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In August, Atlas® announced the hiring of Joe Stackhouse as President & COO of Atlas Van Lines. Joe comes to Atlas with more than 30 years in telecommunications. He began his career as a cable installer and technician, moved into management, and then rose into senior leadership positions with several major firms. As Senior Vice President with Charter Communications, Joe was responsible for the service experience of five million customers and revenue in excess of six billion dollars. He most recently served as President & COO of American Utility Management (AUM) in Chicago.
Coming from outside the moving industry, Joe brings a fresh perspective to Atlas. The service landscape, however, is not completely foreign.
“I know what it’s like to get trucks to customers and deliver service in their homes,” says Joe. “In the cable business and in moving, the person behind the wheel is the face of service, and the impression they leave is make or break for the company.”
As a customer of Atlas on prior moves, Joe has a grasp of the service challenges from a customer’s perspective. He knows that moving is more complicated than it appears to customers, and he will be looking for ways to make it simpler. Great customer service is a prime focus.
“I rely on people, and motivation is a big part of my leadership style,” says Joe. “I want to help our team be as excited as they can be about serving the customer.”
“I’m impressed by the tenure of people at Atlas, many who have been with the company for 20 or 30 years. It’s exciting to see that depth of experience and commitment. I look forward to learning and working with this great team.”
Joe Stackhouse President & COO, Atlas Van Lines
But he also understands the limits to service imposed by the bottom line. “Just as in telecommunications, moving takes discipline to make money. I understand the responsibility for profit and loss. We want to be efficient while serving the customer.”
“Joe has a great skill set and proven leadership abilities,” says Jack Griffin, Atlas Vice Chairman & CEO. “I have every confidence he will help Atlas realize the promise of our strategic plan.”
