William “Bill” Kerry of John Brown Trucking, a subsidiary of American Bulk Commodities, Inc., has been selected as DMC Insurance’s Driver of the Year. The winning driver is chosen as someone who exemplifies a commitment to safety, provides exceptional service and leadership, and gives back to the community and industry.

Bill has been a professional truck driver since 1965 without having a single accident or moving violation citation. For over 50 years, he has done over-the-road hauls from the Pittsburgh area into the Carolinas, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia. John Brown Trucking specializes in the hauling of alloy, scrap metal, construction materials, and other industrial products. At the age of 73, Bill continues to haul these loads daily, moving to local routes in Pennsylvania and Ohio just in the last two years. He is a true professional and has been a strong role model to his peers. Bill was nominated for the Driver of the Year award by his Terminal Manager, Harry Frelin. Harry passionately championed Bill as deserving of the honor, writing a heartfelt essay to accompany his application. Harry’s been with John Brown Trucking for 20 years, after spending 20 years as a driver himself. He understands the intricacies of what it takes to be a safe driver, and every day he notices Bill’s attention to the little details and ways of operating that make all the difference. His appreciation of Bill was perfectly summarized when he said, “If I only owned one truck, Bill Kerry would be the first driver I would ask to drive it.”

Harry Frelin, Terminal Manager of John Brown Trucking, with Bill Kerry, the DMC 2020 Driver of the Year.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2020, representatives from DMC Insurance, along with American Bulk Commodities’ executive team, were on site at the R & J Trucking, also a subsidiary of American Bulk Commodities, Inc., headquarters in Youngstown, OH to present Bill Kerry the award. “We started the Driver of the Year Award as a way to give recognition to the safe drivers of our insureds that really go above-and-beyond to positively impact the trucking industry,” stated Stacy Renz, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at DMC Insurance, Inc.  “The drivers nominated have exceptional safety records while also making the effort to be leaders in their companies and their communities. There are so many great people that work every day to make our supply chain operate smoothly, and we just wanted to show our appreciation for their efforts.”

Left to right: Mark Carrocce, President of American Bulk Commodities, Inc.; Anne Marie Naples, Safety Director; Harry Frelin, Terminal Manager at John Brown Trucking; Gary Carrocce, Vice President of American Bulk Commodities, Inc.; Bill Kerry, Driver of the Year; Stacy Renz, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at DMC Insurance; Rob Reed, VP of Finance at American Bulk Commodities, Inc.

Bill has an exceptional safety record and his dedication to passing on the knowledge and expertise he’s gained over his career to novice drivers was a big aspect of why he was selected for this award. When asked what Bill would tell a new driver starting out today, he advised, “I’m always constantly aware of my surroundings. Constantly. I don’t get in a hurry. I’ve found that those that get in a hurry, that’s when a lot of problems come up. Through the years, I just go at my own pace. Be patient. Something can happen just in the blink of an eye, I’ve seen it happen too many times. Just be patient.”

Congratulations to Bill and the entire American Bulk Commodities, Inc. team for this much-deserved recognition. Drivers like Bill make us exceptionally proud to be a part of this great industry, and it was our honor to partner with our insured to show our appreciation for all the work and effort he has put in during his 55-year career in trucking.

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. Below are several of the impressive drivers and companies that participated in this year’s award.