By Patrick Yeagle
Dennis Boesdorfer says trucking is all he's ever known. His father, Roland Boesdorfer, started Boesdorfer Trucking Inc. in Pleasant Plains in 1955, and Dennis Boesdorfer has been running the company with his wife, Monica, since the 1970s - almost as long as they've been married. Now, he says it's time to step aside.
"We decided to retire while we're still relatively healthy," Boesdorfer joked.
At the start of this month, Boesdorfer Trucking was sold to Whalen Trucking Inc. in Waverly. Dennis Boesdorfer says it was a tough decision to retire, but he wanted to make sure his drivers and clients were taken care of.
"We didn't want to close the doors and just tell everybody to have a nice life," he said. "We've known the Whalens a long time."
Rich Whalen, president of Whalen Trucking, says the purchase is an opportunity for his company to grow, adding Boesdorfer's "loyal customers and loyal employees." Boesdorfer's employees will be absorbed into Whalen Trucking, he says, along with several trucks. Whalen says he'll even be hiring more drivers. His company serves the entire Midwest east of the Montanas.
Dennis Boesdorfer says Kevin Montgomery, a 16-year employee with his company, has been integral to operations for a while. Montgomery says he's making the transition to Whalen Trucking.
"My employees could run it by themselves," Boesdorfer said. "Kevin's been doing even more than I was. ... The day-to-day operations aren't going to change, except for my wife and I not being here."
Contact Patrick Yeagle at [email protected].