At Ruan, our people are the heart of our success. Every day, our team members go above and beyond to deliver outstanding service, consistently exceeding the expectations of both internal and external customers. We are proud to recognize these efforts and celebrate the individuals and teams who embody excellence in everything they do.
This week, we gathered at our Des Moines Campus to honor the winners of our annual Driver and Operation of the Year awards. This meaningful event brought together team members from across the country to celebrate top performers who exemplify safety, service, and dedication.
2024 Driver of the Year: Robert (Bobby) Hernandez
The journey to naming Ruan’s 2024 Driver of the Year began in April, with 136 outstanding drivers nominated from operations nationwide. These drivers were selected for their exceptional safety records, industry experience, customer service, and overall performance. From this group, 11 finalists were chosen to join our prestigious Winners’ Circle and were recognized at our Des Moines celebration.
From among these top-tier professionals, Robert (Bobby) Hernandez, based in San Antonio, TX, was named Ruan’s 2024 Driver of the Year.
Bobby’s remarkable career spans 44 years in professional driving, with nearly three decades at Ruan. This is his second time being named to the Winners’ Circle, an impressive achievement that reflects his unwavering commitment to safety and excellence.
One of our partners shared this about Bobby in a recommendation letter:
“Whenever I am in San Antonio and see Bobby in the plant transportation office, he has a positive attitude and is interacting with everyone with respect. It shows he takes great pride in his work, and as I understand it, this shows in more than just metrics. It shows in his many-year track record of no preventable accidents and having a clean safety record. I am proud to know such a great driver works for Ruan and represents us to our customers.”
Congratulations, Bobby, and thank you to all our finalists for your dedication and excellence!
2024 Operation of the Year: Olive Branch, MS
Each year, our Operation of the Year Winners’ Circle is selected based on key performance criteria including customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, financial performance, and a strong commitment to our Megasafe culture. Earlier this year, Ruan Vice Presidents of Operations nominated top-performing operations from across the company. From 11 finalists, three were selected to join the Winners’ Circle.
This year’s top honor went to our Olive Branch, MS, warehouse, which is led by Warehouse Operations Manager Michael Temko.
The Olive Branch team of 34 dedicated professionals keeps operations running seamlessly across two shifts. Their safety record is exceptional, with only two reported injuries in 2024, which is well below our companywide warehouse average. Additionally, 85% of the original team members remain on staff, a clear testament to the strong culture and leadership Michael has built.
What truly sets this operation apart is how the team has become an integral part of the business they support. As one partner shared in a letter of recommendation:
“We’ve never been quick to ‘hand over the keys’ to our 3PL providers, not out of control, but because of the trust it takes to deliver on our customers’ expectations. This team has earned that trust. After 13 years and multiple providers, I can confidently say our vision for a truly successful Distribution Center has finally been realized. It is being executed every day with professionalism, adaptability, and excellence.”
Congratulations to Michael and the entire Olive Branch team on this well-deserved recognition. A local celebration will be held later this year to thank the full team for their outstanding efforts.
At Ruan, recognizing excellence isn’t just about awards. It’s about celebrating the people and teams who make our success possible. Thank you to all our team members for your hard work, integrity, and commitment to delivering for our customers every day.