At the 2018 show we kicked off a new tradition, the “Lifetime Achievement Award”. This award honors individuals in the trucking industry with over 25 years’ experience as an owner-operator or employed with the same company for that period.
If you would like to nominate someone for the 2025 show, please fill out this form.
2024 Lifetime Award winners
- Rob Heisler – 60 Years
- Dennis Merkes – 55 Years
- Terry Ward – 62 Years
- Jack Hawthrone – 66 Years
- Dick Boyd – 64 Years
2023 Lifetime Award winners
- Jim Riedl – 48 Years – Industry Partner
- Gary Osterhaus – 50 Years
- Andy Yoder – 52 Years
- Bassett Trucking – 62 Years
- Jim Francis – 48 Years
- Thomas Schmuecker – 48 Years
- Eldon Jaeger – 52 Years
2022 Lifetime Award winners
- Amby Heisler Farley, IA – 42 years
- Kness Trucking – Chadwick, IL on 3 generations spanning 86 years of trucking
- Dick Koppes of D&L Trucking Cascade, IA – 62 years
- Steve Steinfadt of Colesburg, IA 42 years
- Jim Koeller of Potosi, WI – 36 years
- Jack Link Truck Line – Dyersville, IA on 4 generations spanning 90 years of trucking
Those honored in 2021 include:
- Chuck Betzer – Hazel Green, WI 53 Years, Industry Partner
- Jerry Meyers – Aurora, IA 58 Years, Owner-Operator
- Ray Schmuecker – Earlville, IA 65 Years, Owner-Operator
- Cal Betten – Hudsonville, MI 54 Years, Owner-Operator
- Gary Grell – Donahue, IA 61 Years, Owner-Operator
- Greg Preussner – Delhi, IA 44 Years, Owner-Operator
Those honored in 2019 include:
- Chuck McElmeel – 35 years Like Trucking – Monticello, IA
- Harold DeVries – 55 years Owner-Operator – Austinville, IA
- Larry Westhoff – 33 years Standard Forwarding – Dubuque IA
- Trucking Industry Partner Pat Storey – 48 years Motor-Ways Insurance – Urbandale, IA
Those honored in 2018 include:
- Doug Toenjes, Monticello, IA, an owner-operator for 55 years
- Bob Zimmerly, Independence Iowa, who was employed with Jensen Transport for 43 years.
- George Heisler, Farley, IA, employed with Simon’s Trucking for 46 years