C.R. England stepping up to help veterans

Trucking company gives rigs military look, pledges to hire 350 vets.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Veterans Brent Sanger, Sean Ritter, David Bice, Bill Lowry, Pat Pyfferoen, and Nico Turner who are C.R. England employees will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet , Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Veterans Nico Turner, Bill Lowry, and Pat Pyfferoen get a first time glimpse at the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
Brent Sanger, army veteran of 13 years places his hands of the back of Sean Ritter, an army/coast guard veteran of 8 years as they and four other veterans who will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet are recognized, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
One of five new military themed trailers unveiled, Thursday, June 19, 2014. C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers, Thursday, June 19, 2014. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
l-r Veterans Brent Sanger, Sean Ritter, and David Bice and four other unseen veterans and C.R. England employees will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet , Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
Dan England, chairman of C.R. England introduces the six veterans who will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune
One of five new military themed trailers unveiled, Thursday, June 19, 2014. C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

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Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Veterans Brent Sanger, Sean Ritter, David Bice, Bill Lowry, Pat Pyfferoen, and Nico Turner who are C.R. England employees will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet , Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Veterans Nico Turner, Bill Lowry, and Pat Pyfferoen get a first time glimpse at the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Brent Sanger, army veteran of 13 years places his hands of the back of Sean Ritter, an army/coast guard veteran of 8 years as they and four other veterans who will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet are recognized, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune One of five new military themed trailers unveiled, Thursday, June 19, 2014. C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers, Thursday, June 19, 2014. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune l-r Veterans Brent Sanger, Sean Ritter, and David Bice and four other unseen veterans and C.R. England employees will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet , Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune Dan England, chairman of C.R. England introduces the six veterans who will drive the new vehicles in the Honored Veterans fleet, Thursday, June 19, 2014. All drivers have a clean safety record and have served at least one tour of duty in the armed forces. C.R. England trucking company Introduced two of five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end. Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune One of five new military themed trailers unveiled, Thursday, June 19, 2014. C.R. England trucking company will Introduce five new military-branded trucks and trailers to be used in the C.R. England fleet and a campaign to hire more veterans to serve as drivers. The goal is to hire 1,300 veterans to active driver positions by year's end.

By Mike Gorrell The Salt Lake Tribune

· June 20, 2014 11:11 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Veterans themselves, Gene and Bill England wanted to do their part to help soldiers get jobs upon leaving the U.S. military.

So the owners of refrigerated trucking company C.R. England unveiled an initiative Thursday to hire 350 veterans by year's end to drive their fleet of semi-tractor trailers.

And the West Valley City-based company highlighted that commitment by showing off five trucks and trailers newly redecorated with a military theme.

Those rigs will be driven by five veterans who were singled out in a mid-day company event attended by Gary Harter, executive director of Utah's Department of Veterans & Military Affairs, Mayors Ben McAdams (Salt Lake County) and Ron Bigelow (West Valley City) and hundreds of company employees.

Setting out to honor all veterans — the 1,300 who work for C.R. England as well as others who drive for rival companies and independent contractors — Dan England said "not only is it our duty to ensure that those coming out of the military have great jobs, but it is [also] our privilege to hire these men and women.

"Veterans bring special skills to the workforce, which make them ideal candidates for positions in our company," the company chairman added. "Veterans are disciplined, team oriented and focused problem-solvers who have an unparalleled worth ethic."

C.R. England's initiative also will provide tuition incentives for veterans to pursue more education and access to career counselors to find the right kind of driving job within the company.

Veterans also will get hats and vehicle decals that recognize them as an "Honored Veteran" and the opportunity annually to drive the military-branded trucks. Candidates must be veterans with a clean safety record.

mikeg@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribmikeg