Meadow Lark Cos., an asset-based 3PL, began over 40 years ago with nothing but a card table, a phone and a brand new red chair. As of 2023, Meadow Lark owns over 40 terminals and 300 trucks across the U.S. and is exceeding $200 million in revenue.
Mandy Roth, oldest daughter of the company founders and the current owner and CEO, has been with Meadow Lark since 1998. After tagging along with her dad on a business trip to Kansas City, Missouri, she eventually determined this was the industry for her and bought the company from her parents in 2011.
“My dad has taught me a lot — most importantly that this is a people business. People are the common denominator,” Roth said. “Without our people, the company cannot grow.”
Despite the hiring issues over the last couple of years, the company has been growing since its start, adding more and more jobs each year. Woman-owned Meadow Lark sets itself apart by providing a personal touch, focusing on diversity and sticking close to its core values.
“We have been dedicated to growth through different channels and making sure that we provide a great home to our new and existing drivers and providing services our customers can be proud of,” Roth said.
The company used to primarily be a broker but has since extended its services to the trucking asset side of the industry. On the trucking side of things, the company has also extended outside of what used to be entirely owner-operators to include company drivers.
Roth added that Meadow Lark’s size is a huge advantage as it is small enough to dedicate specific time to driver needs.
“At the end of the day, drivers want to know that their voices are going to be heard,” she said. “I think our culture and our values are what sets us apart.”
Meadow Lark also offers an engagement tool known as The Lark — a company blog that provides updates and opportunities of engagement for those inside and outside of the company.
The Lark features the driver highlights, a driver of the month and customer stories. It also includes an open forum that consists of participants from everyday drivers to CEOs, offering a place for many to express concerns and be heard.
“We want to make sure our drivers’ and customers’ stories are being told. We want to bring a small-town feel and make sure we are welcoming everyone that joins us,” Roth said.
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