Leadership
Our mission is to build a great place to work.
Jeff Shefchik Director
Jeff Shefchik
Director
What Drives Jeff? - Building a great place to work.
When Paper Transport Director Jeff Shefchik comes into the office each day, he has one main goal that he wants to accomplish. That goal is to create a great place for people to work.
It’s a simple goal Jeff has carried with him throughout his working days, dating back to when he helped his dad, Leroy, as a youngster at the family construction business. There, he learned that hiring talented people and treating them with respect was what it took to run a successful business.
Using that same approach, along with being honest, available, and approachable, Jeff has helped build a positive, comfortable work environment at Paper Transport. Visitors always say, "There’s something different about this company." And that difference is the people here like what they do, support one another, push to be the best at what they do, and yes, as cliché as it sounds, have fun while they're doing it. The company has grown by attracting top talent, including Class A CDL Drivers and office support professionals, to over 1,000 members on the team.
Jeff is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh (Bachelor of Science Degree – Accounting and Finance) and started his career working for a private accounting firm.
Ben Schill CEO
Ben Schill
CEO
What Drives Ben? – Workplace Innovation and Engagement
A down-to-earth leader who wants a great place to work for his employees, CEO Ben Schill sets the tone for everyone at Paper Transport with his high energy, openness to ideas, and willingness to create change.
Recognizing the need to move things forward in the transportation industry, Ben works closely with the Paper Transport team to discover, research, and implement new technology and business practices. Under his watch, Paper Transport has pioneered safety developments, predictive driver analytics, remote connectivity improvements, and extended driver training through open-source technology. Through these innovations, Paper Transport's drivers, operations teams, and office support professionals are able to easily communicate with one another, leading to a workplace that is open, engaging, and supportive.
Ben has a degree from St. Norbert College in Business and Economics and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Prior to working at Paper Transport, he was a Senior Financial Analyst at the California based restaurant-chain Jack in the Box and has held leadership positions at Schneider National. Ben is the Recipient of the 2023 Business Person of the Year Award by the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Becky Davies VP OF HUMAN RESOURCES
Becky Davies
Vice President of Human Resources
What Drives Becky? – Employee Engagement and Fulfillment
Becky Davies learned early on that in business, employees want one thing: To be treated with dignity and respect. Without it, they’re quick to move on. When making decisions, Becky uses this as a guiding principle in her role as the VP of Human Resources at Paper Transport.
Working alongside her Human Resources team, Becky strives to create a positive, supportive work environment where there is trust and appreciation. This starts by hiring the right people who match Paper Transport's culture, developing their skills through training and development, and implementing the right programs, technology, and processes. Since joining Paper Transport in 2018, Becky is focused on creating a culture that rewards teamwork, providing development opportunities for employees, and implementing HR solutions to support the company’s growth.
A graduate of St. Norbert College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Communications, Becky also holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification. Before coming to PTI, Becky worked in HR Leadership positions at Dover Corporation and Honeywell.
Keith Stelzer VP OF SAFETY AND RECRUITING
Keith Stelzer
Vice President of Safety & Recruiting
What Drives Keith? - Paper Transport’s Two Core Values.
When Keith Stelzer comes to work, the Vice President of Safety and Recruiting has two goals he aspires to accomplish every day: strive to inspire others and make a difference by making a personal commitment to safety and helping others to do so as well. Along with that, he incorporates Paper Transport’s people-centric value focused on “What Drives You?” every time he steps through Paper Transport’s front doors.
Since joining Paper Transport in 2016, his leadership is now placed in a multitude of key areas of the company: Safety, Recruiting, Marketing, and Training & Development. Keith has been focused on leading his employees, building Paper Transport’s brand awareness, and growing Paper Transport’s safe and qualified professional drivers. More so, Keith helps with creating the company’s growth and constant improvement.
Keith is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay (Bachelor’s– Business Administration, Minor-Human Development) and started his career working in the medical equipment field in sales and compliance and ten management.
SANDEEP PULAVARTY CIO
Sandeep Pulavarty
Chief Information Officer
What Drives Sandeep? - Building successful teams.
Recognized for balancing futuristic vision, down-to-earth execution, and a sense of business urgency, Sandeep leverages business knowledge and technical expertise to transform IT into a strategic company partner. As part of the executive leadership team, he provides expert advice on developing and integrating the best enterprise solutions and applications to enable organic growth, integrate M&A’s, and build profitability in the marketplace.
Motivated by a “people-first” mindset, Sandeep drives business performance to the next level by developing world-class staff, transforming IT teams to deliver strong business value, and instilling a culture that rewards teamwork, process simplification, and customer focus. He proudly built an award-winning CIO 100 IT team, recognized for creating industry-pioneering applications.
Sandeep earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas and a Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Montana. Prior to working at Paper Transport, Sandeep held leadership positions at Ashley Furniture Industries, Tidewater & GulfMark Offshore.
WES KORNOWSKE VP Of Operations
Wes Kornowske
Vice President of Operations – Truckload and Intermodal
What Drives Wes? - Setting the tone for personal and professional success.
Throughout his life, Wes Kornowske has made it a point to be a strong, optimistic leader-by-example type of person, working hard to accomplish any task that’s presented to him. That mindset has led to his current role as the Vice President of Operations for all of Paper Transport’s truckload and intermodal-drayage teams, comprised of 1,000 plus team members. He likes to build up the people around him to pave the way for success and that’s the approach he takes on a daily basis at Paper Transport.
When he looks at his team, he immediately sees the opportunity to maximize their potential and continually looks for ways to make their jobs easier. This may include process improvement, innovation, and automated workflows. He understands that in order for Paper Transport to take advantage of its growth opportunities through the addition of new customers, assets, and freight hauling possibilities, the team needs to be at the top of their game. He will do whatever it takes to help get them there.
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (BS in Political Science/Public Administration) and Northern Illinois (Masters in Public Administration), Wes also is a Licensed Customs Broker #32608 and began his career working for the Village of North Aurora. During his time there, he rose through the ranks to become its Village Administrator before coming to Paper Transport.
JARED STEDL CCO
JARED STEDL
CCO
What Drives Jared? – Coaching to Win.
Jared, an accomplished Vice President of Operations in the transportation/trucking/railroad sector, is a dynamic leader committed to creating an exciting, fun, and engaging work environment. With an MBA from UW-Oshkosh and a Master of Science in Intermodal Transportation Management from the University of Denver, Jared has demonstrated expertise in Negotiation, Operations Management, Analytical Skills, Freight, and Sales.
His recent role as Chief Commercial Officer at Paper Transport highlights his focus on leadership, customer service, and cross-functional team collaboration. In previous roles, Jared successfully led Regional Operations, driving sales and market management with a safety-first approach.
Beyond his impressive track record, Jared has contributed to the industry's growth as Vice President of Commercial Services and Director of Business Development. His commitment to generating business for professional drivers and delivering value to customers is evident throughout his career. Jared's diverse experience, combined with his strategic vision, positions him as a seasoned professional dedicated to fostering a vibrant workplace culture. Jared is driven by coaching teams to win new business that creates additional and improved jobs for all team members.
JOHN RENIER CFO
JOHN RENIER
CFO
What Drives John? – Doing what’s best for Paper Transport
When Chief Finance Officer John Renier makes business decisions at Paper Transport his first thought is to determine if it’s the best possible option for the company and its employees. If it’s not, he’ll find one with the help of his hardworking accounting team.
Together, they have collaborated to implement new innovative business processes and practices to achieve scalable, efficient, and manageable growth at Paper Transport. Examples include improving the driver payroll process, streamlining accounts receivable and accounts payable procedures, and using technology and software advancements to simplify daily accounting functions. Thanks to these innovations, Paper Transport has been able to achieve both rapid growth and long-term success.
A graduate of St. Norbert College (Bachelor of Business Administration) and San Diego State University (Master of Business Administration), John has worked in transportation his entire career. Before coming to Paper Transport, he was a Fuel Manager and Finance Manager at Schneider National.
DAN DEPPELER VP OF MAINTENANCE
DAN DEPPELER
Vice President of Maintenance
What Drives Dan? – Building a Safe Fleet
To say that Vice President of Maintenance Dan Deppeler is an integral part of what makes Paper Transport successfully operate is a bit of an understatement. Why? Because he’s the team leader that keeps the company’s trucks and trailers traveling safely down the road every day.
He oversees a team of 121 people that is responsible for three main things: 1) Purchasing Paper Transport’s equipment, 2) properly maintaining that equipment, and 3) supporting the company’s drivers in any way they can. Although their job may sound straightforward, it’s not a small undertaking. The company currently has 950 trucks and more than 3,500 trailers. As the backbone of the company’s entire operation, Dan and his team pride themselves on working extremely hard to maintain Paper Transport's fleet so it’s always running safely, smoothly, and efficiently.
Dan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and a Microsoft SQL Certification from the University of California-San Diego. He’s worked in transportation for a total of 20 years; other roles before Paper Transport include being a Financial Analyst, Senior Financial Manager, and Controller.