New Value with Can-Am Synergy
The Canadian sunrise has never looked more promising. In January, the Atlas Canada family welcomed a new president. Barry Schellenberg brings solid experience from management positions with UPS, DHL Express Canada, Sameday Worldwide, and CE Franklin. Since taking the reins at Atlas Canada, he has been busy organizing his team around the strategic direction outlined in Vision 2018. The Amplifier talked to Barry about his background and his thoughts on leading Atlas Canada.
Amplifier: Barry, why did you choose to make a career in the transportation industry?
Barry: Actually, it chose me. I was completing college, and UPS was recruiting managers in western Canada. I saw an organization with a good culture, a good fit for me. I found I could offer a lot to the organization with my education in management. And it was a great training ground to develop my skills.
Amplifier: What interests you most about the transportation industry?
Barry: It’s fast-paced. I’m a high-energy guy, and I like the fact that every day presents different challenges. In transportation, unlike other industries, there’s a lot more that can go wrong. So the up-front work is essential for results that are predictable and the best they can be. That’s the fun part for me.
Amplifier: How have your education and experience prepared you to lead Atlas Canada?
Barry: My role is to make sure the right people are in place and to support them with the systems and processes they need to succeed…to help them understand their value in support of the vision. My whole career has prepared me for this. People skills, in particular, are key.
Amplifier: How do you describe the situation Atlas Canada finds itself in today?
Barry: There’s a great opportunity before us. We have a strong and respected Canadian identity. We intend to keep that identity and build on it to support cohesion in our agent network. At the same time, we recognize we are part of a global firm that offers us the potential to think bigger. So we’ll be working to diversify our revenue stream. We’ll bring new efficiencies and simplify our processes to support our value proposition for agents.
