Branch Service Manager at Penske Truck Leasing
Truck leasing company offers great pay, benefits and opportunities to advance.
By Warren Duffie
Military warrant officers are a special breed of leaders. While technically officers, they came up through the enlisted ranks and inspire a special kind of loyalty from those they command. Such ability and presence helped Michael Williams build a successful management career with Penske Truck Leasing.
“Three of the most important elements that help me each day are people skills, planning and execution, and project management,” said the 27-year Marine. “The Marine Corps taught me to understand my goals, develop a plan for execution and find the right people for the job. That’s invaluable in the corporate world.”
On The Job
Williams, 47, is a branch service manager at Penske’s Miami North location. He oversees 13 technicians who repair and maintain client vehicles that are leased, rented or under maintenance contracts.
The former chief warrant officer works from 0600 until 1800. His responsibilities include making the daily work schedule, tracking maintenance costs, ordering parts and tires, and managing supply inventories. He also inspects the supply yard to conduct inventory and keeps tabs on repair orders and employee
time cards.
“Most of our customers are small businesses that lease trucks or have maintenance agreements for us to repair their own trucks,” Williams said. “We normally fix 14-15 trucks a day – from quarter-tons to five tons. The most common issues involve transmission shifting or sealant leaks on tires.”
The Company
Headquartered in Reading, Pa., Penske Truck Leasing has 19,000 employees, more than 1,000 locations and 200,000 vehicles. The company earned revenues of $4 billion in 2008. The company provides commercial and consumer truck rentals, full-service leasing, contract maintenance, transportation, warehouse management and supply chain management solutions. Corporate partners include Ford, General Motors, Pepsi, Merck, Sony and Whirlpool.
Penske Truck Leasing hires for a variety of departments and positions – from sales and marketing, IT, and human resources to operations, safety and mechanics. Employees enjoy benefits that include medical and dental insurance, profit sharing and pension plans, health spending accounts, and spouse and child life insurance.
Williams said Penske is a great place for military veterans because the company understands the importance of teamwork in achieving goals and providing excellent customer satisfaction: “You can still practice the skills you developed in the Armed Forces. I especially encourage those with experience fixing mechanical equipment to look into a career with Penske.”
In Uniform
A native of Mobile, Ala., Williams joined the Marine Corps as an expression of patriotism: “I didn’t think the military would become a career. I was just really attracted to the Marine Corps values and traditions – honor, courage and commitment.”
After boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., Williams attended automotive mechanic school at Camp Johnson, N.C. During his career, he was stationed in North Carolina, California, Japan, New Orleans and New Jersey, and served in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. During that time, he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., and an online master’s degree in human resources management from Webster University.
The Transition
After separating in 2006, Williams attended numerous job interviews, landing a position with Penske within six months.
“Penske offered great pay, benefits and opportunities for advancement,” Williams said. “I was also attracted to the culture and 40-year history of the company.
“I would tell transitioning military not to rest on their laurels as veterans,” he continued. “You still need to perform at the high level that made you successful in uniform.”
Williams' Advice
Plan your transition as you would a mission. “Know where you’re moving to and what will be required of you in your new job.”
Don’t be surprised by sticker shock. “You might make a higher salary, but there’s no more food or housing allowances. You have to budget well.”
Be optimistic. “Despite the rough economy, hope is free and hard work pays off. Honesty and integrity are not just lines from a movie. As a veteran, you’ve lived those qualities. They’ll help you succeed in the civilian world.”