Meet Mike Tucker, our new president
Kidron is pleased to introduce Mike Tucker, our new president. An experienced and highly successful executive working within the food, dairy and beverage distribution industries, Mike makes no qualms about the strong emphasis he places on the need for top-notch customer service.
"I'm extremely pleased to be associated with the fine people at Kidron, and with the Kidron brand name that has been so well respected in the food service and dairy industries for well over a half-century," said Mike.
"I believe that service, quality and product innovation are critical to the continuing success of Kidron, and the only way we can properly serve those components is by knowing our customers' businesses inside and out. To place more emphasis on being a "customer driven " company. So our customers can expect to be seeing a lot more of us - and listening more than ever - in the months and years to come."
Mike's influence continues to be felt throughout Kidron's sister company as well. VT Systems Inc., our corporate parent, also named Mike CEO of its subsidiary VT Specialized Vehicles Corporation (VT SVC), which includes the appointment to concurrently serve as president of both the Kidron and Hackney divisions.
Kidron produces multi-stop refrigerated and dry freight truck bodies and trailers with operations in Ohio, Florida, California and Pennsylvania. Hackney, operating in North Carolina and Kansas, is a leading producer of specialized aluminum truck bodies and trailers serving the beverage, emergency rescue, vending and contractor service markets.
Mike joined VT SVC's Hackney division in 1990, holding several leadership positions in operations and sales prior to being appointed president in 2001. Under his leadership, Hackney has executed a successful market and product diversification strategy that has resulted in a doubling of sales since 2002.
He received his BA degree in economics from Duke University and was employed with Bain and Company, an international management consulting firm, before joining VT Systems. A native of Greenville, N.C., he and his wife have two daughters.
"We are delighted to bring the benefits of Mike's leadership to Kidron," said General John Cobuurn (USA, Ret.), chairman and CEO of VT Systems. "Leveraging his success at Hackney, and his extensive experience in producing specialty vehicles, we are confident that he will continue to drive the company's future growth and build on the company's reputation in delivering quality products to the industries."
Email messages can be sent to Mike at mtucker@kidron.com
Kidron introduces "Customer Driven" theme
Kidron's success over our long history has always been based upon the loyalty of our customers. This loyalty in turn has been based on the tremendous value, in terms of product quality and service, that we have provided. Today, we remain the quality and service leader in our industry.
However, leadership is only maintained by continued improvement. We are rededicating ourselves to push our quality and service to even higher levels. Our theme as we move forward is that we at Kidron are Customer Driven. We will provide Customer-Driven Quality, Customer-Driven Service and Customer-Driven Innovation.
As part of our new Customer Driven theme, we will be making a number of internal changes and implementing a number of improved systems and programs to enhance our quality and service. But among the most significant things we want to do is to involve all Kidron employees more closely in the enhancement of quality and service. We recognize the tremendous store of experience and knowledge that our employees possess, and we want to tap into it so that we can provide better value to our customers. Our hope is to generate a powerful explosion of passion within the company aimed at pleasing our customers.
Already, we have formed two teams, and the Kidron Customer Driven Quality effort will be headed up by Mike Elliott, Kidron's director of quality and engineering. Mike will be leading a Quality Enhancement Team, comprised of Kidron employees from different areas of our company and representing all Kidron facilities.
Steve Porter, customer service manager, will be heading up our Customer Driven Service effort, leading a Service Enhancement Team that will be focused on examining and improving all aspects of our customer interactions from field quoting through to customer delivery.
Of course, as we move forward, many people from all departments and all areas of the company, including Truck Products, Metal Products and Service Parts will be getting involved with our quality and service improvement efforts. We are committed to implementing good ideas that we get from customers as well as employees.
Cheney Brothers relies on Kidron to keep quality promise
Since 1925, when Cheney Brothers first started distributing milk and eggs, the company has been faithful to its promise of quality, consistency and excellent customer service. With that kind of commitment, it’s no surprise that Cheney Brothers has become one of the largest food service distributors in the Southeast.
With sales exceeding $530 million, Cheney Brothers inventories over 15,000 items including disposables and dry goods, beverages, seafood, dairy and cheese specialties, fresh produce, restaurant supplies, ware washing, laundry and chemical products, Italian and other specialties and sanitary maintenance chemicals and equipment.
Fast, efficient deliveries – on time with well-protected products – are absolutely critical. So Kidron is very proud of the fact that Cheney Brothers has selected our Emperor trailers and Ultra truck bodies for its fleet of well over 100 multi-temp delivery units.
Using satellite positioning technology in its vehicles, Cheney Brothers can quickly accommodate customer needs – including emergencies – as products are distributed from the company’s three multi-temp warehouses in Rivera Beach, Florida, and another in Ocala.
The company’s customer service pledge goes even further. Not only does the experienced customer service team strive to fully accommodate every product order and inquiry, the company also is vitally interested in the success of its customers – even to the point that its web site provides a list of business-building ideas for customers.
To learn more about Cheney Brothers, visit the web site: www.cheneybrothers.com
