As part of our Driver and Operation of the Year events held in Des Moines, IA, last week, we honored our top drivers and operations and named the 2023 Driver of the Year and 2023 Operation of the Year.
Driver of the Year
Dean Key, who operates out of Milbank, SD, was named Ruan’s 2023 Driver of the Year! He has been with Ruan since 1996 and has driven professionally for 40 years. Dean is a leader. He holds a profound understanding of the intricacies of the transportation industry, coupled with a remarkable dedication to upholding the highest standards of professionalism on and off the road.
In one letter of recommendation, they said: “When I think about the future of the industry, I think about the students Dean has talked to, and there is no doubt in my mind the students that pursue a career in the trucking industry will always remember the driver from Ruan who had a tremendous impact on their decision to be a part of this great industry. Dean’s advocacy for Ruan and the industry exemplifies all that is great in trucking.”
The search for Ruan’s 2023 Driver of the Year began in March when 149 drivers from Ruan’s 300 operations were named finalists based on their safety performance, industry experience, exceptional customer service, and more. After an extensive review, 12 of these finalists were named to our 2023 Winners’ Circle, and we proudly welcomed them to Des Moines to be celebrated. During their time in Des Moines, the honorees toured the Des Moines Campus and had the opportunity to share insights on safety, technology, retention, recruiting, and equipment. They networked with leaders and support teams and were celebrated every step of the way.
Dean was named the Driver of the Year at an award ceremony at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. “It might feel like this outstanding performance sometimes exists ‘under the radar,’ and you do it because it’s the right thing to do. It’s simply part of who you are,” CEO Ben McLean told the Winners’ Circle at the ceremony.
Each Winners’ Circle honoree was awarded a trophy and cash prize. Dean was presented a trophy, $5,000, and the 2023 Driver of the Year title.
Operation of the Year
To kick off our Operation of the Year selection process, each Ruan vice president of operations identified finalists as the top performers in their business units. From the 10 finalists, our executive leadership team narrowed the list to three Winners’ Circle
honorees: Spring Valley, IL, Huntsville, AL, and Fontana, CA. Our Operation of the Year Winners’ Circle was selected based on customer satisfaction, continuous improvement and innovation, financial performance, and a commitment to our Megasafe culture.The managers of the three operations attended our Driver and Operation of the Year events.
From the Winners’ Circle, our Huntsville, AL, operation that serves Target and is led by Dedicated Transportation Manager Mike Steely was named the 2023 Operation of the Year! Ruan delivers safe and secure transport of general merchandise and milk delivery to stores. This operation lives out our Guiding Principles of People First, Safety Focus, Enduring Partnerships, Exceptional Performance, and Continuous Improvement every day.
The 2023 Operation of the Year received a trophy and a celebration for all operation team members, which will occur later this year.
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2023 Driver of the Year Winners' Circle