In its annual Road Warrior Contest, Pilot Flying J rewarded three professional drivers who have gone the extra mile for their companies and communities. Pilot Flying J selected Eric Curlett of Crossville, Tennessee, as the $10,000 grand prize Road Warrior winner. Eduardo Andrade of Yonkers, New York, and David Rosenquist of Monon, Indiana, were named the second and third place Road Warrior winners, respectively.

Each year, Pilot Flying J, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, selects the Road Warrior based upon story submission, including contributions to the trucking industry, safe driving history, miles driven and community involvement.

“We are honored to host our annual Road Warrior contest and give back to the professional drivers who have such a significant impact on our economy and who work so hard to serve our communities,” said Shameek Konar, CEO for Pilot Flying J. “This recognition is one way we say ‘thank you’ to the professional drivers we get to serve each day.”

This recognition is one way we say ‘thank you’ to the professional drivers we get to serve each day.

Grand prize winner, Curlett, is a husband, father, U.S. Marine veteran and has been a glass hauler at Maverick Transportation for six years. Pilot said Curlett has an outstanding driving record and has been named Driver of the Month and Driver of the Year for the company. While he is always willing to go out of his way to help fellow professional drivers, he also gives back to his community, including participating in a yearly convoy that raises money for the Arkansas Special Olympics.

“After 20 years of faithful service in the Marine Corps, I knew the trucking industry had plenty of opportunities in any direction and found that open-deck trailers were the best fit for me,” said Curlett. “To those that are looking to get into the industry, I recommend they research everything and don’t hesitate to call companies and other drivers to get the information needed to make the decision that is right for you.”

Curlett was nominated by a fellow professional driver and friend, who described him as “one of the best humans” he has ever met. To announce his grand prize win, Pilot Flying J partnered with Maverick Transportation and Curlett’s family to surprise him with the news in a congratulatory video (www.pilotflyingj.com/roadwarrior).

In addition to the $10,000 grand prize, Pilot Flying J awarded $5,000 to second-place winner Andrade, a father, grandfather, Army veteran and Master Driver for Baylor Trucking who has logged more than 2.5 million safe miles. Third-place winner Rosenquist received a $2,500 prize in recognition of his 40 years as a professional driver with five million crash-free miles.

Temple, Texas-based CEFCO hosted the 20th annual Hackers-R-Us charity golf tournament on October 18, raising more than $280,000 for The Fikes Foundation. Donations will go toward giving back to the communities that are served by The Fikes Companies and provide scholarships and grants to various charitable organizations. The Fikes Companies include CEFCO Convenience Stores, Group Petroleum Services, CORD Financial Services, Digital Network Solutions, Fikes Fuels, Fikes Wholesale and JF Air.

Tiger Fuel Company’s gourmet-to-go convenience stores, known as The Markets, raised $10,000 to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge. While fueling up at The Markets, customers had the option to round up their transaction to the nearest dollar to support the nonprofit. The Markets also raised $1,000 for the Albemarle Housing Improvement Program (AHIP) by donating a $1 of each AHIP Special sandwich sold to the nonprofit group that provides families with safe and sturdy homes.

Volta Oil Company partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Through Volta Oil’s Purple Pump Up for Alzheimer’s, Volta Oil raised more than $178,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association.