The arrival of the Memorial Day Weekend on the calendar provides an opportunity for everyone in our nation to recall the service and sacrifice of our country’s veterans and their families. This time of year is summed up quite well by a quote that can be heard often at Memorial Day services around the country. “All gave some, some gave all.”
As ES and the ES Community commemorates Memorial Day 2022, the sacrifices by veterans and their families in defense of our country were brought into perfect focus for several members of the ES Management Team during a trip in mid-May to an event supporting veterans and their families.
The non-traditional lease-to-own program from ES and Panther stands as another example of the commitment that ES has made to ensure that professional drivers Never Stand Alone.
ES President and Co-Founder Jason Williams led a group from the company who made a trip to the Atlanta area to be a part of a charity fund-raising event supporting Hope For The Warriors, which is a non-profit organization. The mission of Hope For The Warriors is focused on helping those involved with military service to “succeed at home by restoring their sense of self, family, and hope.” Hope For The Warriors is a national organization that provides comprehensive support programs for service members, veterans, and military families that are focused on transition, health and wellness, peer engagement and connections to community resources.
As the Memorial Day Weekend approached, Spotlight News had an opportunity to talk with Jason for the latest edition of the Success In Trucking Podcast, Powered By ES. During the podcast, which you can access on this page, Jason talks about the experience of making the trip to an event that was centered on giving back to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and their families.
Jason and the group from ES joined this effort to support Hope For The Warriors at the invitation of Forward Air, one of the carrier partners in the ES Community. Forward Air, through its Operation Forward Freedom initiative, had partnered Hope For The Warriors prior to 2020 and the two organizations had planned a fund-raiser to support the Drive For Hope, which is one of the transition programs offered through Hope For The Warriors. The Drive For Hope is an innovative program that is dedicated to restoring driving independence to wounded service members through adaptive driving and rehabilitation.
Prior to the COVID global pandemic, Forward Air and Hope For The Warriors had planned to hold the Drive For Hope in 2020. As Jason shares during his podcast interview, the leadership of Forward Air never wavered in their dedication and commitment to making the Drive For Hope a reality. As the pandemic eased and the world found a new normal, the Drive For Hope was rescheduled for a date that fittingly ended up being some 10 days prior to Memorial Day.
The two-day event, which included a dinner and silent auction followed by a day of golf, was a smashing success. Those who attended the event got an opportunity to meet officials with Hope For The Warriors as well as spend time with veterans and their families who are benefitting from the organization’s programs. The attendees at the event also were able to meet and spend time with a collection of former professional athletes who were there to support Hope For The Warriors. Johnny Bench, the Baseball Hall of Fame catcher from the Cincinnati Reds, headlined a group of star athletes from Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Basketball Association.
The Drive For Hope raised a total of $375,000 for Hope For The Warriors. According to a Hope For The Warriors official who spoke with Jason in Atlanta, the Drive For Hope event that was led by Forward Air now stands as the single largest fund-raiser in the history of the Hope For The Warriors organization. During his podcast interview, Jason also shares that Forward Air announced plans to make the Drive For Hope annual event, and Jason noted that ES has already planned to renew the company’s commitment to support the Drive For Hope in 2023.
“This was a powerful event and it was a very rewarding experience for our group at ES to be a part of it,” said Jason. “One of the things that I hope this event was able to do is send a message to veterans and their families that they’re not alone. They’re not isolated in their day-to-day life.
“The sacrifices they have made and continue to make for the commitment that they gave to this country are real. There’s no way to gloss over it. There’s no way at times to make it pretty,” Jason added. “Sometimes, their days are ugly and rough and harsh, and they have to live through it long after they come home from the battlefield. Our Team at ES would like all veterans and their families to know that we are extremely thankful for their service and sacrifice, and we are very grateful for the opportunity to be able to help veterans and their families through Hope For The Warriors and the Drive For Hope.”
Podcast: Jason Williams Discusses Drive For Hope Event
In this edition of the Success In Trucking Podcast Powered By ES, Jason Williams, the President and Co-Founder of ES, talks about the company’s participation in the Drive For Hope charity event, which was led by Forward Air. The Drive For Hope raised $375,000 for the Hope For The Warriors organization.
It’s been nearly a year since the launch of a revolutionary non-traditional lease-to-own program that ES developed in collaboration with Panther Premium Logistics, a Service of ArcBest. As we prepare to mark the program’s first anniversary, Spotlight News would like to provide you with an update on the impact the program is making within the industry.
Through the collaborative efforts of ES and Panther Premium Logistics, this program has been designed to offer professional drivers the opportunity to achieve true truck ownership with access to competitive market-rate financing while receiving the full support of two of the most respected organizations in the trucking industry.
The non-traditional lease-to-own program from ES and Panther stands as another example of the commitment that ES has made to ensure that professional drivers Never Stand Alone.
Through its carefully planned development, this program provides an additional platform within the ES Community that will allow professional drivers to find success in trucking by becoming business owners. This program also brings to life another point the ES Team brings up during their discussions with professional drivers: “If You Can DRIVE The Truck, You Can OWN The Truck.”
To deliver you an update on how the program continues to build momentum and make a difference for aspiring trucking business owners, the Success In Trucking Podcast spent some time talking with Frank Tufano, the Director of Owner-Operator Recruiting for Panther Premium Logistics.
The Success In Trucking Podcast caught up with Frank during the second day of the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky. As you’ll hear through the podcast, we conducted his interview with Frank while he was inside the cab of the Panther truck that was part of the company’s display at MATS 2022.
Success In Trucking Podcast: Panther’s Frank Tufano
Frank Tufano, the Director of Owner-Operator Recruiting for Panther Premium Logistics, a Service of ArcBest, took some time at the Mid-America Trucking Show to talk about the non-traditional lease-to-own program from ES and Panther as the program approaches its first anniversary.
Are you interested in experiencing an in-person learning and networking opportunity within the expedited sector trucking? Are you interested in finding out more about the many advantages the ES Community offers to owner-operators, independent contract drivers, fleet owners and aspiring trucking entrepreneurs within the expedited sector?
If the answer to either of those questions is yes or even a maybe at this point in time, you need to mark your calendars for the annual Expedite Expo, which will be held on July 15-16 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Ind. Expediter Services will once again this year be serving as the presenting sponsor of the Expedite Expo, and ES will also be holding the company’s annual IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo on the evening of July 15.
Both the Expedite Expo and the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo are free to anyone who registers. As you will see, Spotlight News has included a link to the Expedite Expo registration and a registration form for the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo on this web page.
In 2021, the Expedite Expo, which was developed and hosted by On Time Media, became the first major event involving professional drivers that made a return to the industry calendar in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the Expedite Expo marked a milestone by celebrating the event’s 20th anniversary.
Over its long history, the Expedite Expo has become a marketplace for the entire expedite industry – owner operators, drivers, carriers, and exhibitors – to come together, network, and grow.
On Time Media, which owns and operates ExpeditersOnline.com, has continually noted that the Expedite Expo is not just for current drivers. The Expo is also the place for new drivers and people exploring the trucking industry to have the opportunity to network and get a closer look at the opportunities within the expedited sector of the industry.
This year’s Expedite Expo will once again feature a series of educational workshops and panel discussions covering a number of timely topics geared to speak to the needs of owner-operators, independent contract drivers, fleet owners and aspiring trucking entrepreneurs within the expedited sector.
During the April 26 edition of the IN-SITE 2022 Webinar Series, our panelists featured three members of the On Time Media Team. One of the topics of discussion that came up during the webinar was the 2022 Expedite Expo, including some of the latest details on the upcoming workshops and the events that are being planned for this July in Fort Wayne. You can access the video replay of the April 26 IN-SITE 2022 webinar by clicking here.
Details On IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo
Serving as the presenting sponsor of the 2022 Expedite Expo, ES will have a major presence at the event. ES will have the largest booth presence on the floor of the show, and the company’s IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo will be one of the largest events that will take place during the run of the show.
Last year, the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo welcomed 188 people, including members of the ES Community as well as a large number of people interested to learn more about the programs, services and support offered through ES. Most importantly, the IN-SITE at the Expo provided attendees with an informal setting where they were able to get to know members of the ES team while hearing informative updates on the latest trends in trucking. The dinner, as well as the time spent at the ES booths, served as a great platform that could introduce Expo attendees to the truck ownership opportunities and the comprehensive programs designed to support small trucking businesses available through ES.
The ES Leadership Team is anticipating another large turnout for the 2022 edition of the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo. Company officials are making plans to welcome 200-plus people to this year’s event, and the ES Team is encouraging anyone interested in attending the Expedite Expo to register for the Expo, and ES wants you to register for the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo as well. Spotlight News is connecting you with the free registration for the Expedite Expo by clicking here.
The ES Team wants to remind everyone planning to come to the Expedite Expo that the 2002 IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo is also a free event and, as we noted, space is limited. ES is currently taking reservations for the IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo through the form below on this page. If you would like to join us at this year’s IN-SITE Dinner at the Expo, please complete the form on this page.
RSVP for The IN-SITE Dinner Friday July 15
FREE – Limited Seating – Register Today! Doors Open at 4:30pm, Dinner at 5pm Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Conference Center • Banquet Room B 4000 Parnell Avenue • Fort Wayne, Indiana
On April 26, ES hosted the third edition of our IN-SITE 2022 Webinar Series, and we used this webinar to explore what’s happening in the expedited sector of the trucking industry. If you missed 2022, It’s All About You: Spotlighting On Time Media & Opportunities In Expedited Trucking, the webinar event is now available for on-demand viewing through this web page and the ES Success In Trucking YouTube channel.
This special virtual event brought together ES, a leader in capacity solutions and ownership opportunities within the trucking industry, with the team from On Time Media, a leading resource for multimedia marketing services in the expedited trucking sector, specializing in driver recruiting, truck and product advertising and commercial vehicle inventory management.
Through the webinar, viewers can learn the latest on the latest trends and news within the expedited sector of the trucking industry, including insights on the large community of support that has been developed over the years by the resources placed into the market by On Time Media as well as how the ES Community has a set of services, offerings and comprehensive support platforms that are all designed to help owner-operators, independent contractors and trucking entrepreneurs maximize their opportunities for success in trucking.
Leah Shaver, the President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute (NTI), serves once again as the moderator for this edition of the IN-SITE 2022 webinar series. Founded in 1995, NTI has earned the reputation as a leader in the trucking industry for tracking company driver and owner-operator compensation history, changes and benchmarks. Leah, who also serves as a host on SiriusXM’s Road Dog Trucking Radio Channel 146, is one of the foremost experts in the trucking industry on topics related to compensation, driver recruiting and driver retention.
The panel for this edition of the IN-SITE 2022 Webinar Series will feature Joe Kalafat, a member of the ownership group at On Time Media, Kristy Lohre, Event Manager for On Time Media, and Isaac Speicher, Head of Accounts for On Time Media. The panel will also feature Jeff Tacker, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of Expediter Services.
Viewers of the webinar replay will have the opportunity to learn how On Time Media supports and informs participants in the expedited trucking sector through its various programs, including the company’s ExpeditersOnline.com website and the annual Expedite Expo in-person conference. Viewers will also learn the details about On Time Media’s JustCDLJobs.com platform.
One of the many highlights from this edition of the IN-SITE 2022 Webinar Series is that the panel provides a preview of the Expedite Expo, including the specifics on some of the workshops planned for the July event as well details on the IN-SITE Dinner at The Expo that ES will be hosting onsite at the Expedite Expo. And as viewers will hear, ES will once again be the Presenting Sponsor of the Expedite Expo.
Expert Panel
Leah Shaver
President & CEO, National Transportation Institute, SiriusXM Road Dog Trucking Radio Host Panel Moderator
Isaac Speicher
Head of Accounts, On Time Media
Kristy Lohre
Event Manager, On Time Media
Joe Kalafat
Member of the Ownership Group, On Time Media
Jeff Tacker
Chief Operating Officer,Expediter Services
Podcast: Interview With On Time Media’s Joe Kalafat
In this edition of the Success In Trucking Podcast, powered by ES, we spend some time talking with Joe Kalafat, who is a member of the new ownership group for On Time Media. Along with discussing what you can expect during the upcoming IN-SITE 2022 webinar, we talk with Joe about his extensive experience within the trucking industry and we’ll also get his thoughts on the long relationship between On Time Media and ES.
ES is proud to have Stoops Freightliner serve as the Title Sponsor for the IN-SITE 2022 Series.
ES is pleased to announce that the third webinar in our 2022 IN-SITE Online Series will be placing a focus on the Expedited Sector of the trucking industry. On April 26th, ES will be hosting a free webinar event that will showcase the opportunities and what’s happening in the expedited trucking market while also spotlighting the On Time Media Group and ExpeditersOnline.com.
The upcoming webinar is entitled 2022, It’s All About You: Spotlighting On Time Media & Opportunities In Expedited Trucking.
Founded in 1999, On Time Media is a multimedia marketing services and publishing company, specializing in driver recruiting, truck and product advertising and commercial vehicle inventory management. On Time Media’s flagship website, ExpeditersOnline.com, is the authority on the expedited trucking industry. Meanwhile, On Time Media is also involved in trucking opportunities outside of expediting through JustCDLJobs.com, which serves the broader over-the-road trucking market.
On Time Media serves as the organizer and host for the annual Expedite Expo, the premiere in-person event within expedited trucking, bringing together people from all over North America. The Expedite Expo offers the opportunity to learn about the newest expedite trucking industry news, equipment, career opportunities and products geared specifically to expedite owner operators and drivers. ES is proud to serve as the Presenting Sponsor for the Expedite Expo.
The panel discussion for this edition of the IN-SITE 2022 webinar series will be moderated by Leah Shaver, the President and CEO of the National Transportation Institute (NTI). The panel will feature Joe Kalafat, a member of the ownership group at On Time Media as well as Kristy Lohre, Event Manager for On Time Media, and Isaac Speicher, Head of Accounts for On Time Media. The panel will also feature Jeff Tacker, the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer of Expediter Services.
The free webinar event will take place on Tuesday, April 26th from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT. Replays of the webinar will be available for all who register for the event. Click to register for webinar.
Expert Panel
Leah Shaver
President & CEO, National Transportation Institute, SiriusXM Road Dog Trucking Radio Host Panel Moderator
Isaac Speicher
Head of Accounts, On Time Media
Kristy Lohre
Event Manager, On Time Media
Joe Kalafat
Member of the Ownership Group, On Time Media
Jeff Tacker
Chief Operating Officer,Expediter Services
ES is proud to have Stoops Freightliner serve as the Title Sponsor for the IN-SITE 2022 Series.
