GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- FWF’s employee spotlight highlights Dakota Kazen, a valued team member since 2018. In his position as a Senior Sales Executive, Kazen provides elite service to our trusted partners with his tenacious work ethic and positive attitude. We had the opportunity to learn more about his experience and the journey that led him to FWF.
How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated from Albion College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. After finishing school, I started my career working in sales around the Greater Detroit Area. Realizing I wanted to be closer to my hometown of Holland to be with my family and friends, I began searching for new job opportunities in Grand Rapids. Specifically, I had the interest of working for a 3PL (third-party logistics) company.
This journey led me to Fifth Wheel Freight, and flashforward three years, here I am. I was hired in January 2018 as a Logistics Consultant and was later promoted to Senior Sales Executive. My team has since grown from two people to four.
What brought you to FWF?
The culture and the opportunity for growth. I wanted to move closer to my family and find long-term happiness in my professional career, so I interviewed with a variety of 3PLs in Grand Rapids. One of the 3PL companies I interviewed with was FWF, and I was immediately blown away by the organization.
I completed the interview process and waited to hear where the future would lead me. It wasn’t long before I received an offer from FWF and I was very eager to accept because FWF had everything I sought out for and so much more.
Three words to best describe FWF:
- Growth
- Comradery
- Competitive
What FWF company value is most important to you and why?
We can only accomplish so much on our own, but working together allows a movement to be created that brings tangible change and creates a future of hope. FWF embodies the value of unity, and there is extreme power in unity, especially within an organization.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is interacting with the people I work with, especially my team. Every single person at FWF makes work more enjoyable and everyone pushes me to challenge myself.
What is your motto or personal mantra?
Every day I strive to live the happiest version of my life I can and I work to surround myself with happy people. I wake up each morning desiring to be a nice human being and I shoot for the goal of having the most positive impact I can on the world.
What advice would you give to someone interested in beginning their career in logistics and transportation?
My advice would be if you are willing to work hard for one to two years, a career in logistics and transportation is extremely rewarding. This industry has a lot of moving parts and you can truly never know enough, every day you are learning something new.
I am so thankful for the diligent leadership and the phenomenal culture at FWF. The most important takeaways I have learned from FWF that have allowed me to grow in my career, are leading people with kindness and asking questions.
Overview
Our employees at FWF are vital contributors and key assets to our growth. At FWF we cherish our employees and take pride in coaching our team members to advance in their roles, gain valuable skill sets, and build the foundation for long-term career success. Visit our careers page to learn more.
