25 www.ortrucking.org Issue 3 | 2024 they officially became the sole hauler for Tillamook County Creamery Association. “It’s a big responsibility, because dairy farmers only have a certain amount of capacity,” said Heather. “Failure is not an option. We have to get that milk hauled.” Heather and Nick have taken that attitude into all aspects of their business after purchasing Zwald Transport from their parents in 2015. At the time, the company had three divisions: milk hauling, cheese with a fleet of reefers, and vacuum takers for manure that convert it to electricity. They’ve since diversified into lumber and log hauling and have grown their flatbed fleet. In 2022, they took over a commodity haul for a mill in McMinnville. When Heather and Nick bought the company in 2015, they had less than 30 employees. Today, they have 65 full time employees and about 30 trucks running on a full-time basis. They’ve built a leadership team of 12 so that each division now has a dedicated supervisor, allowing Heather and Nick to serve not only as a backup safety net, but also to give them time to work on the business and how they can best serve their customers, their team, and the industry. “I love being able to support my team and help grow the business so they have career advancement opportunities to reach their professional goals,” said Heather. “I’ve always loved creating an environment where people want to work.” Heather is proud of the unique career paths they’ve been able to create for their employees, including for one of their now supervisors who sits on the leadership team who started out as a truck washer before getting his CDL. Heather has also made it a point to empower the women working in her office, recognizing how challenging it was to be a woman in trucking—let alone the boss’ daughter—when she first entered the industry. “There wasn’t a lot of respect then,” said Heather. “I’ve had to claw my way to where I am today and I’m happy I’ve had to go through that experience because it made me who I am today. Now that I’m almost 40, I’ve found that balance of being respected as a woman in trucking.” Heather says she loves empowering women to be in positions that are typically male dominated. Whether she is expanding opportunities for members of her team or addressing broader issues facing the industry, Heather uses her problem-solving skills to address whatever challenges she faces.
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