UNFI’s Driver Ambassador Program Names Four Elite Drivers of the Year

United Natural Foods, Inc. announced it has named four of its associates Elite Drivers of the Year as part of the Company’s Driver Ambassador Program. To help celebrate this achievement, as well as National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, each driver was awarded $10,000 and each distribution center the drivers reside receives a premium, UNFI branded, Navistar LT625 tractor they may use for deliveries during the next year. Over the course of the year, UNFI drivers make almost 1.4 million stops, delivering approximately 300,000 unique products to over 30,000 customer locations across North America.

The UNFI Driver Ambassador Program celebrates drivers who achieve specific metrics for service, safety, and performance. Each quarter, UNFI drivers earn the Distinguished Driver Award if they meet attendance goals and do not have any preventable accidents or injuries, as well as hours of service or Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) violations. Those drivers who achieve this level of excellence four quarters in a row become Elite Drivers. In the Company’s latest fiscal year, 40% of UNFI’s driver workforce, 1,040 drivers, attained Elite Driver status.

This following four Elite Drivers were selected as Elite Drivers of the Year:
• Andrew Verhaeghe from UNFI’s Racine, Wisconsin distribution center
• Jody Lee Turski from UNFI’s Dayville, Connecticut distribution center
• James Tucker from UNFI’s Billings, Montana distribution center
• Serghei Trus from UNFI’s Aurora, Colorado distribution center

“Our drivers epitomize the passion, commitment and perseverance it takes to help make our customers stronger, our supply chain better, and our food solutions more inspired,” said Mark Bushway, Chief Supply Chain Officer at UNFI. “This group delivers almost 43 million pounds of food each day and Jody, Andrew, James, and Serghei represent the best of UNFI. Their dedication to our customers, their profession, and UNFI are an inspiration, and we are very proud they are on our team.”