Page 29 - ATR 1 2013

“he has The abiliTy To scaN The horizoN aNd see where
The NexT opporTuNiTy is. TheN he has The courage aNd eNergy
To follow his iNsTiNcTs To plug himself iN aNd Try To be
a caTalysT for posiTiVe chaNge.”

—doN osTerberg, sVp–safeTy aNd securiTy, schNeider NaTioNal

Woodruff’s work has also made an his wisdom and sanity,” Osterberg said, and so they decided that at some point
impression on Don Osterberg, senior chuckling. they wanted to switch.”
vice president for safety and security at When he hears about Osterberg’s It didn’t actually happen that night
Schneider National, an ATA member quip, Woodruff laughs out loud. You but a few weeks later the foursome were
as well as a member of the Trucking see, Woodruff actually likes the snow out again and sure enough, Woodruff’s
Alliance. and cold. He is an avid skier and intro- date took up with his friend Don and
“I have great professional respect duced his wife Amy to the sport a few Amy took the opportunity to get to
for Greer, and a personal admiration,” years ago, an experience which was know him better.
said Osterberg. “He’s a very creative and bumpy, to say the least. “I already had a date with the
thorough leader in our industry with a “She went with me to Salt Lake other girl the following night,” said
passion for safety. I would character- City for a meeting with some other Woodruff, “but at some point I walked
ize him at the highest level as a change safety leaders. We stayed over a couple over to him and said, ‘hey, Don, you
agent for our industry.” of extra days so she could learn to ski,” doing anything tomorrow night?’ He
Osterberg said he looks for four he said. “She was cussin’ me the first said ‘no’, and I said, ‘Good, you’ve got a
characteristics when he evaluates a day, but by the second day the light bulb date with Amber tomorrow at 7 so don’t
person: Intellect, situational awareness, went off and we’ve been skiing together be late.’ Amy and I went out the next
energy and courage. “As I assess Greer, ever since.” night.”
he really personifies all four,” They got married 18 years
he said. “He’s extremely ago and Woodruff adopted
bright, has the ability to scan Amy’s 6-year-old son Derek,
the horizon and see where the who is now 25 and in the U.S.
next opportunity is. Then he Air Force. They also had two
has the courage and energy more boys: Jackson, 17 and Job,
to follow his instincts to plug 15. Woodruff says he happily
himself in and try to be a spends most of his free time in
catalyst for positive change.” family pursuits.
He says they’re proof you can “I’ve got a great wife and
be professional colleagues would rather spend time with
and good friends while work- my wife than go out with my
ing for two companies that buddies. One of the joys of my
remain fierce competitors life is observing my kids grow-
in the marketplace, but are ing up and doing the things
on common ground when it Craig harper, J.B. hunt Coo, with woodruff they enjoy,” he said. “Watching
comes to safety. Woodruff met Amy on a blind date. my middle son [who is a manager
But there was a catch. They were each for the Fayetteville High football and
makINg THE SWITCH on a blind date with someone else that basketball teams] cheer on his teams
Osterberg does recall when night. “I was on a date with another girl and interact with the players; to see
Woodruff’s judgment may not have and Amy was on a date with another him find joy in that, I love that. My
been at its best. They were working on a guy I knew, and the girls didn’t like the younger son is a basketball player [for
benchmark and Woodruff came to visit guys they were with,” he said, chuckling Woodland Junior High] and we spend a
Osterberg at Schneider’s headquarters, at the memory. “They were in the rest- lot of time going to his ball games. We
in February, in the coldest part of a room one complaining about me and
particularly cold winter. “I questioned the other complaining about my friend 

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