Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/490954
36 | Overdrive | April 2015 R anae Allen has known Gary Teel for 29 years, longer than Teel has driven for Weinrich Truck Line. Allen, operations manager for the Hinton, Iowa-based company, was not surprised when Teel was named 2014 Company Driver of the Year. "This'll sound corny, but he's always doing the right thing" says Allen. "That's just what he does, all the time. He's one of our go-to guys. In all these years, I can never remember him saying 'No, I can't do that.' " That outlook, as well as more than 4.5 million accident-free miles during 37 years of driving, earned Teel the honor at the Truckload Carrier Association's Annual Convention last month in Orlando, Fla. TCA, Overdrive and Truckers News produce the awards. Also attending were the W\PMZ\_WÅVITQ[\["2WPVVa Chestnut, who drives for Saddle Creek Logistics of Florida, and Danny Smith, who drives for Big G Express of Tennessee. This year's sponsors, Love's Travel Stops and Cummins, made possible a $25,000 prize for Teel and the same for Thomas Miller, named Own- er-Operator of the Year. Teel, 63, of Whiting, Iowa, grew up on a farm not far from Weinrich, and like every good son of the soil tried his hand at the family business. That's also where he started driving tractors and trucks. "I tried," says Teel. "I just couldn't go slow up and down \PMÅMTL[1O]M[[º0MIT[W knew he never could have worked "cooped up inside a factory." He got started in trucking 'Go-to guy' Gary and Connie Teel have been married 45 years. They and other fi nalists received an expense-paid trip to the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, Fla., to be present for the award announcement. Work ethic pays off for Iowa driver, who wins $25,000 BY DAVID HOLLIS Thomas Miller, named Owner-Operator of the Year at the Truckload Carriers Association meeting in Florida, will be featured in the May Overdrive. Search "Overdrive's Owner-Op of the Year Thomas Miller" on youtube.com to see him discuss his life and career in a video that was shown to attendees at the TCA awards banquet. Photos by Max Heine