We’re excited to reach 50 years as an Averitt family. As part of honoring this milestone, Gary Sasser recently talked with our team about how we’ve been able to achieve a strong track record of helping people succeed, what makes us unique, and how we can continue to move forward in 2021, and for the next 50 years and beyond.
What is unique about our culture when it comes to our focus on people?
When we first started this journey, we knew that we’re in the people business. It’s people who provide service, and we said, “We’re going to make this all about people from day one.” We’ve stayed with that commitment and passion for people. It’s an important philosophy. We started with the statement that Our Driving Force Is People, and it will always be that.
How important is it that we continue to find People Like You?
That’s the most important thing we do every day – find people who share our values. We’re very proud of our People Like You referral program. That is the single-best tool we have to bring on people who need to be part of our team.
We frequently talk about the importance of our Profit Sharing plan. What makes that plan unique?
When the team wins, we all win. The sky’s the limit, and the better we do as a team, the better we all do individually. In 2020, a lot of companies quit their profit sharing because of COVID-19. We didn’t, and we’re proud to say that we never have and never will.
Another unique aspect of Averitt is that we’re a privately held company. What role has that played in our success?
Our culture is very important. One of our team’s “beliefs” is what we call Always Averitt, which means we’re committed to staying independent and controlling our own destiny. Many of our competitors have to answer to Wall Street. We think that really makes us different.
One of the keys to our Winner’s Circle is “Our Future” – where do you see us heading for the future?
We’re very proud to celebrate 50 years, and we’re even more excited about the next 50 years. And here’s why. Our culture is truly amazing. Our business philosophy and business model are second to none. I can say with absolute certainty that our vision for the future is stronger than ever. I’m very proud and thankful for our team. I truly believe that the best is in front of us.
What will help us continue to be a leader in the transportation industry?
Our strategy is to keep building density, and density is the key to success. It gives us a cost advantage and service advantage. That gives our associates more consistency and more opportunities. And it gives us the chance to offer our customers more solutions. Our infrastructure is important, and we’ve done well there. Our business philosophy is important, and we’re second to none there. I think we’re well positioned to move forward into 2021 and beyond, and I’m extremely excited.
