Rudy Kroll has been named the 2022 DMC Insurance Driver of the Year. DMC presents the award annually to an insured driver chosen based on their driving record, mentorship within their company, and leadership and service in support of the industry and their community. DMC was proud to recognize Rudy by hosting an appreciation ceremony at his home terminal, the CTI, Inc. headquarters, in Rillito, AZ. The event and award celebrate Rudy’s exceptional commitment to safety over his 50-year career, of which 38 years are with CTI, including over 2 million accident and incident-free miles.
After the award presentation, conducted by representatives from DMC, Rudy’s co-workers gave heartfelt remarks in front of a full room of CTI drivers and office staff. Supporters turned up in large numbers to celebrate Rudy and share stories about the significant impact he has had on them personally and professionally over the years.
The prominence of the award and the deep respect and appreciation for Rudy was highlighted by a passionate speech from Rudy’s nominator and CTI Senior Risk Manager, Christie Blair. She shared, “I could not be more honored and more humbled to be a part of this process. Not just because of who you are as a driver, but because of who you are as a person, Rudy.
CTI, Inc. Company Trophy
Pictured from left to right: Brandon Gimbel, Risk Engineer DMC Insurance; David Seia, VP of Operations CTI, Inc.; Vikas Shah, EVP of Marketing & Analytics DMC Insurance; Gregg Gibbons, Owner CTI, Inc.; Rudy Kroll, DMC Driver of the Year, Driver CTI, Inc.; Jonathan Schindler, Bulk Logistics Manager CTI, Inc.; Christie Blair, Nominator and Senior Risk Manager CTI, Inc.; Anna Ginn, Director of Human Resources CTI, Inc.
I am incredibly blessed, and we’re blessed here at CTI, to have you with our company, but I personally am blessed to know you as a person. You are one of the most humble people that I know, and humility and sincerity these days are very rare. You have been a hardworking man your entire life. You have lived a life of sacrifice, first for your country, always for your family, for your church, and for our company. You are a remarkable person, and this world is a better place for people like you. There is no one more deserving of this award than you, not just here at our company, not just in this state, but in the nation.”
Jonathan Schindler, Rudy’s manager at CTI, said, “I learned from Rudy. He showed me what I needed to do and how I needed to treat my fellow employees.
I’m still nowhere near his level, but he’s my guide on how to treat people. You’ve helped everybody and never asked for anything. This is our way of giving back to you because you deserve it.” In addition to co-workers, executives from both companies spoke about Rudy’s exceptional driving record and commitment to his community, family, employer, and church. Gregg Gibbons, owner of CTI, said, “I’ve seen a lot of people come and go through this organization. They drive for a year or two and back and forth, but nobody’s really stayed this long, and it’s a real pleasure to have an employee like Rudy.” Vikas Shah, DMC’s Executive Vice President of marketing and analytics said, “It’s worth noting the accolades of today’s winner. Thirty-eight years driving for CTI, not just accident-free and incident-free, but also violation-free. That is the pinnacle of the special breed of drivers this program celebrates. That’s the caliber of gentleman we’re recognizing today.”
When asked about his driving career, Rudy remarked, “I believe I was called [to truck driving] by God himself. I didn’t understand it at the time… It’s a pretty cool thing to be recognized. If you seek it out for yourself and get it, it doesn’t mean as much. I had no idea until about a month ago that I was nominated and that it was a nationwide award. I didn’t know there were so many people competing for the award. It was just a cool thing just to be nominated. I wish my wife were here to see it, she passed last year, and we were married almost 41 years.”
Following the award ceremony and speeches, a procession of attendees shared handshakes and hugs with Rudy congratulating him on the award and all of his accomplishments. The celebration concluded with a catered lunch for the entire company, provided by DMC.
Congratulations Rudy, and thank you for your dedication to safe driving!
We were extremely impressed with the caliber of drivers that were nominated by our insureds. Each and every one deserves recognition for their hard work, safe driving, and commitment to the trucking industry. Thank you to all nominators that took the time to submit a candidate and share their stories.