Dan England.

• Position: Brief Article

"The trucking industry is a great barometer of the economy" says Dan England, CEO of C R England Inc. trucking company. "Eighty percent of all the goods in America are carried by truck. If people aren't calling for trucks, that's the first sign that orders are down and people aren't purchasing. If there is a breakdown in the transportation industry in our country, our standard of living will drop dramatically."

C R England is a family business, started in 1920 by Chester R. England. Now, with second and third generation offspring running the business, Chester would be "blown away by the technology and the growth," says grandson Dan, now CEO. Operating currently in every state in the union, as well as Canada and Mexico, C R England's 1999 revenues exceeded $407 million and the company employed more than 4,000. England is the largest refrigerated carrier in the nation and is ranked 38th in the overall industry.

Fifteen years ago, with deregulation, the fallout emaciated the top 100 carriers down to less than 20. England barely hung on with 175 trucks. Today the operation boasts 2,600 trucks and 3,900 trailers.

Dan England credits technology for its recent success and growth. "We came into the information age in the early '80s, becoming sophisticated from a computer standpoint. This allowed us to grow rapidly and better manage the equipment. In the early '90s we equipped all of our units with satellite communications systems. We always know where our equipment is to manage it and we are able to communicate with any truck at any given moment, anywhere." The result has been a decrease in costs, making the company more competitive.

Although only 5 percent or 6 percent of the company's revenues come from Utah, company headquarters remain in the state because of its crossroads location and because "the state is well managed...