Did you make Santa’s nice list?
Christmas will be here in a few short weeks! Many may be wondering if they are on Santa’s naughty or nice list. This year, Santa is making it easy for you to find out. Paper Transport has released the 2020 nice list and has checked it twice!
Read what our Team Members had to say:
PTI employees were asked to nominate drivers on why he or she made Santa’s “Nice List”. Find the full nominations below:
Adam Kinsey: “Adam is very thorough and communicates well. Does everything he’s asked of”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Alex Amora: “I would like to put Alex Amora on the nice list. Ever since Alex was put on my team, he has strived to be the best and help out team members whenever he can. My team and myself have come to count on Alex, during the New Digi-Core WMS system at GP. Alex has been my go-to- guy in helping with the extra one-on-one training. Definitely no coal in his stocking this year”. – Sean Billotte, Coordinator
Andrew Harding: “I’d like to nominate Andrew Harding on the Unilever fleet. I have called Andrew and asked him for suggestions and feedback that I have brought directly to the customer and used to set up programs to benefit both the customer and drivers. Andrew has gone out of his way to help me when I have asked and without being asked. He goes above and beyond when training new drivers, including spending money out of his own pocket. Andrew is a stellar example of the Paper Transport culture! I am honored to have the opportunity to learn from his perspective. I am truly thankful for Andrew, and all of our drivers who make our lives possible and better every time they get behind the wheel”. – Autumn Siudzinski, Account Development Manager
“My nomination for the Nice List is Andrew Harding (HARAN). He is always the first driver to welcome new drivers to PTI. Andrew is full of great advice on how to be successful on his challenging fleet (Unilever CNG Trucks), and is always positive and upbeat. His great attitude definitely rubs off on other drivers that he comes in contact with” – Toby Connoyer, Safety & Training Manager
Bob Forsythe III: “Takes everything in stride, I honestly don’t think I have ever heard him complain”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Brad Harris: “It’s been neat to see Brad’s progression with Paper Transport! The tablet training was a work in progress but he never got frustrated with it. He kept at it and has been doing a great job”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Brent Coss: “Brent is always at the top of the scorecard list. He is the first to volunteer for help on weekends and respectful to everyone”. – Brian Blaskowski, Local Operations Manager
Bruce Rowe: “Easy to work with and has a positive attitude. Bruce proactively keeps us updated on any delays”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Chad Avants: “Chad is a real pleasure to work with! He is always good for a laugh but at the same time he’s professional and gets everything done that’s asked of him”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Charles Needham Jr: “Always jovial on the phone and a pleasure to work with”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Chris Sullivan: “Worked Saturdays during Walmart surge to keep us from falling behind”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Cody Keys: “Cody is a pleasure to work with, never complains and can always count on him for a really good 50/50 conversation on the phone”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Curtis Harms: “When Curt checked on the weather and noticed he could be heading into snow he cut his time at home short so he could drive at a slower speed to stay safe and not have a service failure”. – Peggy McGuire, Driver Manager
Dan Holmes: “Dan is always willing to go the extra mile to help PTI. He has volunteered to get home late to deliver important loads, and Dan is always willing to mentor new drivers. Furthermore, Dan is always looking to “do the right thing”. For example, he pulled over and helped a fellow truck driver put out a fire on his trailer a few months ago”. – Dylon Pokorny, Operations Support Intern
Dan Zwolinski: “Dan Zwolinski is a great trainer for our new driver. He always has a positive attitude, takes extra time to help them in areas they are struggling with and provides his personal number so they can call him for help once they are out on their own”. – Peggy McGuire, Driver Manager
Darrel Culver: “Darrel is always positive and willing to help out when and where he can. I enjoy working with Darrel and I’m glad he’s on the team”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
Darryl Jansma: “Newer to the Muskogee fleet, Darryl shows up ready to roll every Tuesday without fail. He is a consistent driver and we’re happy to have him on our team”. – Kari Gale, Dedicated Planner
Daryl Jackson: “Daryl is a pleasure to work with. Can guarantee I’ll be laughing at some point during every one of our conversations”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
David Haddaway: “David is a pleasure to work with, communicates well and is the definition of a “go with the flow” company guy”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
David Jobin: “He is a hard worker, and a polite person. He’s always respectful and puts care into everything he does. He helps out our other drivers while on the road, and it never inhibits his ability to perform”. – Ryan Jasper, Driver Manager
Dewayne Jewson: “New driver, very thorough and always asks questions instead of assuming, which is great”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Earl Scrapper: “Earl is a great communicator, utilizes messenger and I look forward to his “okie dokie” response to just about everything”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Evan Jensen: “Evan is one of the most flexible drivers I have ever had in my 20+ years in the industry. He very rarely gets angry and will do anything you ask him to. He will volunteer for whatever you need him to do each and every single time. And he never complains. Evan is very special and I am very grateful to have him on my fleet”. – Nikey Mattson, Local Operations Manager
Felix Luong: “He continuously helps us out on the weekends when we are in a pinch to make sure we get all our freight covered!” – Hayley Hedsand, Driver Manager
Fenique Michel: “Over thanksgiving, he waited onsite in Palakta, FL for a load to be finished so he could bring it up to another driver in GA waiting for it. It was the other driver’s load home to OK. MICFE lived only 50 miles away from where he was “stuck” waiting for the load……but still was very patient and understanding and never, ever upset or unwilling to help”. – Jennifer Grell, Dedicated Planner
Frank Kollenberg: “Frank has a great attitude and even when something is extremely frustrating, he finds a way to persevere”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
Gary Epperson: “Gary has been with us for 15 months and he has yet to have any major issues. He prides himself in on-time delivery and doing the right thing”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
Heath Gilliland: “Heath is a pleasure to work with, never fails loads and figures everything out”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Jacobo Jop Vasconcelos: “He came to us as a trainee. It was a difficult time and a challenging fleet. He took the opportunity to learn everything inside and out. For being a newer driver to the industry, and a new driver to this company his ability to perform is excellent. He is always polite, asks questions when he doesn’t know, and we are grateful to have him”. – Ryan Jasper, Driver Manager
James Hatcher: “James constantly volunteers to help out on weekends with extra loads which really makes his DM happy. And, he has brought on one referral driver this year to help as well. James is one of the best trip planners I have ever worked with. He always knows exactly how many hours he has, and how many he needs in order to make on-time delivery for every dispatch. In addition to trip planning, James does a great job on his Pre & Post Trip vehicle inspections. If I were Santa, he would be on the top of my list”. – Stephen Birchfield, Operations Manager
“James should be on the nice list for always being willing to help. He is always willing to run an extra load on a Saturday or Sunday to help out other fleets. James has also helped to recruit several other very good driver to us this year. He is consistently safe and does well on the scorecard”. – Alicia Whiddon, Local Operations Manager
Jamie Hudson: “He is willing to do whatever is asked of him, even if he has no idea how to do the task at hand. I show him and he gets right on it. He was a huge help with the GP transition to their new operating system”. – Dione Tripp, Coordinator
Jason Castle: “Helped onboard 3 Walmart drivers”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Jason Dunn: “I would like to Add our Packer Drivers traveling all the games this year it’s a stressful run and they go above and beyond every trip for them”. – Jason Kruse, Operations Manager
Jason Smith: “He puts his head down and does his job. I rarely hear from Jason, but when I do he’s always upbeat and pleasant”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Jason Waldroup: “Jason has been with us since 11/2/2011 and whenever I see him here at PENMUS he is always excited to be here, happy to help, and is very caring about the company as a whole. He is a driver mentor and will assist any driver that needs it. If he is aware of a situation he will step in and offer his advice on an issue. He has helped me when I first started and willing to take on additional tasks as needed in regards to assisting other drivers new or seasoned.
Jason is very patient with wait times on repairs. He always follows protocols by taking the correct time to fill out maintenance tickets and follows up with me for any other details as needed. He also does paperwork filing in the office when he comes in before he leaves. Jason ensures the files are organized that we keep here at PENMUS. He is devoted to his family, children, and grandchildren and goes above and beyond as a professional truck driver”. – Scott Hoover, Equipment Manager
“Jason’s efforts on this fleet cannot be ignored. Whether he’s helping us out with paperwork in the office or mentoring countless new drivers that come on board, he’s a very important cog for the GP Muskogee team”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Jesse Biggs: “Top contributor to Workplace – keeps us in touch with what’s happening, shares humor, and mouthwatering pictures of what he has on the grill”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Jim Burkel: “I would like to add our Packer Drivers traveling all the games this year. It’s a stressful run and they go above and beyond every trip for them”. – Jason Kruse, Operations Manager
Jim Myer: “Top contributor to Workplace – where would we be without Jim and Stevie Wonder his co-pilot?!” – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Jim Treon: “Jim goes above and beyond daily. Most recently, while taking a day off, he made himself available for a driver who was backing up the dedicated lane that Jim normally covers. He didn’t want any delays for the customer and had the driver call him if there were any questions or hiccups with the loads”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
“Jim Treon for continuously striving to care for the customer he services by building relationships with them and keeping PTI in their favorites list. I love getting the messages from his teammates of his continued well wishes to me and my career. -Julie Decker, Organizational Development Manager
John Chambers: “John Chambers and Verdell Thomas often work together reposition tractors for us out of Savannah area down to Jacksonville which is extremely helpful”. – Susan Aldridge, Planner
John Glacken: “John is a pleasure to work with. If you keep him moving, he is happier than a lark. He never complains about where he is going or what he is doing”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
John Lentz: “John has made the single most impressive speed turnaround that I’ve ever seen. He’s creative and attentive and overall great to work with”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
John Norman Jr.: “Newer driver to me but is great at communicating and a great new addition to our team”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Jon Pence: “Georgia Pacific notified us they would be shipping heavy over Thanksgiving. Jon volunteered to give up his planned PTO to help out so others could keep their time off as planned”. – Peggy McGuire, Driver Manager
Joshua Nichols: “What else needs to be said about Joshua? Master trainer, mentor, a consummate professional”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Juanita Yargawon: “She has made the “nice list” by constantly being helpful and going above and beyond her duties”. – Susan Aldridge, Planner
“Juanita is a huge asset to my fleet. She is always willing to do the extra work without complaint. She embodies several of our culture messages every day without a second thought. Juanita addresses problems quickly and provides reality-based solutions and suggestions for our business. She listens and displays that everything is her job. Juanita has shown ownership in her park yard by keeping it clean and watching out for loaded trailers. She is professional, and always has a positive attitude”. – Ruth Inbody, Equipment Manager
Karen Blanchard: “Karen switched to a 6/2 schedule and has not missed a beat. She is much happier and is no longer thinking about leaving us. She has on-time delivery and truly prides herself in doing the right thing”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
Kaydon Schmidt: “Newer to the Muskogee fleet, Kaydon parks in the Midwest and has proven to be a fantastic asset to our team. By default, his park location allows us to get creative with planning our dedicated freight, and he couldn’t be more flexible to serve our customers”. – Kari Gale, Dedicated Planner
Kelly Middleton: “Kelly has a great understanding of why we do what we do. He tries to influence others to understand and be the best drivers they can be”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
Ken Dufrene: “Ken is always willing to help me out when needed. He is very easy to talk to which makes my job much easier. He presents himself in a very professional manner all the time”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
Kevin Nelson: “Kevin is always at the top of the scorecard list. He always is one of the first to volunteer for help on weekends and respectful to everyone”. – Brian Blaskowski, Local Operations Manager
Kim Pich: “Always picks up Saturday which has been a big help during Walmart surge”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Lauren Rodd: “Lauren is one of the best drivers, another one you don’t hear from much but never fails anything you send his way. When you do hear from him he is always a pleasure to talk with”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Lou Kollenberg: “Lewis is a hard worker and is fun to work with. He’s got high spirits and is quick to offer solutions”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
Margaret Hollatz: “Margaret has exemplified our culture statements since her onboarding since June. She takes every challenge and uses it as a learning experience. Most notable is her ability to: Ask Why, Do the Right Thing, Address Problems Quickly, Sense of Ownership, Professionalism, Positive Attitude. Thank you Margaret for being such a strong asset to the PTI Team!” – Jacy Petersen, Driver Manager
Mark Bramer: “I would like to Add our Packer Drivers traveling to all the games this year. It’s a stressful run and they go above and beyond every trip for them”. – Jason Kruse, Operations Manager
Mark Springer: “Mark runs for our dedicated Green bay Packaging Germantown fleet. He has really stepped up as a mentor to fellow drivers and really showcases the Paper Transport values and culture”. – Hayley Hedsand, Driver Manager
Marlon Sulph: “Top contributor to Workplace – Brings smiles and laughter with his memes and jabs at sports teams”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Mathew Daniel: “Always goes with the flow and never lets negative things that happen on the road impact his mood”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Matt Moore: “Has a positive attitude and goes above and beyond”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
“Matt always goes above and beyond to help as a technical test user. He helps the training and IT team on many occasions to test the systems prior to fleet launch”. – Kaylee Van De Walle, HR Manager
“Matt Moore for always being willing to assist in software testing. He is patient and kind as we work on bugs on new tablet applications. He is a great communicator and amazing at caring for his co-workers and family”. – Julie Decker, Organizational Development Manager
Matthew Munson: “Top contributor to Workplace – I appreciate Matthews willingness to share anecdotes and humor”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Michael Eckhart: “Michael was out for a little bit but came back strong. He is a hard runner and is always asking where he can help out. Communicates consistently and keeps me on toes at the same time”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
Michael Wolf: “Brings innovative ideas to the table, is always thinking outside of the box”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Mike Schmalz: “Mike does an awesome job for us of the DRT intermodal account. He is always communicating and completing his deliveries”. – Ben Ainsworth, Driver Manager
Monda Fairrow: “Will always check-in at end of the day to see if we need her for anything. In addition, will pick up Saturday’s almost every week”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Nate Barnoskie: “Nate is approaching the one year mark and he gets it done. He is always wanting to make sure he is doing what is right. Plus, willing to make things happen so that we achieve our 98.5% OTD”. – Katie Vorpahl, Driver Manager
Nate Hagerman: “He is always willing to help others when they need it and offers to help at end of the day if hours permit”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Nicholas Duvall: “Nick consistently runs 2400-2600 miles each week without fail on our Muskogee fleet. He’s a hard runner, exceeds our mileage expectations, and makes planning him super fun!” – Kari Gale, Dedicated Planner
Nick Taylor: “For the Albany fleet I would nominate Nick Taylor. Nick has been with the fleet for about 6 months now and been a joy to work with. He is willing to run any load he is given, fill in as a spotter or shuttle driver, and will run loads that are short or long and not complain. When he is working local he goes above and beyond straightening and cleaning the drop yards etc when there is nothing to do”. – Alicia Whiddon, Local Operations Manager
Norma Vega: “Top Contributor to Workplace – Truly an inspiration – Norma brings positivity and energy to work every day”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Norman Ashbrook: “Always willing to pick up extra loads even on days off”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Nycellus Allen: “PTI started a new account spotting before the drivers were hired. Nycellus is a road driver but stepped up and has filled in regularly until we have the drivers hired. He has worked the day and night shifts whenever I have needed him 5 sometimes 6 days a week”. – Chris Hackler, Operations Manager
Paul Barefoot: “I look forward to my daily calls with Paul. I know we’re going to have some laughs”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Paul Marinin: “He is a new trainee and has come so far in the time he has been with PTI. He always has a positive attitude and is ready to learn!” – Hayley Hedsand, Driver Manager
Phil Baye: “Phil has been an asset to the local division with keeping great customer relations with the outside vendors”. – Dione Tripp, Coordinator
Phil Lane: “TWELVE years of solid driving with PTI! If that doesn’t say enough, Phil understands our responsibilities as a dedicated fleet. Hehas proven himself to be a solid team player for the Muskogee fleet. Santa, share your cookies!” – Kari Gale, Dedicated Planner
Ralph Burgholzer: “Ralph is always good for a laugh, he loves to crack jokes! At the same time is always professional and gets things done”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Raymond Willis: “Worked Saturdays during Walmart surge to keep us from falling behind”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Ricardo Lopez: “Ricardo is a pleasure to work with! There are times when I think he won’t make things work and he proves me wrong and figures it out”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Rob Hoida: “He continues to improve every day and his communication with everyone has vastly improved”. – Dione Tripp, Coordinator
Roland Moser: ” A true storyteller! You better buckle up when Roland calls because he’s going to share some knowledge/stories with you. I look forward to every one of those calls”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Ross Christensen: “Ross is always available as a subject matter expert when he has held different roles. Most recently Ross has helped me develop content to be used in the local environment. This content is specific to the spotting truck”. – Kaylee Van De Walle, HR Manager
“Ross is one of our trainers and really has stepped up this week in giving me a hand with a larger than normal Accelerate Program class. Without his help, I would have really struggled to give every student the quality time and attention we strive to provide”. – Sean Bordeaux, CDL Instructor
“For the way he interacts with GB Pack and Solves a lot of issues on his own. Additionally, he manages the yard, does trailer inspections, and jumps out of spotter into Shuttle truck to run hot loads, Etc.” – Dione Tripp, Coordinator
Royce Harp: “Royce is a pleasure to work with! He has never failed a load since I’ve worked with him. In addition, he communicates really well”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Sergio Quezada: “Sergio always helps us with whatever we need. He is extremely hardworking and will always help us when we are in a pinch!” – Hayley Hedsand, Driver Manager
Stanley Brown: “Stanley has been a great addition to the Muskogee team. Everyday we’re all really happy he chose Paper Transport”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Steve Chandler: “Now this guy can drive lol. I regularly utter “how did he make it that far” when tracking him in the am. Great guy to work with”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
Steve Runke: “Steve Runke stands out he is a Backup Coordinator, Trainer. Steve also is a go-to guy always willing to help out where needed Running Shorthaul loads, Helping safety out, Ect. Our Coordinators give him extra tasks all the time. ( Again speaking for Nick if Larry was still a Coordinator)”. – Jason Kruse, Operations Manager
Steve Ramey: “Steve always goes the extra mile. He even calls to ask which trailers to take from drop lots to ensure we’re turning trailers and don’t have them idling for excessive amounts of time”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
“Top contributor to Workplace – Steven shares his love for Boxers and brings the fun”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Terrie Ussery: “Top contributor to Workplace – A great inspiration for women to join trucking. Terrie always has a smile and was a nominee for Women in Trucking “HERoes of the Highway”. – Cate Whitman, Marketing & Communications Manager
Terry Sieman: “Terry always has a great attitude and he’s willing to go above and beyond”. – Kendall Brenwall, Driver Manager
Thomas Tupps: “Has a great attitude and always willing to help out the team”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Tim Faatz: “Tim helps with AB spotting. When he is done there for the day he calls to see if we have anything for him on Walmart, super flexible”. – Jackie Feaker, Driver Manager
Tim Wilson: “Tim is a shuttle driver with the Albany box plant. He makes the nice list because he is always willing to go above and beyond. He is always willing to come in early or work late to help with coverage. Tim is always polite and helpful to other drivers no matter what carrier or fleet they are with. Tim’s work ethic is spot on with our PTI culture. I hope Santa treats him very well this year!” – Alicia Whiddon, Local Operations Manager
Verdell Thomas: “John Chambers and Verdell Thomas often work together reposition tractors for us out of Savannah area down to Jacksonville. This is is extremely helpful to ensure freight moves efficiently”. – Susan Aldridge, Planner
Wade Hall: “Wade has done a phenomenal job for us! Since starting he has always been a pleasure to work with”. – Brian Bartelt, Senior Driver Manager
We would like to say a special thank you to all of our drivers for working so hard this year. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to make each day possible. Happy Holidays!
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