Despite Denis Prud’homme’s best efforts, not everybody was happy about the job fair he hosted. The former operations manager for SynLogistics, John Newstead, was disappointed that those employees that hadn’t worked for Prud’homme Trucking previously were not invited to attend the makeshift industry job fair.

“I was told that we weren’t allowed to go,” says Newstead, who has high praise for the STA’s own efforts. “I take my hat off to the STA because they’re working hard to try to find the people that weren’t involved in this job fair, to actually find employment and throw people’s names out there. So my hat’s off to Al (Rosseker, executive director) and the STA. They’ve really stepped up, and I think they’re a great bunch of people.”

However, Prud’homme chalked the misunderstanding up to a communication breakdown, and noted he only had contact information for the drivers who previously worked for his company. Prud’homme says all of the drivers were welcome to attend.

“I set up the presentations by the carriers. Some drivers told other drivers, and so forth. At the end of the day, they all got placed because of that exercise,” he says.

Newstead has since been unable to find employment for his former position. Since he was an owner/operator for years, he recently bought a tractor and has already lined up some business hauling grain. “I’ve had some other opportunities, but the money wasn’t good enough,” he says. With the economy in a slump, the family man with two young children and financial pressures of his own has concern for the 20 office staff that are still unemployed.

“I’m not worrying about me. It’s about the other people who don’t have jobs. It’s pretty hard for invoicing clerks and dispatchers. It’s pretty tough,” he says. TruckWest also received an e-mail from an angry owner/operator, who requested to remain anonymous, that felt not enough was done to land him another job or help recover money he was owed.