TABLE OF CONTENTS
2 Hot weather safety tips
3 Refer a truck driver or technician — earn $1,500
4 2026 Kingman roadeo recap
5 2026 Gentry roadeo recap
6 On the move: Kyle Kiser and Lex Saturno
7 Vehicle registration Grand Prix Safety Initiative Absence code ‘HOL’ for July 4
8 In the community: Armed Forces Day Parade; Rockingham County Job Fair; Touch-a-Truck event in Gentry and May 2026 Little Debbie Family Fun Run
10 Happy retirement: Kenny Robison, Rick Neil, Gay Fawley and Joe Temple
12 Congratulations on one million safe miles: Shon Leonard, Dennis Whidden and Rodney Smith
13 Congratulations on one and a half million safe miles: David Creel and Tom Bowers
14 Got safe miles? July is National Picnic Month
15 Employee profile: Michael Munson
16 TTA Tech competition
17 Tour de McKee
18 People here and there
19 McKeeFIT Lifestyle
On the cover — Collegedale Transportation debuts a newly wrapped tractor honoring veterans at the May 2026 Armed Forces Day parade in Chattanooga, Tenn. (Pictured: walking, Tim Brogden, Collegedale Transportation Field superintendent; driving, Collegedale long-haul drivers, Steve Moyer and Steve Huff.)
Back page — Brandon Duncan, Gentry long-haul driver, competes in the 2026 Gentry Roadeo.
Loads&Roads is published bi-monthly by the Transportation Communications Team for McKee Foods Transportation to help employees stay informed about issues affecting them on the job. Content suggestions and submissions should be sent to your local Communications Team member.
Managing editor and layout/design: Mista Gallmon
Co-editor: James Hickey
Editorial Board: Donél Cochran, Scott Dempsey, Ron Eddleman, James Frost, William Hostetter, Jason Smith, Renee’ Tracy, John Williams and Ryan Womack.
Communications Team: Emily Amos, Lorrie Bowles, Cindy Gibson, James Hickey, Melissa Holloway, Chuck Johnson, Kaitlen Kirkpatrick, Cathy McCamey, Roxy Najar, Kim Polster and Dennise Robison.
REFER A TRUCK DRIVER OR TECHNICIAN — EARN $1,500!
HELP GROW OUR TEAM AND GET REWARDED
Know someone who would be a great fit behind the wheel of a McKee Foods Transportation truck? You can help grow our team — and earn a bonus while you’re at it.
We’re offering a $1,500 referral bonus for referring a long-haul driver to McKee Foods.
How it works:
• Submit an electronic referral form in Via (DSS) before your candidate applies
• If your referral is hired:
• $750 after 60 days
• $750 after 120 days
A few things to keep in mind:
• Open to all locations and employees
• Candidate must not have previously applied
• Not all referrals will be hired — candidates must meet job qualifications
• Be sure your referral lists your name on their application
• Bonus is subject to applicable taxes
Let’s keep building a strong team and share sweet success together.
Questions? Reach out to Sara Conley at sara.conley@mckee.com.
2026 KINGMAN ROADEO RECAP
The 2026 Kingman Roadeo was a success! There was a great turnout, with eight participants, and everyone had a blast cheering on our drivers and enjoying good food and fellowship. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Roadeo for making it a day to remember!
Congratulations to this year’s winners: First place: Gentry Nuessle Second place: George Stevens Third place: Chris Stokes
They will travel to Collegedale in October to compete against the winners from the other locations in the Corporate Roadeo. Stay tuned to see who will take home the first-place title!
2026 GENTRY ROADEO RECAP
The 2026 Gentry Roadeo was a hit! There was a great turnout, with 24 participants, and everyone had a blast cheering on our drivers and enjoying good food and fellowship.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Roadeo for making it a day to remember!
Congratulations to this year’s winners: First place: Charles Buffer Second place: Leo Nash Third place: Tony Adair
They will travel to Collegedale in October to compete against the winners from the other locations in the Corporate Roadeo. Stay tuned to see who will take home the first-place title!
ON THE MOVE
Iwant to congratulate Kyle Kiser on his recent promotion to second shift, Fleet Maintenance supervisor in Stuarts Draft. Kyle came to McKee Foods close to six years ago and has shown a great desire to excel in everything he has done or been tasked to do. Although Kyle’s mechanical knowledge will be dearly missed, I look forward to seeing him grow in his new position. Kyle transitioned to supervisor on April 6.
Please join me in congratulating Kyle on his recent promotion.
— Rick Sprouse, Stuarts Draft Fleet Maintenance superintendent
Iam happy to announce that Lex Saturno has accepted the position of operations superintendent with Collegedale Transportation, effective Saturday, July 4.
Lex brings more than four years of experience with McKee Foods, having served as a recruiter for Manufacturing, HR coordinator, Learning and Development specialist and District Sales representative. He is currently finishing his role as manager of Wholesale Projects and Communications.
Outside of work, Lex enjoys spending time in nature, mountain biking, skiing, rock climbing and photography. He is also passionate about learning languages and traveling.
Please join me in congratulating Lex and welcoming him to his new role!
— James Frost, Collegedale Transportation manager
VEHICLE REGISTRATION GRAND PRIX SAFETY INITIATIVE
REGISTER YOUR VEHICLE(S) FOR A CHANCE TO FUEL YOUR SUMMER ADVENTURE!
To keep our facilities safe and help our Security team reach you quickly if your car needs attention, we now require all employees to register their vehicles in Workday. Please review the updated “Parking Areas” policy in the Policy Manual.
Facility Planning Support: We’ve added an option to register your handicap placard or plate number. Providing this information helps our Facilities team understand how many handicap parking spots are needed so we can ensure our campus parking lots are adequately planned for everyone.
How to Enter the Grand Prix: Effective immediately, follow these steps to be entered to win one of 60 $100 Walmart gift cards to fuel your next adventure! To keep things fair, we have multiple different “winner circles,” meaning three people from every shift at every location will win as well as Corporate employees and Transportation employees.
1. Log in to Workday.
2. Click on the My Vehicle Registration link in the Workday announcement or type My Vehicle Registration in the search bar and click on that link. Enter your vehicle’s Make, Model, Color and License Plate.
3. Optional: Enter your Handicap Placard or checkmark the handicap plate box in the designated field.
4. Hit Submit to be entered into the drawing!
5. Note: If you drive more than one vehicle to work, each should be entered separately.
Deadline: To be eligible for the gift card drawing, you must register at least one vehicle by Friday, July 10.
— Scotty Hernandez, Corporate Security manager, sr.
ABSENCE CODE ‘HOL’ FOR JULY 4
This is a friendly reminder that for the upcoming holiday, Independence Day, July 4, you should use the absence code called HOL – McKee Holiday – Use PTO.
Please reference the attendance policy that was approved by HR managers at all sites for absence questions.
For more inforamtion, see the MIX post in Company News published June 10. If you have any technical questions, please contact us at hristeam@mckee.com. — Human Resources Information
IN THE COMMUNITY
ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE
McKee Foods was a hit in the May 1 Armed Forces Day Parade in Chattanooga, Tenn. Corporate Communications wants to thank the following for a successful event:
The driving team: A big thanks to Steve Moyer and Steve Huff, Collegedale long-haul drivers, for piloting our beautiful, newly wrapped tractor through the route.
Logistics and support: Deep gratitude to the Collegedale Transportation Department. From coordinating logistics, to the heavy lifting of prepping hundreds of snack cakes for the crowd, we couldn’t have done it without you.
A special thanks to John Williams for driving this project and helping to design the Military Tribute wrap just in time for the parade. We are also working on three additional trucks which will give us one for each location, and we are working on a tribute design for trailers now.
— Corporate Communications
ROCKINGHAM COUNTY JOB FAIR
Representing McKee Foods at the job fair at Rockingham County Fairgrounds were Fleet Maintenance supervisors, Travis Ferguson (first shift) and Kyle Kiser (second shift).
Seven local high schools with more than 1,000 students were in attendance.
Thank you for staying active in the community as well as showcasing what McKee Foods has to offer.
— Rick Sprouse, Stuarts Draft Fleet Maintenance superintendent
IN THE COMMUNITY
TOUCH-A-TRUCK AT LINCOLN ELEMENTARY
Honk honk! Lincoln Elementary School students in Lincoln, Ark., which is located just south of Gentry, had a blast at the Touch-a-Truck event on April 17! Kids got a hands-on look at all kinds of cool vehicles — from fire trucks and farm equipment to electric utility vehicles. A huge thank you to all the drivers, including Tim Standifer, pictured here, for giving our students such a fun, interactive day of learning!
— Corporate Communications
MAY 2026 LITTLE DEBBIE FAMILY FUN RUN
Corporate Communications extends its sincere thanks to the Collegedale Transportation Department for bringing the newly wrapped tractor honoring veterans to the May 2026 Little Debbie Family Fun Run.
Thanks to the volunteers and community support, the event successfully raised $3,200 to benefit the Collegedale Veterans Memorial Park.
— Corporate Communications
HAPPY RETIREMENT
KENNY ROBISON RETIRES
Kenny Robison, Gentry first shift Operations supervisor, retired Monday, March 23, after 37 years of service. Kenny is presented with his retirement certificate from (l to r) Ryan Womack and Alex Armer. Thank you for your service, Kenny. Enjoy your retirement!
Rick Neil, Stuarts Draft long-haul driver, retired Wednesday, Jan. 7, after 30 years of service. Rick is congratulated by Randy Sampson and William Hostetter. Thank you for your service, Rick. Enjoy your retirement!
RICK NEIL RETIRES
HAPPY RETIREMENT
GAY FAWLEY RETIRES
JOE TEMPLE RETIRES
Gay Fawley, Stuarts Draft long-haul driver, retired Friday, Feb. 27 ,after 33 years of service. Gay is congratulated by Jeff Samples, Tracy Underwood, Shannon Hemp, Faye’s spouse, Ken, Chris Reeves, William Hostetter and Rick Sprouse. Thank you for your service, Gay. Enjoy your retirement!
Joe Temple, Stuarts Draft long-haul driver, retired Friday, Apr. 24, after 36 years of service. Joe is congratulated by Matt Henderson, Chris Reeves and William Hostetter. Thank you for your service, Joe. Enjoy your retirement!
CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE MILLION SAFE MILES
from the Transportation Natural Management Team
Congratulations to Shon Leonard, Dennis Whidden and Rodney Smith for safely traveling more than one million miles. McKee Foods Transportation extends its deepest appreciation for your dedication to safe driving.
Shon Leonard, Collegedale long-haul driver, receives her one million safemiles jacket, plaque and certificate from (l to r) Chris McKee, Renee Tracy, Rusty McKee and Donel Cochran.
Dennis Whidden, Collegedale long-haul driver, receives his one million safemiles jacket and plaque from (l to r) Chris McKee, Renee Tracy and Rusty McKee.
Rodney Smith,Valdosta long-haul driver, receives his one million safe-miles plaque from (l to r) Tim Brogden, Mark Jensen and Jim Dawkins.
CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE AND A HALF MILLION SAFE MILES
from the Transportation Natural Management Team
Congratulations to David Creel and Tom Bowers for safely traveling more than one and a half million miles. McKee Foods Transportation extends its deepest appreciation for your dedication to safe driving.
David Creel, Collegedale long-haul driver, receives his one and a half million safe-miles jacket from (l to r) Chris McKee, Renee Tracy and Rusty McKee.
Tom Bowers, Kingman long-haul driver, receives his one and a half million safe-miles jacket from (l to r)
Chuck Johnson, Chuck Morgan, Ron Eddleman and Fabian Salazar
GOT SAFE MILES?
Congratulations to these long-haul drivers for reaching the following safe mileage accomplishments.
100,000
Tony Bailey (Ark.)
David Lanham (Va.)
Jeremy Herod (Ark.)
R.J. Straubing (Ark.)
Eric Brown (Ark.)
200,000
Jonathan Randolph (Ark.)
Andrew Coberley (Ark.)
Travis Wood (Va.)
Matt Pfeiffer (Ark.)
Brad Robbins (Ark.)
Scott Cilley (Ariz.)
300,000
Eddie Morris (Ark.)
James Hanke (Ark.)
Shawn Curtis (Ark.)
John Howard (Tenn.)
Toad Guthrie (Ark.)
Igor Lebrun (Ark.)
400,000
Earl Thornton (Va.)
Garry Long (Ark.)
400,000, cont’d.
Jonathan McMurtry (Portland)
Wayne Smith (Tenn.)
Dray McJunkin (Ark.)
Brandon Duncan (Ark.)
500,000
George Neale (Ark.)
Danny Broetzmann (Tenn.)
Pete Reeves (Ark.)
600,000
Tony Adair (Ark.)
A.J. Caplinger (Va.)
Avery Simmons (Va.)
Rick Messerley (Va.)
John Graham (Tenn.)
Gary Morgan (Tenn.)
700,000
Stanley Jackson (Va.)
Arthur Layman (Va.)
Greg Cline (Va.)
Aaron Arnold (Ark.)
800,000
Jeff Wood (Ariz.)
Jeff Pollard (Ariz.)
Clinton Rhodes (Va.)
Eli Polina (Ark.)
Joe Kernen (Va.)
900,000
Mike Huffman (Va.)
1,100,000
Jeremy Burrough (Ark.)
Gerald Smith (Va.)
Brian Hammill (Tenn.)
Karen Partin (Tenn.)
Brian Nash (Ark.)
1,200,000
Don Baker (Ark.)
Carey Newman (Va.)
1,300,000
Tracy Reno (Tenn.)
Jorge Scagnegatti (Tenn.)
1,400,000
Robbie Cooper (Ark.)
Bradley Mathias (Va.)
Bill Hanke (Ark.)
1,500,000
Danny Sandridge (Va.)
Tom Bowers (Ariz.)
Corey Powell (Tenn.)
1,700,000
Eddie Moyer (Va.)
James Griffith (Ark.)
1,800,000
Erick Shaffer (Ark.)
3,300,000
Cecil Moats (Va.)
3,600,000
Don Mahoney (Ark.)
EMPLOYEE PROFILE: MICHAEL MUNSON
by Cathy McCamey, Gentry Fleet Maintenance office support
Michael has been working as a diesel truck technician on fourth shift in Gentry for a little over three years. Prior to coming to work for McKee Foods Transportation, he worked for Walmart in Bentonville, Ark., for a total of nine years. The last six years there, he worked as a truck technician. Michael says “he has always wanted to work with his hands on some sort of vehicle.”
Michael’s day-to-day responsibilities include working on repairs and inspections on tractors and trailers. This includes diagnosing and repairing check engine lights, injectors, rear structures, overheads, panel replacement, cross member replacement, tires, brakes and wheel seals. He sometimes runs the lead position and helps out other technicians.
The most challenging part of the job for Michael is “probably diagnosing wiring issues and repairing them.” He thinks it is most rewarding when he has the opportunity to try a new job and successfully complete. Michael enjoys the “camaraderie of the shop and the shared vision of wanting to provide quality service to
the drivers.” He likes the “work environment and how we all understand we are a team accomplishing the shared goal of keeping the trucks running.” Michael also appreciates the support of management for tools and equipment necessary to complete the jobs at hand. He is grateful for the “excellent training opportunities” that McKee Foods provides. He stated, “it makes me a better technician.”
Outside of work, Michael enjoys going to the river, off-roading in his Jeep, reading, fishing, hiking and spending time with his three children and other family members. One of his most memorable adventures was when, at the age of 16, he went fishing and canoeing for over a hundred miles in Canada.
What Michael enjoys most about reading Loads&Roads is the coverage of the driver and technician competitions. He has had the opportunity to compete in the Arkansas Technician competitions. In 2024, he placed first in the Steering & Suspension category.
Michael Munson, Gentry diesel truck technician.
TTA TECH COMPETITION
by Brandon Hairston, Collegedale Fleet Maintenance supervisor
On April 9, seven technicians from Collegedale Fleet Maintenance represented McKee Foods at the 2026 Tennessee Trucking Association Technician Skills Competition in Nashville. This statewide event brings together technicians from across Tennessee to demonstrate their expertise through ten hands-on skill stations, followed by a comprehensive written examination. The stations covered a wide range of disciplines, from OEM engine diagnostics to webbased troubleshooting.
Awards are presented for top performance at each of the ten stations, and McKee Foods technicians
distinguished themselves by securing victories in four categories — an achievement that underscores both their technical proficiency and dedication. The company is proud of all participants and their commitment to excellence.
Special recognition is extended to Homer Knight, who earned top honors in one station, and Kyle Kiser, who claimed first place in three stations and was named the overall Grand Champion. With this accomplishment, Kile advances to the SuperTech Competition, a national event that features only the top competitors from each state.
TOUR DE MCKEE
Tour de McKee is a virtual, roundtrip race around each McKee Foods location, totaling 4,539 miles. The race will end when the first team accumulates 4,539 miles; that team will be awarded the Creme de la Cake! The race will begin on Monday, June 29
Teams are broken down by location:
• TN Corporate Office
• TN Manufacturing
• AR
• VA
• FSO
• AZ and Transportation
Participants will be employees and spouses who are on a McKee Foods health plan. Those who are already active in the Sweet Rewards program are automatically enrolled on their teams and will use their connected activity trackers to gain miles for their team beginning June 29.
Not an active Sweet Rewards user but want to get involved?
If you would like to contribute to your team’s success and are covered under a McKee Foods health plan, you can email sweet.rewards@mckee.com to request a fitness tracker.
To check the status of your team, watch for updates on the Whippet into Shape topic on MIX.
PEOPLE HERE AND THERE
Accurate case counts
Congratulations to these loading checkers in Kingman for loading five or more perfectlycounted trucks during the following periods.
Period 9
Troy Deakin – 12
Braeden Jordon – 11
Scott Morrison – 10
Ross Hunter – 9
Kenny Elwood – 9
Zack Solbes – 8
Matt Martinez – 6
Brandon VanRees – 6
Period 10
Braeden Jordon – 11
Troy Deakin – 10
Neil McLeish – 8
Kenny Elwood – 8
Brandon VanRees – 8
Ross Hunter – 7
Dereck Malecki – 6
Matt Martinez – 6
Period 11
Troy Deakin – 9
Scott Morrison – 7
Matt Martinez – 7
Brandon VanRees – 6
Neil McLeish – 6
Kenny Elwood – 6
Ross Hunter – 5
CONGRATULATE
Tim Schmidt (Va.) — on the birth of his grandson, Hudson Allen Schmidt, born Friday, April 3.
Nikki Turk (Tenn.) on the birth of her son, Gideon Ivan, born Tuesday, June 2.
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO ...
David Robinson (Ark.) on the death of his father, Sherman Robinson. Services were held Wednesday, March 25.
David Salas (Ark.) on the death of his aunt, Maria Mercedes Salas Barrientos. Services were held Sunday, Apr. 19.
Bill Martin (Va.) on the death of his mother, Judith Martin. Services were private.
David Todd (Tenn.) on the death of his father-in law, Ronald Guest. Services were held Wednesday, May 13.
Kevin Ivey (Tenn.) on the death of his mother, Gloria Jeanne Ivey. Services were held Tuesday, May 12.
OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO ...
Carlton Selph (Valdosta) on the death of his brother, Marvin LaShane “Shane” Selph. Services were held Monday, April 20.
Jackie Lynn Parker (Portland) on the death of his sister, Myrtle Vanhooser. A celebration of life was held Friday, April 17.
Bryan Hawkins (Mebane) on the death of his motherin-law, Doris Ann (Kivette) Farthing. Graveside services were held Thursday, April 2.
James Young (Tenn.) on the death of his father-in-law, Roy Calvin Wright. Funeral services were held Friday, May 29.
Seth Claire (Tenn.) on the death of his grandmother, Nellie Hendrix Wilbanks. Graveside services were held Thursday, May 28.
Mark Henry (Tenn.) on the death of his mother, Martha Jewell Henry. Services were held Saturday, June 6.
Jeff Cochran (Tenn.) on the death of his father, Mack Davis Cochran Jr. Services were held Tuesday, June 9.
Aaron Brewer (Tenn.) on the death of his grandmother, Berdella Alber. No formal services were held.
MCKEEFIT LIFESTYLE
SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NEXT SESSION
Transform exercise from a routine into your ultimate power source with McKeeFIT Lifestyle, a fully customizable, face-to-face, wellness coaching program designed to meet you wherever you are in your wellness journey. This great program is offered at no cost to our employees.
Exercise is a cornerstone of health and wellness — it strengthens your body, boosts confidence and builds a lasting sense of capability. McKeeFIT Lifestyle helps you harness this power so you can feel stronger, more energized and better equipped to handle anything life throws your way. Over the 10-week program, you won’t just change your workout routine; you’ll build sustainable habits, redefine your limits and create a vibrant, resilient version of yourself.
The next session of McKeeFIT Lifestyle runs July 6-Sept. 11. The deadline to sign up is Friday, July 3.
Limited slots available in Tennessee, Arkansas and Virginia*.
Note: There are limited dates for preliminary biometrics consultations for Virginia employees interested in participating in the program. Appointments will only be available June 17-18 and July 1-2.
Post Office Box 2299
Collegedale, TN 37315-2299
