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Hank Osterkamp | Fred Sotoodeh | Jerry Stahl | Jim McKemy
Following closely in his father's footsteps, Hank
Osterkamp has worked in almost every facet of the
Osterkamp Trucking family of companies. While obtaining
his bachelors degree in Psychology at San Diego
State, Hank began his tenure as a mechanic at the
Pomona shop repairing tractors and trailers. Those
summers of 1992 and 1993 made him appreciate the
importance of a well managed and experienced mechanical
shop.
After graduating, Hank joined Dedicated Fleet Systems
as a recruiter in the "Safety and Recruiting"
division. From there, Hank moved to the Osterkamp
Plaster City dispatch office and spent the next
two years learning the ever important dispatch fundamentals
of the logistics business. In 1999, Hank stepped
into management and ran the Pomona shop for Osterkamp. Soon thereafter,
Hank stepped in as the terminal manager at Osterkamp's
Chowchilla terminal. This was a very unique time
for the company as half the business was transferred
to a new warehouse in Oregon.
In 2001, Hank became terminal manager for
the Osterkamp Plaster City operation. Through the
various stints in the mechanic shop, dispatch office,
terminal management, and more, Hank has developed
a diverse skill set and background. The last several
years has been focused on a methodical succession
plan between Gus and Hank which will one day place
Hank in charge of all of Osterkamp's family of transportation
companies. Hanks' long term vision is to maintain
the quality and service established by his father
and to grow Osterkamp into a perennial top carrier.
Today, Hank lives with his wife Maristella, daughter
Malia and son Hendrick in San Clemente, California.
Hank's son Ryan lives with his mother in close proximity.
I attended school in England at the age of 11. I
spent four years in London at Aldenham School where
I was able to successfully pass the O'Level examinations.
My parents wanted me to be fluent in several languages
so they sent me to summer school in Switzerland
for about five years where I learned to speak french.
At the age of 15 I returned to the U.S. at which
time I was accepted at Cal State Fullerton. However,
they told me I was too young to attend college.
I went to Tustin High School for one year and then
went back to CSUF. There I received my B.A. in Economics
after which I attended Cal State Long Beach where
I received my M.B.A.
I was interested in the transportation industry
and wanted to go to work for Gus right after college,
but was told I needed to get some experience in
the real world. (Bartending didn't count). So I
went to work for Food Partnership, a non-profit
company that utilized trucks in the CTA (California
Trucking Association) to transport donated food
into local food banks.
I started work at Osterkamp Trucking in December
of 1989. I dispatched for a few months after which
I joined the safety department. After about two
years with the company, Gus promoted me to Operations
Manager where I oversaw our day to day operations.
I am now and have been for about 6 years, the V.P./G.M.
of OTI. In this position I am responsible for all
aspects of the business from customer relations
to purchasing of equipment. I have been very lucky
in the fact that I've worked very closely with Gus
Osterkamp and I've learned a tremendous amount from
him. I am looking forward to working with Hank Osterkamp
in the years to come.
I am thankful for my wonderful family, my wife Holly,
my son Sam, and my daughters Josephine and Lilly.
I currently live in Anaheim Hills, California and
work out of Osterkamp's Pomona terminal.
Jerry Stahl was raised in Toledo, Ohio and became a professional musician at 14 years old. He continued entertaining full time until 21 years old. In addition, starting at 19 years old, he worked full time for a manufacturer of Holly carburetors.
In 1971 Jerry moved to California and found work in a warehouse for $3.25 per hour. After six months he was promoted to warehouse manager. Several years later, he was offered a job by one of the trucking companies that hauled for his company and accepted. He worked for them several months but left for better employment at a local harbor carrier. He worked in various capacities such as maintenance, loading of 60 foot steel I-beams out of the harbor, safety, and dispatch operations.
His favorite story is that on his first day of work in the trucking business, he was handed a pair of gloves, overalls, and a sledgehammer, pointed to a large pile of trailer tires, and told to repair them. This became the catalyst of his determination to become the best dispatcher possible, so he would never have to change another tire in his life. His respect for the hard work that tire men do each day is undying.
In 1975 he was offered a job at Osterkamp Trucking in the dispatch office and accepted. Osterkamp had 24 trucks and a large following of sub haulers at that time. They hauled primarily double and semi flatbeds in California, Arizona and Nevada. There were two dispatchers and they worked hard, long hours, including evenings and weekends, but it according to Jerry, it was one of the most fun jobs Jerry had ever had. In addition to working in the dispatch office, Jerry and his co-worker unloaded hay at Gus's dairy three nights per week.
By 1983 his dispatch responsibility was all local and line shipments out of California and all southbound shipments coming out of Northern California into California, Nevada and Arizona.
He accepted a sales job within the company in 1983 and worked in this position until 1985 when he was promoted to Vice President General Manager of Dedicated fleet Systems and remained in that position until 1994. He married his wife Donna Stahl in 1987.
In 1994 he moved to Arkansas, but continued to work special projects for Mr. Osterkamp. In 1995 he accepted a position as Vice President to represent all of Gus's companies with the various corporations that our companies do business with. He continues in this position today.
Jerry is married, lives in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas on 30 acres. His hobbies are Bass fishing and playing music. He has six adult Children who are currently perusing various careers of parenting, banking, acting, professional musician, teaching, insurance and software programmer. In spite of it all, he still has a reasonable semblance of sanity...
I started my career with Osterkamp Trucking in 1976. When my father purchased a two axle tractor I became a driver for him. He leased the truck on with Osterkamp trucking hauling glass from Santa Ana, CA to Sebastapol, CA and from Ukiah, CA to 13 Western States with Building Products.
In 1978 my brother returned from the military I gave my job working for my father to my brother, I then took a job with Osterkamp Trucking driving a truck and trailer. I drove for Osterkamp until 1980, when a job became available running the northern office in Ukiah , Ca. Loading and dispatching trucks. Business increased in the northern territory with lumber and other building products. Osterkamp then hired a loader person in 1984 when I became a full time dispatcher at the northern terminal.
I worked as a full time dispatcher until 1990. When we hired a new loader and part time dispatcher. I then had an opportunity to advance to operations manager position for Osterkamp Trucking in the Northern territory of California and then extending on to the Oregon and Washington area.
I am responsible for operations at Osterkamp to this very day, learning and growing with the company. During my journey with Osterkamp Trucking I married my wonderful wife Dusty. We raised 5 great sons; Sam, Giuseppe, Jeremy and a set of twins Matthew and Anthony. Our son Sam’s a chef, Giuseppe is a timber faller, our son Jeremy is in the construction business and our twins just started college on a great scholarship in Rodeo, Bullriding, calf roping, steer wrestling, and team roping.
I’m presently continuing my efforts in the operational arena at Osterkamp and looking forward to the new growth in the northern territoy.
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