The Road Ahead: 85 Years of Experience

Hello, everybody. It's great to be with you again. Before we get started today, I wanna take just a moment to, recognize the fact that, we've had two major hurricanes hit our system, which has impacted many of our associates, their families, and their respective communities. So certainly, we want to keep all those associates in our thoughts and prayers and continue to support them in the best way we can. Really proud of our company and the way that the company has stepped up both in terms of monetary donations as well as support to the associates in the affected areas. And I know many of you have contributed to that, tangibly. So greatly appreciated. Tough stuff for those guys, but, I'm really proud of the way we as a company and we as a community have responded. Okay. With that said, I hope everybody's having a good month, and I have a special treat for you today. I have with me eighty five years of collected Averitt, length of service. We have a rare situation, but as our company gets a little older, this probably won't be the last time it happens. We have three vice presidents who are retiring on the same day. We've known this is coming at least for two of them for quite a while. We had over years notice on with Charlie, and and Larry and Walt. We knew it was gonna be one of two years, and he decided, he'd get Tulsa a month or so ago that this would be his last year. But, I think these three need no introduction. But with me today, I have Walt Gray who has been with Averitt Express now for thirty nine years. Let's call it forty. Okay? We're thirty nine and a half. We're salesmen. We've got that. Round up. Let's call it forty. And first of all, is obviously our vice president of dedicated sales. We have Charlie McGee who is our vice president of international solutions. Charlie has been with our company for twenty one years. And, of course, last but not least, Larry Veneta. Larry has been with our company for twenty five years. He is the vice president of sales for region six. So, guys, I can't tell you how excited I am to have you in today, to spend some time with you. I've already given you the instructions. We gotta keep this brief because you're not known for brevity. I can't imagine. No. No. Come on, boys. We're gonna have fun. And, but this is exciting. It's obviously bittersweet. You've all had a huge impact on our company. I'm personal friends with all three of you. You're gonna be missed. The company's gonna miss you. All of our associates are gonna miss you. I'm gonna miss you. And before we get diving too deep in your respective careers, I also wanna acknowledge that, you're not the only three associates that are retiring at the end this year. We have several other of our teammates. Notably, ones that come to top of mind, Bob Bruns, Orlando service center director, has been with the company twenty nine years. He's retiring at the end of the year. Dwayne Williams, our service center director in Lubbock, who I believe has been with us nineteen years. He's retiring at the end of the year. Beth Roberts, who works for WALT, one of our director of dedicated solutions, built the company thirty eight years, is retiring at the end of the year. Jeff Wilhite, who many of you know, who, champions our Aver Connect, director of sales for Aver Connect, is retiring at the end of the year. We've been with us twenty nine years. And then Theresa Graham, transportation specialist in Knoxville, of course, many of us know us from her time in, and, Averitt Expedited is also retiring at the end of the year. I'm also sure there are countless other associates, frontline leaders, drivers, doc associates, folks in the corporate office who are retiring, and everybody is is a fabric of what makes this company great. So, I certainly wanna express my appreciations for all of our associates, who are retiring at the end of the year along with those of us left to keep it going. So but we're all but that's enough of that. So we're getting going, and we'll start with Walt. And, the questions for each of you, we'll kinda go around the horn. But, Walt, first of all, just tell us a little bit about your career and kinda how you got started, and we'll we'll go from there. This will have to be fast. Yes, sir. It's I started I didn't know anything about, transportation. Twenty five years old and, started working on the dock. That's it. And, from a dock to a truck and drove to came up here to Cookeville and drove a truck straight truck here for two or three weeks, and Phil Pierce forgot that I was here. So I just kept driving the truck. So he finally came back and gave me my job in local sales and was in, regional, sales and corporate accounts, service center director. I forgot about that. Yep. Basically, I'm in corporate accounts for a while and then, then got into dedicated. And you started that when? Gosh. I don't remember. Tow about twenty five, twenty six years ago was when dedicated got, got cranking, and, so I stayed in that ever since. Okay. Great. Charlie, tell us about your your career here. Well, I, I I started, working with Averitt, when I was on the other side of the fence, actually, with a company called Maersk, which had purchased the company I was with for twenty years prior to that. And, Averitt was doing services for Maersk in Memphis, breaking containers for us at Maersk. And in Houston, Texas, we were breaking containers in Houston and immersed in the Averitt organization. And the more I got to know the people at Averitt, I mean, the more I felt like I I belonged with a company like that because it reminded me of the company I was with before Merce purchased us. And so we we worked closer together and then Phil Pierce came to me and said, you know, we've been thinking about getting more deeply involved in in the international. Would you be willing to, to come help us do that? I said, well, sure. What what what are we gonna do? And he said, well, at the time I started, we were pretty much limited to doing cross border operations in Mexico and in Canada, and he wanted to expand Averitt's reach into the real international world, both in ocean freight and air freight. So I have spent, my twenty one years helping to develop the, the people necessary with the knowledge necessary to drive that function and also the partnerships that we've needed overseas to be able to facilitate any operations that we have. And so that's, pretty much been my, my experience in a nutshell. Alright. Twenty one years and, you know, you you certainly will talk more what more about this later. But, from where we were in the beginning to pretty much just cross border, I mean, we now offer international services to every country in across the globe that's maybe not under active armed conflict at the moment. Exactly. They're a customer in a place we do business with, so that's great. Okay, Larry. How about you? Well, first of all, it's great being here with you two guys and, obviously, with you, Kent. But, I came to Averitt after twenty years in in the industry. In nineteen ninety nine, came to Averitt Express as the national account rep for Texas. And I was in that role for about a year and then, moved into, my current role, twenty four years ago. Wow. That's great. Yeah. That's great. Well, we'll talk more about this in just a second, but the impact you've had on on Texas and our and our company has been amazing. Thank you. Okay. Question number two. I know you guys will have some fun with this, but I won't go reverse you or go back to Walt. Tell us what you're most proud of with your with your career there. Well, I'm I'm so proud that the the first day Larry was here or the first it just now dawned on me that Firstly. The first week Larry was here, he came and rode with me that that week. And and that's For two For two days. And and he stayed. And that's what I'm surprised. It run me off. I'm so proud that Larry decided to stay. After spending after spending two or three days in the car with me, I'm I'm glad that he did. So That was interesting, by the way. Yeah. I bet I'm sure it was. Yeah. But, I guess, you know, there's there's two things. I'd I'd say what was the question? How what am I proud of? Most proud of me. What respect you in your career? Yeah. There there's two things. First off, from the from from the business side of it, I don't I don't wanna say because it's really it was not me. It was it was everybody. But, from a from the dedicated side, you know, what we've done for the last twenty five years in dedicated or twenty six, I don't I don't know how many years it's been, but, you know, we started with nothing. And and we didn't we didn't have any business. There was nothing. And and now to look back on it and saying, okay, three hundred and something million dollars a year and almost fourteen, fifteen hundred associates that are, that that are that are with us because of what we've done. And it's not because of what I've done. It's not. It I just had very little to do with it. It was what what everybody else got involved with and took the ball around with it. So, you know, yeah, I'm proud of that that okay. That that's there, that that that that business unit has done what it's done. But the the the thing that to me is is is more important than that, which is why that got created, if you will. And it's always been about this. It's it's it's about the people. I mean, I I'm so proud to to know people, to know these have these relationships that we have with everyone. The the when you look at Averett as a whole, you you look at, you know, what is that secret sauce, that word that you use so much? What is that what is that? And and the the the I think the fabric of Averitt is woven with relationships. Yeah. That's what it is. I'll be I'm proud of the business that we've done. That's great. But the more importantly is I'm I'm always proud to say these people are my friends, and I have great relationships with Averitt. And that's why I was here for forty years. I think I'm I'm probably most proud of the fact that when when I first came to Averitt, the marketplace and internally within Averitt, people would say, you know, we we don't really do international. It's like, we that wasn't part of the fabric. And I guess I'm probably proudest of the fact that over the last twenty one years, we've been able to weave the international terminology, the international services into the fabric of Averitt to to become a part of what we do and who we are. And, I think, as as Walt said, credit to the people more than anything else for that because what we've done in the marketplace is we've put together a service that people can rely on and that they can, they they can go to sleep at night without having to worry about what, where where their cargo is. And from that standpoint, I think that's probably the most proud thing I have and and the people we've been able to bring up through the international part to be not only a part of international, but as time went on, they spread out into other parts of the Yeah. Company as well. So that's probably my Well, a lot to be proud of. And and, you know, a lot of people may not realize this, but Averitt Express, is one of the very largest asset based, trucking slash transportation companies in the international space. Most of our competitors just dabble. They pretty much outsource everything. There there are one or two others that that play in the space, but we've we've really established something that's quite unique. And and, you know, most of the really large players, I mean, that's that's their business, they're international freight forwarders. And so we've we've we've come a long way, so thanks to you and your leadership. Mister Veneta, tell us what you're most proud of. Well, obviously, just proud of being part of the team. When when when I started with Averitt, we had four facilities in Texas. Wow. And we may have had, maybe sixty total associates. Don't remember what the revenue was, but it was at the bottom of the barrel. How much? It was at the bottom of the barrel as far as all the regions. We we we we were kinda the low man on the totem pole, so to speak, and and we're we're not anymore. And, we like to say one associate at a time, one shipment at a time, and one customer at a time. We've been able to grow as a team the state of Texas to to where we're we're very proud of where where we're at now. And the great thing is we've only got about nine percent of the market share, so there's a lot of room to grow. And it's it's been a indeed pleasure to work with my counterpart, Calvin Rackley, all these years and, of course, all the associates in the state of Texas. And we got up to around twelve hundred associates at one time in Texas. And, again, when I started, we had not so many. Yeah. So, yeah, that's what we're all proud of in the state of Texas. Well, it's been an amazing ride and certainly a ride that's got a a as you mentioned, a lot lot of growth left. But, yeah, what you guys have done in Texas has just been amazing. And and it's been a team effort, though, certainly. But, Texas is our single largest state, our single largest region. And I wasn't gonna say that. I'll let you say that. Enormous growth in this. We were at the bottom at one time. Yeah. You're not anymore. It's a enormous growth, and you guys have done a wonderful job. And, you know, one thing else I'm gonna say before I go on question number two. I know all of your the associates that work for you, and the admiration, respect, and love that that your teams respective teams have for you is probably beyond what you even recognize. They've they are they are so appreciative and and and of your leadership and and have a genuine fondness and love for each each of the three of you. So Thank you. Alright. We're gonna move on to another question. Tell us what you will miss most. I don't wanna reverse it up again. Start with you, Larry. What are you gonna miss most? Oh, that's easy. The people. Yeah. That's that's the only thing that makes, my personal decision to retire difficult Yeah. Is the people. Yeah. It's not a job. I absolutely love coming to work every day and more than that, love the people that we work with that I work with. That that's what I'm gonna miss the most is the people. Understood, Charlie? Yeah. Ditto. I mean, the people at Averitt are all very special people. K? And the thing that you realize after a while in international world is that if you get involved in international, it's not a job, it's not a career, it's a lifestyle. Mhmm. And that lifestyle, I'll miss it. Yeah. Walter? Yeah. Same thing. It's the people. It's the you know, that's what you, it it's all about those, those relationships that you that, that's the only thing that we'll miss. I mean, the job is the job that we do you know, the fact the thing being is that I never felt like, I don't know if you guys did. I I never felt like that I worked for anyone. Mhmm. I felt like I worked with Yeah. Yeah. Everyone. It was and and and it's hard to describe that. And and and we're standing on, all of us are and the people that come, you know, after us and keep go keep this game going forever. You know, we're we're so thankful. At least I know I am. I know you guys are too. We're so thankful for the icons of the industry, and and we're standing on their shoulders. I mean, Gary Sasser, Wayne Spang, the Phil Pierces of the world, the Scott Wolfs of the world, who, god bless his rest his soul, the the there are there are icons, Tony Brown, there who I'm always grateful for. There's people that are that we're standing on their shoulders, and they propelled us and lifted us up to do things. You think about all of that Yeah. And it it's mind boggling. It's just mind boggling. And we'll always be eternally great I will be eternally grateful for them. And and I hope that one day there's years after we're gone, you know, there's people that will they'll forget us one day, but they'll remember that, you know, we tried to we we left it a little better than when we got here. I think that's the way to Well said. Well said. They won't be forgetting you anytime soon. Well, that's No. I hope it's for the right reason. Very well said. And, you you three will go about getting me emotional. But, no, it's it's, it is people. And and you're right. The people that that started this company and and you mentioned, for the of of the of the very best that we all owe a huge debt of gratitude. Because not only they start the company, they started the culture. They started the foundation. And it's different. We all have friends and coworkers and kids that that that work at other places and spouses, and and this is unique. And and it's it is because of the people. Yep. You mentioned you feel like you don't work for anybody. Well, your people will feel the same way. They work with Apple. And, and and and that's that's by design. It's different and it is special. So I you guys all did a great job, encapsulating that. Last question before my closing comments, and you take this opportunity for your closing comments. And, Walt, I'll start with you, but what do you plan to do moving forward? I ain't got a clue. No. Got it. That's just his first. Yeah. No. It's, I'm I'm running, I'm running toward family. I'm running toward family. And, I I still I'm young enough to do, and and feel good enough, to do, more things, and I wanna take advantage of that. I'm definitely not running from Averitt. They could stay here forever, but there's there's gotta be another chapter, and I'm running I'm running toward them. Simple as that. And for the record, Walt is older than he looks. He has retirement age. Yeah. He's not like that. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you so much. It's coming. I am sixty four years old. I'll be sixty five in the Alright. Charlie, what are you gonna do when you retire? I'm gonna play a lot. I'm gonna play. I've I've spent I've spent, I I started work and and actually left home when I was fourteen. Been working ever since. So, I'm I'm gonna play a while, and my goal in golf is to be like Larry Bennett. That's never going to happen. I know. Hey. You you got you got you got set you got set the bar high, guys. That's a high bar. You know? Because, I've I've been playing at y'all for my whole life, and I'm not very good at it, but I'm gonna try to get good at it. And, with a little dedication and time, hopefully, I can do that. Maybe Larry can give you some lessons. And and and I'm gonna do a lot more fishing. I used to fish a lot when I was young. I'm gonna do a lot more of that and family. I mean, I got five grandchildren. I'm gonna spend a lot more time with those kids. Awesome. Alright. LB? Well, I'm gonna try to fine tune my golf game so Charlie can't catch me. But I'm gonna play a little bit more golf, but, spend time with the family. My kids took a direction where we haven't been able to spend much time with them in their career path. And we have grandkids as well, so we wanna travel, but we wanna travel with no schedule. So we plan on spending a lot of time with family and grandkids and daughter in laws. I would suspect nothing less from the three of you guys. It's all about family. So well, let me put a bow on this, and I just wanna say that, Averitt Express, owes the three of you a deep net of gratitude. You have, by far left us better than you found us. You've all made an impact on us through your leadership, through your efforts, through, associates that you brought, to us on the team, and the way you've developed those associates. Your relationships with the people that you work with and your peers is is second to none. You're widely admired, and, you're you're gonna be missed. We we you you can all three, you know, you can hold your head up high and lay your head down at night to go to sleep knowing that you you did a job that was well done. You were exemplary performers, and, we are who we are as a corporation because of many, many people. Walt Walt mentioned, certainly, the the the original, the original GOATs, but, you three have have have really made a huge impact on us. And I am personally grateful as I know probably everybody watching this video is too. I can't thank you enough for what you've done. Thank you. You're gonna be missed. I hope you do it. I know you're all three gonna be ambassadors. I already know that. I hope one of you was rumored to maybe maybe do some sales training moving forward. So, so we'll see. But, maybe maybe some of you might might we might see around time to time, but we hope we do. We hope we can see it whether it's a annual golf outing and and hope you stay in touch because, we we we care about you and we wanna keep up with you. And I and I know we will. I know we'll stay in touch. But, gentlemen, it's it's just a it's a privilege and an honor to have worked alongside of you. And, again, just your your your contributions are immense. I immense. And, we're, you're you're gonna be you're gonna be impossible to replace. Somebody will fill your roles, but they'll never replace the three of you guys. Thank you. It's been my pleasure. Thank you. Everything. It's all good. Alrighty. Thank you. Thank you. Alrighty. Well, that's it for this one. Appreciate you indulging this. This is gonna be a little longer than a normal video, but I think it's worth it, with these with these three guys. And so we appreciate you. Thank you for all you do every day. Stay safe, and, talk to you soon.