Truckstops Manager of the Year 2021

According to Dean Pine, recent recipient of Truckstops ‘Manager of the Year 2021’ award, a good manager is someone who makes himself redundant.  Someone who can step away from the branch and have it work perfectly in his absence.  But there is always more that can be done, and Dean and his team are firm believers in providing solutions that keep trucks moving.

A relative newcomer to Truckstops, Dean has been working with the 11-strong Taupo team since July 2020.  He brought a wealth of experience and skills to the branch, developed across a range of previous roles in freight forwarding, accounting, and business ownership – both in New Zealand and his native Zimbabwe.

“You draw on knowledge and previous experience regardless of what you do,” commented Dean.  “The common factor in every job is people.  If you treat people with respect and integrity, they look forward to coming into work and achieving things.  I inherited an ‘A’ class team and all I did was provide a little help and direction.”

His firm belief in motivating and encouraging people was one of the reasons that Dean was nominated for the award by Bay of Plenty regional manager, Simon Rose, who details the Taupo branch manager’s enormous positive impact on the business.  “Turnover of branch staff is the lowest it has ever been, and the team culture is notable.  Dean regularly gets staff and their families together for social events to celebrate wins and milestones.”

The Taupo branch is also delivering on the 7Cs providing great customer service, exceeding financial targets, and continually improving Health and Safety performance.

Although Dean isn’t a qualified mechanic, he has both the interest and aptitude.  Never shy to get stuck in, he’s been known to throw on a pair of overalls and lend a hand in the workshop.  “The team treat me like an apprentice – nothing is in the too hard basket.  We offer a first-class service and follow through on our promise.”

An open-door policy is another marker of Dean’s management style – and he welcomes interruptions.  His priority is looking after and supporting the team on the shop floor.  “As trucks get more sophisticated, there’s an increasing amount of mental and intellectual capital that goes into a technician or parts guru role.  We’ve got to value what parts and techs do,” commented Dean.

Well done to Dean and the Taupo branch – what a great achievement!