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Feature Story



When the Heidelberg wheel is turning, it is a beautiful thing to watch! All departments and all Associates working together to get our great products to market and to keep us our customer’s #1 choice!

After the sales pros place the orders and the warehouse crews pick the product and load the trucks for delivery, Heidelberg and Ohio Valley’s 365 drivers take over and deliver the goods to our retail partners.

September 13-19 is National Truck Driver Appreciation Week. This is our opportunity to celebrate the awesome work our drivers have done over the last year! During this pandemic, truck drivers have never been more vital to our business and to businesses across the country.

“Our drivers are literally the ‘Driving Force’ in our organization. They define perseverance and dedication,” said Jody Myers Director of Operations, North. “They have not waivered in this unusual time as we continue to fight COVID-19. I can’t say enough good things about this unrelenting team. There are so many great stories about team members stepping up and taking extra routes out to help deliver the tremendous case load over the last several months or coming in early to help our night crew get cases picked and loaded so we could get our customers delivered on time. We have an awesome team of delivery drivers and they live the Roar and continue to ‘drive’ Heidelberg to be our customer’s number one choice!”

We appreciate the excellent work of our drivers, who take extra care to transport and deliver product safely. In the last 12 months the numbers that our fleets have put up are nothing short of amazing!

Cases Delivered: 27,921,646
Accounts Visited/Stops: 1,019,864
Miles Driven: 5,201,031

“When the COVID-19 pandemic first began gaining momentum back in March there was a lot of talk about what was ‘essential.’ Whether it was essential businesses, essential personnel, essential PPE, etc.,” said Director of Operations, South; Brian Oakes. “I wanted to make sure I knew the actual definition of ‘essential,’ so I pulled out the Webster’s dictionary and it said, ‘absolutely necessary, extremely important.’ I can’t think of any better way to describe our driver team, not just during a pandemic but every day, every week, every month, every year and every mile they drive. Our drivers are essential to Heidelberg’s continuing success. Without our delivery driver team, we’ve just got a bunch of product sitting in warehouses. I have so much respect for the work each and every one of them do, in the rain, the snow, the heat, and even in a global pandemic. They answer the bell and get the job done!”

Heidelberg and Ohio Valley have some amazing drivers operating our delivery trucks. One of the many things that make our team of drivers special is their commitment to safe driving. Congratulations to all of these outstanding drivers who continue to make our company great every time they get behind the wheel.

30+ Years Safe Driving 25+ Years Safe Driving 20+ Years Safe Driving
Mike Kroell, Cincinnati Phil Westerfield, Cincinnati Richard Foster, Cincinnati
Steve Adams, Cincinnati Don VanSkaik, Cincinnati Rollin Goodin, Cincinnati
Kevin Keppel, Cincinnati Bruce Ellison, Cleveland Bryan Varner, Ohio Valley
Don Schramm, Cincinnati Mike Ruzsbanski, Cleveland John Wolverton, Ohio Valley
Jim Clapp, Dayton Dave Cramer, Ohio Valley David Tanner, Dayton
Jerry Evans, Dayton Antone Allen, Dayton
Thomas Hogg, Dayton Marcus Maxon, Dayton
Kevan Gore, Lorain
Lance Morgan, Lorain
Josh Curtis, Toledo

 

15 Years Safe Driving
Jeff Schulkers, Cincinnati Greg Novak, Cleveland Andrew Lindinger, Columbus
Tom Slaughter, Cincinnati Jim Niece, Ohio Valley Jeremy Tidball, Columbus
Kevin Johnson, Cincinnati Mark Ellison, Ohio Valley Dave Upperman, Columbus
Bill Fisher, Cleveland Scott Stapleton, Ohio Valley Zachary Bailey, Dayton
Dave Haren, Cleveland Todd Mittler, Ohio Valley Brant Bugbee, Toledo
Keith Evans, Cleveland Troy Daum, Ohio Valley Dave Mozer, Toledo

 

10 Years Safe Driving
Michael Johnson, Cincinnati Nick Mathews, Columbus Jordan Bryant, Dayton
Richard Bowling, Cincinnati Billy Price, Dayton Steven Karlson, Kentucky
William Walkington, Cincinnati Darryl Maenle, Dayton Christopher Stanley, Kentucky
Tony Cullison, Cleveland Richard Kohlbacher, Dayton Ted Tiller, Lorain
Dave Little, Cleveland Jason Brown, Dayton Travis Dunbar, Lorain
Bob Rodgers, Cleveland James Skeens, Dayton Andrew Sandoval, Lorain
John Tremmel, Cleveland Graham Musser, Dayton Brad Sadler, Toledo
Joe Wasil, Cleveland Joshua Sawvell, Dayton Mark Carstensen, Toledo
Anthony Olic, Cleveland Anthony Buckingham, Dayton Aaron Bryant, Toledo

 

5 Years Safe Driving
James Stockelman, Cincinnati Dan Elsea, Ohio Valley Kevin Bullins, Lorain
Dave Dubose, Cincinnati Darren Hudson, Ohio Valley John Hafner, Toledo
Anthony Tupman, Cincinnati Terrance Adams, Columbus Troy Fowler, Toledo
Chris Day, Cincinnati Chris Carder, Columbus Jason Ruch, Toledo
Dave Bernard, Cincinnati Martin Haslehurst, Columbus Steve Drotar, Toledo
Martez Latham, Cincinnati Curtis Shaw, Dayton Chris Gardiner, Toledo
Steve Rhoden, Cleveland Lamar Shelley, Dayton Brandon Hornyak, Toledo
Dane Lenhart, Cleveland Brandon Moody, Dayton Joe Lanning, Toledo
Joe Zwedinger, Cleveland Marty Ramsey, Dayton David Fox, Toledo
Dave Hewitt, Cleveland John Kapnas, Dayton Jason Aston, Toledo
Kurt Liston, Cleveland Dustin Workman, Dayton Derick Wallace, Toledo
Mitch Field, Cleveland Shawn Berry, Dayton Thomas Walker, Toledo
Randy Hampton, Ohio Valley Gary Mabes, Dayton Jeff O’Neal, Toledo
John Gibson, Ohio Valley Dennis Bishop, Kentucky Anthony Fox, Toledo
Kyle Miniard, Ohio Valley Jeremy Lysaght, Kentucky Ben Lewis, Toledo
Lamard Smith, Ohio Valley Zach Genet, Kentucky Billy Boone, Toledo
Jeff Boeing, Ohio Valley Bryan Williams, Kentucky Steven McCarthy, Youngstown

 


ROAR CONTRIBUTORS

This newsletter was produced with the help of your fellow Associates.

Sheila Iwanek
Lorain
Jessica Steeb
Toledo
Staci Testa
Youngstown
Wendy Harris
Cincinnati
Susan Kneidl
Dayton
Maggie Schief
Dayton
Tyler McKinley
Dayton
Xavier Breiding
Dayton
Jenia Tolbert
Cleveland
Connie Harget
Cleveland
Sallie Baker
Ohio Valley Wine & Beer
Janet Pabst
Ohio Valley Wine & Beer
Carrie Garner
Columbus
Dan Rapata
Wine Trends
Taylor Lipvsky
Wine Trends
Corey Caulk
Wine Trends
Lion's Edge Printing & Design
Design/Layout

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