Providing exceptional fleet maintenance is at the heart of Aim Transportation Solutions’ mission. It’s what keeps Aim’s customers happy. It’s what sets Aim apart from the competition. To put it simply: It’s what Aim does best.
To help ensure Aim is meeting the needs of its customers today while anticipating their needs of the future, Aim conducts an annual Maintenance Meeting. This event sets in motion the groundwork necessary to exceed the high expectations set by our motto: Service is our only product.
This year’s meeting, which donned the tagline “Racing Forward,” unfolded in a series of presentations, roundtable discussions, awards and a large vendor fair, where representatives from the biggest brands in the industry showed up to discuss upcoming product lines with the Aim team at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles, OH, just a few short miles away from Aim’s headquarters in Youngstown.
The three-day event was littered with highpoints. One of those highpoints included the awards dinner, during which Aim crowned each region’s Service Manager of the Year. Those winners were:
- Region 1: Brian McNeely
- Region 2: Chris Church
- Region 3: Jeff Burhop
- Region 5: Phil Vicinanza
- Region 7: Justin Torgerson
- Region 8: Chris Fanelli
- Region 9: Mike Buchanan
- Region 99: Kim Learn
- Director of Maintenance: Jeremy Kleemook (two years in a row)
On top of the Service-Manager-of-the-Year awards, three employees were recognized for significant milestones in years of employment: David Gurska, Aim Integrated Logistics COO, 30 years; John Reed, Aim CIO & VP of Technology, 30 years; and Shirley Bland, Aim Fleet Asset Manager, 35 years. With Aim as we know it today being founded about 40 years ago, these individuals have been among the bedrock of the company and have been indispensable to Aim’s rapid growth and success.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement on the first night, a huge video game tournament was held with each winner taking home a brand-new PlayStation 5. As would only be appropriate for a room full of gearheads, the video game in question was the racing simulator Gran Turismo 7. The two racing virtuosos who went fast and furious and took home the grand prizes were Aim Service Manager John “JP” Sheehan and Aim Marketing Manager, Conrad Smith.
“As much as the Maintenance Meeting is about celebrating the year’s achievements, it’s just as much about paving the way for future success,” said Christ Disantis, Aim Vice President of Maintenance. “More specifically: this industry is one of rapid change. There are new technologies, new regulations, new best practices, new tools and new challenges being introduced at a nearly daily clip. So, the importance of the annual maintenance meeting as a way of preparing for the then and now cannot be overstated.”
Important to the overall mission of the meeting is the vendor fair, which was held on night two. Representatives from dozens of the industry’s top brands in tools, diagnostic equipment, parts and truck manufacturers fly from across the country to attend. This gives the Aim team invaluable one-on-one time with industry experts, which they can then put into action to deliver even more value to Aim customers.
“The Maintenance Meeting is vital to our success in more ways than one,” said Scherry May, Aim’s Maintenance Support Director and the event’s coordinator. “Of course, it’s highly informational and great for strategy building and problem solving, but it’s also about building camaraderie. Since we have locations spanning the country, for a lot of our team, this is the one time of the year they see each other in person, and so having this time to build friendships and unity is priceless.”
“This event isn’t just a meeting; it’s an investment,” said Chris Disantis, Aim Vice President of Maintenance. “It’s an investment in the success of each individual who is out there turning wrenches for team Aim, who are rising above challenges, who are dedicated to their craft and the success of the customers they serve, and I am grateful for the hard work and dedication our entire team puts in and shows every single day.”
