In honor of Veteran’s Day on Monday, ATD would like to acknowledge the dealerships that do an excellent job recruiting and hiring veterans and members of our military. On November 6, fellow ATD truck dealer Bob Nuss received the Department of Labor’s 2019 HIRE Vets Medallion Award. It is the only federal-level award that recognizes a corporate commitment to hiring veterans and investing in their professional development.
Bob’s dealership, Nuss Truck & Equipment in Rochester, Minn., employs more than 350 people, and 7.5 percent of his employees are veterans. On behalf of ATD, we congratulate Bob and his staff for this prestigious accomplishment and representing our commercial truck business so admirably! There are many other truck dealers who are committed to veterans, including the 2019 Truck Dealer of the Year Trey Mytty of Truck Center Companies whose team is comprised of 25 percent veterans.
Dealers strive for a diverse employment pool which includes veterans and reservists. Our desire to engage and involve everyone is more important than ever as our industry copes with labor shortages. When NADA and ATD leadership visited the White House last summer, we knew firsthand the difficulties in finding staff. The U.S. labor shortage is reaching a critical point, with truck drivers and service technicians in low supply across the industry and country. As a business owner, I know that a truck dealership is a great place to work and build a career. I also know that current and former members of the military make excellent team members. America’s dealerships offer stable and flexible jobs with great pay and benefits. Chances are your local dealership is hiring now but the challenge is getting the word out.
As ATD continues to work hard and tackle the technician shortage, I urge you to stay updated on our Workforce Initiative. We must prioritize placing and retaining skilled technicians over the next 10 years, so let’s sell the opportunity that our industry offers. I also urge you to continue sharing the My Dealership videos which highlight the benefits of local dealerships in communities, including work opportunities for military families.
Finally, as the holiday season begins, ATD is proud to be part of the National Wreaths Across America in December. ATD will be present at the Arlington National cemetery to lay wreaths across a fallen hero’s grave site. It is truly an honor to be part of this great event.
I hope everyone in our ATD family took a moment to pause and celebrate Veteran’s Day, and that we continue to recognize the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform—inside and outside of our dealerships.
