Do you know an owner/operator who stands out in the crowd? If you do, that special guy or gal may just be the recipient of the 2011 Owner/Operator of the Year award!

Nominations for the Owner/Operator of the Year award are now being accepted. As in past years, we are facilitating this prestigious award on behalf of our sponsors, Goodyear, Mack and Castrol Lubricants. I want to personally thank all of them for maintaining their commitment to this award during what has been a very challenging economic period.

So what exactly are we looking for? First and foremost, the nominee must have a clean abstract. There have been some very worthy finalists in the past who have had to be disqualified due to violations. Believe me, it’s not fun having to bypass a deserving nominee because of one lousy ticket, but the rules are the rules and this one can’t be changed or dismissed.
Other attributes we look for include co-worker and/or customer testimonials. Usually these will tell us something about the nominee’s work ethic and attitude. Customer service is such an important part of business today, so tell us how this person goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Does your nominee coach little league or volunteer for local fundraisers? Do they step forward and do the job that nobody else is willing to do? Do they mentor the rookies in your company? How about the environment, what do they do to minimize fuel consumption? These are all things the judges look for.

Please remember, we are judging these based on what we receive, so try to include anything and everything that you feel we should know about the person.

The day after the submission deadline, the field is narrowed down to 10. At that point we contact the nominees and ask them to send us their abstract along with any other documentation that will help build their case.

I want everyone to know, each nominee receives equal consideration. No-one gets preferential treatment. It doesn’t matter who you are contracted to or how big that carrier is – or isn’t. Believe me, if your nominee is the winner, they deserve it. We do our homework.

So, turn to page three, complete the form and send it in. As I said, include any and all details about why you feel this person should be considered. Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to meet you in Fergus before we take centre stage for the presentation.