OTA-Trailmobile Service to
Industry Award Goes to Don Anderson
(Toronto: November 17, 2006) – Don Anderson,
Founder and President of Don Anderson Haulage Limited of Stouffville, ON today
was presented with the 2006 OTA-Trailmobile Service to the Industry Award, the
highest honour bestowed on an executive in the Ontario trucking industry. The
award was presented during a special ceremony held at the Ontario Trucking
Association’s 80th annual convention at the Toronto Congress Centre).
The OTA-Trailmobile Service to Industry Award honours
an individual who, by their commitment, vision, leadership and unstinting
service, has made an outstanding contribution to the development and success of
the truck transportation industry in Ontario. The selection was made by a panel
of Mr. Anderson’s peers, most of whom are previous winners themselves. The
award is an attractive charcoal portrait of the recipient.
Don Anderson Haulage Limited currently specializes in
the movement of over-dimensional loads in Ontario. Together with his wife and
business partner Maris, Don has been an active supporter of OTA for over 25
years, serving on the Board of Directors of the association and the Heavy
Specialized Carriers Division for many of those years. Over the years, Don and
Maris have been fixtures at the OTA convention and have participated in many OTA
study missions abroad.
Don Anderson began his career in the trucking industry
working for his father, from whom he purchased his first truck. Things went very
well for the young “Donnie” and just two years later he had four
power units to his name. By April 1965 the year he incorporated Don Anderson
Haulage Limited, he had opened a yard and shop at the east end of Stouffville to
house his expanding fleet.
Shortly thereafter Don inked a deal with a ready mix
concrete company that would give him a solid base for his growing fleet of
gravel trucks. Later he added the movement of over dimensional loads to his
company’s offerings. The thriving company soon out grew its quarters and
by1979 construction began on a new facility which is its current location in
Stouffville. The company is now poised to begin construction on a new home, this
time in Gormley. Construction should be complete in the late summer of
2007.
Don has always been considered an innovator in the
transportation business and most currently in the over-dimensional load
business. When the opportunity for added growth in the specialized carrier
division came around, Don traveled to Germany where he purchased the first of
what would be several multi wheeled transporters. This equipment enabled
Anderson Haulage to tackle even larger over dimensional moves.
As the jobs became larger and more complicated and the
province increased demands and restrictions on the size of loads going over the
road, Don had the foresight to create a strategic alliance with a railway which
resulted in the continued growth the company enjoys today.
Some say one measure of business success is the
loyalty of your employees. A total of 18 of Don’s drivers have 20 years
or more of service with the company and six of those have been with Don for over
30 years.
Don Anderson lives in Stouffville with his wife,
Maris. Their four children Mike, Liz, Jane and Sue have all worked at Anderson
Haulage at one time or another. Presently the girls are off raising seven of
Don and Maris’ nine grandchildren. Their son Mike serves as the
company’s vice president and was recently elected to the OTA Board of
Directors. The third generation is poised to begin their career at the
family-run business. The eldest two grandchildren -- Kyle and Bailey -- recently
began working for the company during the summer.
-30-
Note to editors: Photos Available upon
request.
Media Contact: Rebecka Torn, Manager of
Communications, (416) 249-7401 x 224
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