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Pilot
Flying J Rewards Dedicated Drivers
in
Fourth Annual Road Warrior Contest
|
Knoxville,
TN – April 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Pilot
Flying J has announced the winners of its fourth annual Road Warrior
program, recognizing the “heroes on the road” with cash prizes. Mike
Sheeds of Bandera, Texas, Terry Lee of Robert, La., and Desiree
Ridley of Davenport, Fla., have been named the grand, second and third
place Road Warrior winners respectively.
Pilot
Flying J hosts the annual online contest to show appreciation for professional
drivers who go the extra mile to ensure that products and goods are delivered
safely, securely and on time to keep the country running efficiently. Each
year, Road Warrior winners are nominated by coworkers, friends and families
of professional drivers across the U.S. for their hard work, perseverance
and passion for driving. This year’s winners stood out from a field of
almost 5,000 participants.
As
winners of the fourth annual Road Warrior contest, Sheeds will receive
$10,000, Lee will receive $5,000 and Ridley will receive $2,500, and all
will join an exclusive group of past program winners. Nominators of these
three winners will also receive a $500 prize.
“This
year’s Road Warrior winners are inspiring and exceptional representations
of the professional driver community,” said Ken Parent, president of Pilot
Flying J. “These unsung heroes are on the road day in and day out to provide
our country with the goods that make daily life possible. The Road Warrior
program is our way of thanking professional drivers.”
America’s
3.8 million truck drivers are an integral piece of the country’s infrastructure.
This year’s Road Warriors are each making strong contributions to the professional
driving community in different ways:
Mike
Sheeds, grand prize winner: A professional driver of more than 27 years,
Sheeds has over 3.5 million safe driving miles under his belt. Sheeds has
trained more than 300 students throughout his career, teaching the importance
of safety above all else. His awards and accolades speak to his achievements
on the road, but pale in comparison to his dedication to his family. Sheeds
and his wife have four adopted daughters, each born drug and/or alcohol
exposed and surviving trauma, abuse and neglect. While driving can be a
demanding career, Sheeds always prioritizes spending time with family and
advocating for his children.
Terry
Lee, second place winner: Lee began his professional driving career
34 years ago while serving in the army in the Middle East. Lee has overcome
many adversities throughout his life including rebuilding his family’s
home after losing it to a flood and being diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic
leukemia stage two blood cancer. None of these hardships hindered his dedication
to driving, and he is still on the road today making his family proud.
Desiree
Ridley, third place winner: Ridley, a long haul driver who joined the
professional driving community when she turned 21, is an advocate of millennial
women breaking barriers in the professional driving industry. Throughout
her recent pregnancy, Ridley continued to show dedication and passion for
her job, driving until she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant. Even as
a new mother, she continues to drive (now locally) six days a week while
caring for her family. No matter what comes her way, Ridley handles it
with strength and finesse—on and off the road.
“I
am so humbled to be chosen as a Road Warrior winner,” said Sheeds. “Driving
has been part of my life for almost 30 years, and teaching aspiring professional
drivers to prioritize safety above all else is what has remained most important
to me throughout my career. Experience will never trump physics, and I
encourage all drivers to remember this on the road. I’d like to thank my
wife for nominating me and always believing in me, and all of the inspiring
pro drivers I’ve met throughout my journey.”
To
learn more about the Road Warrior program and read about the winners, visit
RoadWarrior.PilotFlyingJ.com.
To learn more about the grand prize winner and view exclusive content visit
the Pilot Flying
J YouTube channel. Join the Road Warrior conversation by following
#RoadWarrior.
About
Pilot Flying J
Pilot
Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers in North America, is committed
to connecting people and places with comfort, care and a smile at every
stop. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Flying J has more than
750 retail locations in 44 states, Roadside assistance available at over
145 locations nationwide and growing as part of its Truck Care program,
44 Goodyear Commercial Tire and Service Centers, and 34 Boss Shops. The
Pilot Flying J network provides drivers with access to more than 72,000
parking spaces for trucks with Prime Parking at more than 400 locations,
5,200 deluxe showers and more than 6,200 diesel lanes with 5,200 offering
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) at the pump. Pilot Flying J is currently ranked
No. 15 on Forbes’ list of America’s Largest Private Companies. Visit www.pilotflyingj.com
for more information.
Media
Contact:
Stephanie
Myers
External
Communications Supervisor
Pilot
Flying J
865-474-4096 |