For Deborah Hasted, transportation isn’t simply an industry she works in — it has been part of her life for more than four decades.
Her introduction to the business came through her father, who worked in the transportation industry and gave Deborah an early window into a world that would ultimately become her own lifelong career.
Over the next 40-plus years, Deborah built her experience working with a number of large companies within the transportation and logistics sector. Along the way, she developed an extensive understanding of freight, customer service, operations, sales and the relationships that keep the transportation industry moving.
Deborah has watched transportation change dramatically over the course of her career — from an industry driven largely by telephone calls, paperwork and personal relationships to one increasingly shaped by technology, automation and real-time information.
Through those changes, she has remained convinced that one thing hasn’t changed: successful transportation is still built on trust, communication and relationships.
That philosophy continues to influence the way she approaches the industry today. Deborah believes customers should be able to reach a real person, know what is happening with their freight and feel confident that someone is taking responsibility for getting the job done.
This deserves its own section because it is probably the most distinctive part of Deborah’s story.
One of the most meaningful parts of Deborah’s career has been passing that knowledge on.
Her decades of experience have allowed her to become a mentor and sounding board to both Russell Hammer and her son, Marcus Pustijanac, sharing the practical industry knowledge, instincts and relationship-building skills that are developed only after years in the business.
After more than 40 years in transportation, Deborah continues to share her experience with the people around her and, importantly, with the next generation entering the industry.
