Aim’s Dave Gurska: Staying Positive, Supporting Drivers

Dave Gurska is hanging tough as chief operating officer at Aim Integrated Logistics, which is helping to keep America’s supply chain moving. You can read more about Aim at its website.

What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has changed your work life?

We now have close to 75 percent of all employees working from home. The ones that still have to come into the office practice all the proper health safety guidelines of social distancing, hand washing, and isolation in offices. All meetings are now “Zoom” meetings where we are all online. Being in logistics and transportation, we obviously fall under the essential business guidelines. And so far as of today, we still have over 425 employees driving every day. The only accounts that we have that are slow deal with the airlines and imports from China etc. … so we’re happy to report that layoffs have been light for Aim Integrated Logistics.

How about your personal life?

It has been rough like it is for everyone. I guess I am one of the fortunate ones who gets to leave home and see a different landscape other than just my backyard, since I have to come to work every day. But basically it’s been like Groundhog Day — home to work, then work to home. I have been binge watching a few Netflix series here and there.

What steps are you taking to hang tough?

Since I am in a position of leadership, I have no choice but to stay positive and keep my head up. Mental toughness is a real thing. And when all are looking at you for guidance, it is important to lead with the proper message in order to keep all calm. I lead by example. I take this virus seriously, and do not put myself or any of my people in any unnecessary situations that may put them at risk. I’m very proud of all that my team has accomplished working through all of this in order to make the important food and supply deliveries throughout the United States. Truck drivers are really the unsung heroes these past few weeks. Without the deliveries they are making, the country would be in turmoil. Our goal as a company is to keep making all the deliveries we can, and we have even reached out to all emergency agencies to see if we could be of some assistance.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

My wife is a kindergarten teacher who is obviously off work at this point. My daughter lives in the Kent, Ohio, area and has an 8-month-old baby boy, and my son just came home two weeks ago from Phoenix to be near family. I am the leader of this team as well. So I try to keep spirits up here, too, and preach health and safety first. It’s been kind of a time for us all to catch our breath from the fast pace of life and focus on what really matters.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just that I hope everyone joins in and we can end this pandemic as soon as possible.