Meet the GI Express Team
Deen Albert
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Favorite quote:
“The inspiration of a noble cause enables men to do things they did not dream themselves capable of before.” -Joshua Chamberlain
Your top three favorite Podcasts/Books?
The Passing of the Armies by Joshua Chamberlain; It’s Your Ship by D. Michael Abrashoff; and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey
What is something people in trucking and/or your particular area of expertise have to deal with that you want to fix?
I want drivers to understand that there ARE some companies that can be a career-long home for them. Not all trucking companies are built the same and Grand Island Express is certainly unique in our segment.
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I have the privilege to work with our operations, sales and recruiting teams.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I’ve been in the trucking industry for 20 years – 18 of which were in LTL, running progressively larger operations.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I love the family atmosphere. Drivers have direct access to management, and from my standpoint, we are a nimble organization that can act quickly to the changing needs of our customers.
What is your background?
I’ve been married for 20 years, I have 4 kids, and I grew up in Omaha, NE. My career has had us moving several times all over the Midwest, so we’re very happy to be back in Nebraska!
What are the values that drive you?
Honesty, integrity, hard work, grit and determination, and hustle.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
We have a hobby farm, so most of my family time revolves around that. We’re almost always maintaining fence line, maintaining equipment, putting up hay, feeding the cattle, building sheds, etc. Aside from that, my family loves the outdoors, so we find ourselves hunting, fishing hiking, biking, or simply sitting out at the campfire.
Kayla Hasselmann
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Favorite quote:
“You will never have this day again, so make it count.”
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I am responsible for providing leadership, direction, and management of the accounting team. I oversee the preparation of all financial reporting and analyze the company’s financials.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I love the family culture at Grand Island Express. It is like nothing that I have experienced at any other company I have worked for.
What’s your background?
I was born & raised in Grand Island. I went to college and received my Bachelor’s degree in Professional Accounting with a minor in Economics. Right out of college, I worked for an accounting firm. From there, I moved on as an Accounting Supervisor with a large, national packing plant and immediately following that as the Controller for a national thrift store chain. I am very fortunate to now be a part of the Grand Island Express team.
What are the values that drive you?
Honesty, integrity, commitment, and passion are just a few of my top values that drive me every day. They provide a strong foundation to help me grow and develop so that I can effectively achieve business goals and objectives.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy weekends at the lake and spending time with my family.
Randy Kunze
DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE
Favorite quote:
“You’re never wrong to do the right thing.”
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I am responsible for the shop, wash bay, and building/lot, and for maintenance on all of the company equipment. I set PM’s according to OEM recommended intervals and track them to ensure they are done on time.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I have worked on trucks and trailers for the past 30+ years and have seen a lot of changes, especially with the emissions and new electronic systems.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
The people at Grand Island Express make it an enjoyable place to work.
What are the values that drive you?
I enjoy solving problems with the equipment. One thing I learned over the years is that you must understand how a system works in order to understand how to troubleshoot it. If you don’t understand it, you can only hang parts, which is very time consuming and expensive. Always strive to learn more.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy hunting, fishing, and golfing. While I am not very good at golfing, I do tend to get my money’s worth.
Lucas Mowery
SAFETY DIRECTOR
What is something people in trucking and/or your particular area of expertise have to deal with that you want to fix?
I want people to understand that safety is the key to a successful trucking operation.
Favorite quote:
“I never lose. I either win or learn.”
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I take a proactive approach to keeping our CSA scores low and drivers safe. I also make it my personal mission to keep safety as the number one priority here at Grand Island Express.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
The family atmosphere.
What are the values that drive you?
The values that drive me each day is my desire to keep Grand Island Express successful. I pride myself on being dedicated and passionate about the work that I do.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Being a Grandpa.
Meet The GI express Driver Support Team
Addison Stout
OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS SPECIALIST
Favorite quote:
“The best things in life are the people that we love, the places we’ve been, and the memories we’ve made along the way”
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I manage a fleet of drivers and help them in any way I can.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
The atmosphere at Grand Island Express is very friendly and family-oriented.
What are the values that drive you?
Hard work, honesty, and compassion.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy coaching softball, traveling to new places, and spending time with my family.
Kristina Proctor
ASSISTANT SAFETY DIRECTOR
Favorite quote:
Keep me in the moment
Your top 3 favorite Podcasts/Books?
Unglued (Book), True Crime (Podcasts) — I have a lot of books that are on my want to read list, but I never make time to actually sit down
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
Accidents/Incidents, WC, Inspection/Citations, Permits, Logs, DOT Physicals, Randoms, and MVR’s. Safety.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I was previously in an HR role at another transportation company that a good majority of my duties were safety related tasks.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
The atmosphere is so welcoming. I absolutely enjoy the team I work with, they are a great group of people.
What are the values that drive you?
Reliability, Fitness, and Education
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
Spending time with my husband and kiddos, playing sports and fitness.
Kyle Wiesen
RECRUITER
Favorite quote:
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
What is something people in trucking and/or your particular area of expertise have to deal with that you want to fix?
I want drivers to know that we care about their success and want to help them grow in this career.
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I recruit professional drivers.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I have a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wesleyan University and a Master of Arts in Management from Doane University. I have worked in a variety of industries and recruiting has been a part of all my former positions.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I love the people that I work with and I enjoy helping drivers pursue their dream of becoming a successful driver.
What’s your background?
I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Luke, for 17 years. We have three awesome kids: Jonah (16), Jax (14), and Charlee (9). We also have four fur babies that are spoiled rotten.
What are the values that drive you?
My passion to nurture and encourage the growth of others drives me each day.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family and supporting my kids at all of their activities.
Shelby Ostrander
DRIVER ACQUISITION SPECIALIST
Favorite quote:
“Teamwork makes the dream work.”
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I process new drivers applications and line up transportation/hotels to get the drivers here.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
The atmosphere and my co-workers.
What are the values that drive you?
Commitment, open-mindedness, and compassion.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy coaching softball and spending time with my family.
Tammie Dimmitt
BENEFIT ADMINISTRATOR
Favorite quote:
“Live your best life.”
Your top 3 favorite Podcasts/Books?
Trent Shelton podcasts; Seize the Day by Joyce Meyer; and The Happiness Project by Max Lucado
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I handle human resources questions and concerns, employee benefits, driver retention (a.k.a. washing towels and feeding the drivers), and setting up events.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like the feeling of belonging to an amazing company that cares about its employees and gives back to the community.
What are the values that drive you?
Positivity, compassion and a can-do attitude!!
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family and riding my Harley Davidson.
TJ Teske
FLEET MANAGER
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I manage my fleet of drivers, get miles home time, and help with any problems.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I worked in brokerage for 8 years…..2017 Dispatcher of the Year award
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like working for Grand Island Express because it is very family-oriented.
What are the values that drive you?
Honesty, integrity, and dependability.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy hobbies including anything crafty, painting antique furniture, and hanging out with my grandkids.
Michelle Liske
FLEET MANAGER
Favorite quote:
“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” and “Fan-fricken-tastic.”
What is something people in trucking and/or your particular area of expertise have to deal with that you want to fix?
That women can do it, too!
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I manage my fleet of drivers as well as coordinate shag efforts for on-time local deliveries.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I worked for another local trucking company for almost five years prior to this company. I was in charge of my own fleet of drivers’ outbound and backhaul loads as well as managing certain areas of brokerage.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
It has a very friendly atmosphere with no favoritism.
What’s your background?
I am a born-and-raised country girl. My free time is spent either with my daughter or in the saddle.
What are the values that drive you?
I don’t see people as coworkers (superior or inferior), but rather as friends.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy horseback riding all over the country.
Katy Fazendin
FLEET MANAGER
My name is Katy and I’m from Las Vegas, NV. Ended up going to college in NE and liked the community here so after I graduated I packed up my life and moved in with my Fiancé and our two golden retrievers.
Meet The GI express Sales Team
Jason Porter
SALES & STRATEGY MANAGER
Favorite quote:
“Don’t point the finger, point the thumb.”
Your top 3 favorite Podcasts/Books?
Ramsey Solutions Podcast
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
As the Sales & Strategy Manager, it’s my job to keep our sales staff focused on company goals and finding the best possible driver friendly/revenue generating freight we can. Trucking companies strive for efficiency and Grand Island Express is no different. My job is to work daily towards a more efficient company footprint.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I’ve worked in sales for 20+ years. Sales are about building relationships and trust with your customers. Give and take is the name of the game when it comes to building successful accounts. As a sales rep, I take pride in our customers trusting Grand Island Express can get the job done. Honestly, I feel personally disappointed when we fail our customers.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like the FAMILY ATMOSPHERE!!!! Some days we disagree like a family, but at the end of the day, we care for one another and for our drivers. Transportation is a strategy game we all play every day.
What’s your background?
I was born and raised in Nebraska, attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), and graduated in 1999. I started my sales career with the Tri-City Storm hockey team in 2000. I worked there until 2005 when I came to Grand Island Express. I have worked in sales pretty much since graduating from UNK.
What are the values that drive you?
Honesty, dedication and my commitment to moving this company forward! I get satisfaction from seeing others succeed through my efforts.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy my faith, spending time with my family, hunting and then anything Huskers!!!!
Jason is based in Grand Island, NE.
Trevor Williams
BUSINESS ANALYTICS & PRICING MANAGER
Favorite quote:
“I’ve made a huge mistake.” GOB Bluth – Arrested Development
Your top 3 favorite Movies?
“The Guest,” “Speed Racer,” and “Bruno.”
What is something people in trucking and/or your particular area of expertise have to deal with that you want to fix?
I want to continue to find ways to improve communication, always have a positive attitude, and provide a great experience for customers. I want someone to think, “Hey, my day got a little better,” after talking with me.
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I reach out and develop relationships with potential new customers, and foster and grow relationships with our existing customers.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I was a restaurant general manager at Taco Bell for five years. I studied marketing and supply chain management and served as the founding president of the Supply Chain Management Organization at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
It’s a great people-oriented environment and I feel that I’m empowered to make strategic decisions that allow us to continually improve.
What’s your background?
My wife and I both grew up in Nebraska and we love it here!
What are the values that drive you?
I strive to be consistently optimistic. I always want to appreciate every day and leave things a little bit better than the day before. I love to make people laugh. If I’m laughing and making others laugh, it’s a great day.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I’m a big Tennessee Titans fan and I also love watching the best TV show of all time: “Arrested Development.”
Trevor is based in Grand Island, NE.
Mark Garza
REGIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Favorite quote:
Let’s roll!
Your top 3 favorite Podcasts/Books?
Yes We Still Can; Those Who Knew; and Lake Success
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I sell our trucking service to move our clients’ freight.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
I’ve had 28 years in the transportation industry.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like how it’s not like the other companies I have worked for. Here, I’m not just a number. It is like a family.
What’s your background?
I’m Hispanic, Catholic, and family oriented..
What are the values that drive you?
Morals, ethics and sense of urgency.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family and fishing.
Mark is based in Morris, IL.
Meet The gi express Service Team
Eric Howells
PARTS MANAGER
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I order parts for stock and special orders, receive part invoices into the system, bill out parts to work orders, answer the shop phone, maintain a low inventory level, print decals for the trucks (D.O.T., VIN#, TRUCK #), and help other departments.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like that it’s something different every day. I enjoy coming to work and that my coworkers are like family.
What are the values that drive you?
My family.
Misty Christensen
SHOP BREAKDOWN
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I help with over-the-road breakdowns.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like the friendly, family atmosphere and laid-back environment.
What are the values that drive you?
Family and friends.
KELLY Greenwald
SERVICE WRITER FOR SHOP/WASH BAY/TRAILER REPAIR
What do you do at Grand Island Express?
I ensure that trailers are washed out, fueled, and ready to go on the lot. I also ensure all trailers that need repaired go through the shop, and I ensure that all loaded trailers in the yard are running to the bills, are fueled, and set to the correct temperatures. I also help back Misty, Mike, and Eric in the shop when one of them is gone.
What are your credentials/past experience, for working in your position?
What’s your background? My past experience in this position is I have 11 years of experience as a diesel mechanic and as a service writer. I have been around trucking for a long time due to my mother being an owner/operator.
What do you like about working at Grand Island Express?
I like the fact that the company believes in dedication, family, teamwork, and fun.
What are the values that drive you?
Being dependable, hard work, confidence, open mindedness, efficiency, and organization.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
I enjoy spending time with my family and being outdoors in the spring and summer. I enjoy gardening, camping, fishing, etc., In winters, I like watching the Kansas City Chiefs and doing crafts.