Frank Granieri

Tell us more about your background – what led you to get started in the transportation industry?

When I was a freshman at Penn State, I took a job as a part-time seasonal package handler at UPS. My tenure with UPS lasted 10 years, and I credit the company with providing me with an invaluable education in leadership, hard work, and operational discipline. I then left the transportation industry for a few years and tried my hand at a company that provided document management services and distributed copiers. It was there that I met my wife, who happened to be a member of the 4th generation ownership group of Pyle. I like to say that I was recruited to A. Duie Pyle by way of marriage!

What about Pyle attracted you to work for this company? Company culture, family-run business, etc.

I was attracted to the idea that I could dedicate the remainder of my career carrying forward a legacy that was established through the hard work and efforts of several generations of men and women before me. I also believe great progress and innovation can be made in flat organizations where people are empowered to enhance processes and drive results. Pyle’s lean structure fosters a nimble culture that is able to quickly pivot when opportunities exist to enhance our operations and better service our customers.

Describe your role at Pyle.

I am responsible for Pyle’s Supply Chain Solutions Group which includes Contract Dedicated Transportation, Warehousing & Distribution, and Brokerage (Non-Asset TL, Drayage, and Managed Transportation Services). My role is to recruit, develop, and serve the Pyle People by removing obstacles that have the potential to limit progress in fulfilling our value proposition to our customers.

Anything unique about your approach to Dedicated and Warehousing & Distribution operations?

Our transportation and warehousing engineering group is engaged with every prospect and pursues consultative partnerships with our clients. We shy away from traditional RFP’s where companies are simply comparing costs between providers. We believe the greatest value can be derived from reviewing raw transportation data. This enables us to make suggestions regarding optimization of transportation and distribution including geographic location, vehicle and driver class, and productivity standards. We believe our role is to provide our customers with expertise derived from our 95 years of moving and storing goods.

In the next five years, what are some market predictions that you believe will be shaping the future of the trucking and logistics industry?

I believe we will continue to see the market move towards greater collaboration between Carriers, Shippers, and Brokers to drive out inefficiencies. Customers will look for providers that offer multiple services and can effectively integrate those services to provide seamless support of multi-facets of a company’s supply chains, in a manner that limits cost increases. I also believe that the C-Suite will view their transportation and warehousing strategy as a vital role to their future revenue growth and competitive differentiation.

Any logistics or operational challenges you see that are on the horizon?

I believe attracting and developing talented logistics professionals will continue to be a critical need to support the positive evolution of the industry.

How does Pyle plan to close out the year – any exciting updates to mention?

We are very excited with the progress of the construction of our Integrated Logistics Centers in Hagerstown, MD and Westfield, MA. Walls are being erected and customers are increasingly securing capacity in advance of our opening in 2020.

What achievement are you most proud of (during your time with Pyle)?

My greatest sense of satisfaction comes from seeing people develop and progress in their professional careers. The countless number of customer service reps, dock workers, and various other positions that have worked hard and progressed to positions of greater responsibility in the organization as a result of their ambition and abilities speaks to both the company’s culture as well as the caliber of the Pyle People. People are our greatest competitive differentiator.