Celebrating Agent Appreciation Day

Written by Karen Nagel, Senior Agent Relationship Specialist

Trinity Logistics was founded in 1979 by Ed and Deanna Banning. Ten years after its inception, the company had posted revenues of just over three million dollars. Mr. Ed, the then president, realized that establishing an Agent Division would allow the company to grow faster and gain more national exposure. From this realization, the Agent Division was born.

Mr. Ed wanted to bring on freight Agents but not just anyone. He knew that he would seek freight Agents that fit Trinity’s culture and shared in the company values and beliefs. In 1990, the first two freight Agents were recruited and were as different as they could be. One, a veteran truck driver and a seasoned broker; the other was a college professor with a trucking background who had never brokered a load in his life. These freight Agents were Jim Medlock and Bob Oliver, respectively. Jim passed away in 2005, and Bob remained a Trinity Freight Agent until he retired in 2012, over 23 years.  Both were very successful and demonstrated the kind of longevity we value in our Freight Agents.  We want our Freight Agents to find a home with us – to help them grow and realize their potential – to become part of the Trinity family.

An Annual Tradition Begins

In 1990, Al Klineburger became the head of the Agent Division, and he kept to the plan of only bringing on quality freight Agents. By 2004 we had around thirty Freight Agent offices, and Al tasked our Team to find ways to celebrate them, and thus Agent Appreciation Day was born. Our first Agent Appreciation Day took place on February 23, 2004. It was set aside as a day to recognize our Freight Agents and the enormous contributions they make to the success of the company. Their efforts and sacrifices are not always visible, but the end results cannot be diminished. Without them, Trinity would not be the leader that we are today.

Agent Appreciation Day has become an annual, much-anticipated celebration for Trinity Logistics. I found my old outline for the first one held and it brought back so many good memories. We sent each office balloons, flowers, and a gift card to a restaurant, and heartfelt letters from Al Klineburger and our then President, Jeff Banning. Phone calls from many Team Members at our home office were also made to express our gratitude and sincere appreciation for their work. We held a luncheon for our corporate Team Members where we showcased our different Agents and highlighted their accomplishments. 

Themes and Give-A-Ways

Each Agent Appreciation Day we try to do something a little different for our Freight Agents. One of my favorites was our “Trinity Agents Rock” theme, where we gave everyone an iPod and t-shirt. We’ve also had a “Red Carpet Hollywood Premier” theme complete with movie tickets, and a “Now You’re Cookin’ with Trinity” theme with a BBQ set, spices, and an apron. Whatever the theme, we always have a lot of fun, and one thing that has not changed is the sentiment behind the occasion – how much we truly appreciate our Freight Agents. 

Our Freight Agent Team has grown so much over the years – we now have 120+ offices across the U.S. I genuinely believe that we have one of the country’s best Agent programs, but that is because we have the best Freight Agent Team Members. I am in awe of their hard work, commitment, dedication, and loyalty. Every day they address their jobs with absolute pride and integrity.  Trinity Logistics is fortunate and blessed by every Agent Team Member, and we sincerely thank them for being a part of our family.  Agent Appreciation is not just one day to be celebrated, but a part of our culture here at Trinity forever.

Read more about our Freight Agent Program by clicking below.