Daseke
Daseke names new president
ADDISON, TX – Daseke -- North America’s largest flatbed and specialized transportation carrier -- has appointed Chief Financial Officer Scott Wheeler as its new president. He also remains Chief Financial Officer and assumes the role from founder Don Daseke, who continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer and chairman.
IN PRINT — Bulk Buyer: Don Daseke
STEINBACH, MB -- Big Freight Systems wasn't for sale. The Coleman family had been running the business since 1948, when they bought South East Transfer in Steinbach, Manitoba. Chief Executive Officer Gary Coleman was focused entirely on finding ways to grow. When a courier package arrived from Don Daseke, proposing a potential sale, he simply filed it away. But Daseke persisted. The pair met in person. And this spring Big Freight Systems became the first Canadian operation in Daseke Inc.'s expanding family of specialized, flatbed carriers. "His philosophy on business, his philosophy on people, his philosophy in terms of driving success forward through collaboration, all ran very close to me," Coleman recalls. "I got comfortable with his long-term plan." That plan is to consolidate fleets in an industry sector dominated by family-owned businesses. The Texas entrepreneur has secured more than 3,800 trucks and 8,200 trailers so far, accounting for about 1% of what Daseke estimates is a US $133 billion market. The business reported $30 million in revenue in 2009, growing to a pro forma of $869 million last year. And more acquisitions are in the works. Daseke refers to himself as an accidental trucker. He began his career as an auditor, held roles at IBM, and later built a residential real estate business that sold for US $1.7 billion. He first invested in trucking nine years ago only after a friend introduced him to Smokey Point Distributing, which specialized in aviation cargo. That became the first of today's 13 operating companies.
Daseke purchases Big Freight, The Schilli Companies
ADDISON, TX - American-based open deck provider Daseke has acquired Winnipeg-based Big Freight Systems and Indiana's The Schilli Companies for undisclosed terms. "We're proud to welcome Schilli and Big Freight, as well as each of their outstanding teams to the Daseke family," said Don Daseke, president and Chief Executive Officer of Daseke. "Both companies are industry elites in the open deck specialized market, and will bring new dimensions to Daseke's depth of services and geographic footprint."
