destination: Excellence | Winter 2019 Edition
Michael Miller (right) with Jeff Geist, Training Coordinator Manager (left).
Steve McKinney (right) with Jeff Wisgerhof, VP of Driver Training (left).
“Hi, my name is Jeff and my son Coby has Down’s syndrome and is involved in Special Olympics. He was part of the Truck Convoy in Des Moines and I wanted to thank you for your great donation! We will always give TMC trucks a big wave when we see them on the road. Thank you again for your generosity!”
“Wanted to drop you a note and let you know that TMC has done an awesome job in Charlotte supporting our Hurricane Florence Response Operation. TMC has delivered 85% of all our hurricane loads since Friday. Your team’s flexibility and focus has ensured the success of my team. Just wanted to say thank you and give you a big shout out. Thank you!”
“I just want to tell you again how much we appreciate your drivers. Every one of them are so kind and polite. We see a lot of different drivers come in here, and yours are the finest! Thanks for everything!”
Jeff F. Facebook User
Deb Highway Equipment Company
Mike BDC, South East Region
“TMC is one of my favorites. Whenever I see your drivers, it’s a breath of fresh air. All of them are well-mannered and professional.” Rasheedah Norbord Alabama, Inc.
“An instructor from a driver school in Christiana, TN, contacted our field recruiter to complement Joseph. He was in a construction zone and not only did he notice the great lane control but he kept his speed below the posted limit. Joseph’s load was tarped perfectly and the recruiter said he pointed this out to his students.”
Cheryl Freauff VP Recruiting
Robert E. Munson, #11837 “I received a phone call from a former TMC driver that wanted to compliment Mr. Legerton. He said Doug did a phenomenal job on his Home Depot load. The securement was good and the tarp was nice and tight, the way TMC should always look.”
Josh Perry Safety Manager
I received a call about Robert from another driver. The driver said that Robert helped him roll up his tarps and securement equipment, even when he wasn’t asked. He was impressed and couldn’t say enough about the class that Robert showed compared to other drivers. Great work, Robert!
Rick Malak Safety Manager Winter 2019 Edition | Destination: Excellence | 15
“TMC does amazing. We are always pleased with the professionalism that your drivers show when loading at our facility,”
“Every driver TMC sends in has always been very professional. They are polite and follow safety protocols, which we appreciate greatly.”
MITEK
Arnell J. Rome, #10391
“I received a phone call from someone who drives for another flatbed company. He said he was having issues folding up his tarps and Arnell was more than happy to give him a hand. He said he really appreciated the help and that Arnell was top shelf. The caller is a veteran of the Army and Mr. Rome one of the Marines, so they shared some military stories and went separate ways, but he wanted to acknowledge him for his help and generosity.”
Josh Perry Safety Manager
Issac D. Sweeton, #11404 “I just took a call from a newer driver at another company that received some help from Issac. He said Ike was one of the nicest guys he has met out on the road and he was able to help him with some things he was unsure of. He wanted to call and let someone at our company know this. He said he may even consider coming to TMC in the future.
Don Mayfield Lumber
Douglas L. Legerton, #10961
“I received a phone call from a former TMC driver that w anted to compliment Mr. Legerton. He said Doug did a phenomenal job on his Home Depot load. The securement was good and the tarp was nice and tight, the way TMC should always look.”
Josh Perry Safety Manager
Antonio P. Nunez III, #23285
“At about 02:30 on November 19, I was driving on 410 to the Whitmore/Broadway exit. When approaching the Whitmore stop sign, I saw four police cars and one TMC truck. I pulled my personal truck over and parked, and I then began to look for the police officers and/or our TMC driver. I noticed Tony standing on the embankment down to the railroad tracks. I approached him and noticed a white BMW on its side on the railroad tracks, and four police officers around the vehicle. I asked Tony what happened and he said that he was driving by and saw the stop sign and road light down, along with some skid marks. He pulled his truck over to get out and see what was wrong. That’s when he noticed the white BMW on its side and heard a woman screaming for help. He then heard a train coming, and from there he went down the railroad tracks towards the train with his light on his phone trying to get the conductor’s attention. The conductor was successfully able to stop the train before hitting the BMW. I believe Tony saved this woman’s life and in doing so, he should be recognized.”
Jeff Geist Training Coordinator Manager Dirk Dorresteyn Jr. TMC Driver (23284) 16 | Destination: Excellence | Winter 2019 Edition
