TQL at 20 Years: The Sky's The Limit
CINCINNATI (OH) – The sky was the limit when it came to celebrating Total Quality Logistics’ 20th anniversary the week of Aug. 14-18. The second largest freight brokerage firm in the U.S. marked the occasion with a week of “The Sky’s the Limit” themed activities for employees, including a rappelling event benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati.
TQL opened its doors in August, 1997 with just two employees. Since then, the company has grown into a $2.3 billion sales powerhouse with 4,200 employees in 26 states. In honor of its 20th year, TQL planned a week-long, companywide celebration around the theme, “The Sky’s the Limit.” The theme speaks to the unlimited opportunity offered to employees who work for TQL.
“When we opened TQL, we had one main goal – to treat people right. That meant being honest, forthright and hard-working,” said Ken Oaks during a company-wide toast Friday. “If we could do all those things, we could be a force in the industry, and we did it.”
Ten years after opening, TQL moved into its newly-built corporate headquarters off I-275 on the east side of Cincinnati. In 2009, it opened its first satellite office in Chicago. By 2011, the company hit $1 billion in sales and employed 1,700 employees.
In addition to daily prize drawings of “extreme” activities such as skydiving and rock climbing, TQL held a rappelling event that sent its CEO and 22 lucky employees down the side of the company’s five-story corporate headquarters. The event raised nearly $4,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati. Then on Friday, employees gathered for an outdoor party and toast, after which, a helicopter dropped in to surprise a sea of employees wearing their “No Limits, No Excuses” anniversary T-shirts.
The surprises didn’t end there. Earlier in the week, TQL learned it became one of only two companies in the U.S. to be listed on the Inc.5000 list of fastest growing private companies for 13 consecutive years.
“We are better today than we ever have been,” said Kerry Byrne, President. “Our incredible customers, quality carriers and dedicated employees have shaped us into a company that has proven it has no boundaries. I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years has in store,” he added.
ABOUT TOTAL QUALITY LOGISTICS
Total Quality Logistics is the second largest freight brokerage firm in the nation. TQL connects customers needing to move truckload, LTL or intermodal freight shipments with carriers having the capacity to move them. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the company's 2016 sales topped $2.3 billion. TQL employs more than 4,200 people in 59 offices nationwide. Click here to see what sets us apart in the industry, or connect with TQL on the web, on Facebook or on Twitter @TQLogistics.
