CHICAGO, IL / ACCESS Newswire / April 10, 2025 / Perry Mandera doesn't fit the typical CEO mold. No fancy MBA. No family connections. Just a lifetime of hustle that started with pumping gas for a dollar an hour as a kid. "When my dad left, I think it was pretty important for me as the oldest of three siblings to do the best I could to try to help support the family," Perry explains, recalling his parents' divorce when he was just 10 years old. This early responsibility shaped the work ethic that would later drive him to build a transportation company now approaching its 40th anniversary.
His path wasn't always clear. After working multiple jobs through high school, Perry had no money for college. The Marines became his next step, teaching him discipline and introducing him to transportation logistics. Following his military service, he worked for several companies before making the leap to entrepreneurship.
Keeping the Wheels Turning
Today, Perry's operation includes roughly 275 vehicles, 1,000 pieces of equipment, and 500 employees - many who've been with him for decades. When asked how he's managed to survive the industry's ups and downs, his answer is refreshingly straightforward. "I think in our industry there's four key elements," Perry explains. "People, service, price, and technologies." That first element - people - clearly matters most to Perry. During COVID, while many transportation companies struggled with workforce issues, his team pulled together. "We became closer as a company because everybody realized, we don't know - is this the end of the world?"
This people-first philosophy extends beyond his core business. "Three to five hours is a real good night's sleep for me, even on weekends," Perry admits. This boundless energy fuels not just his transportation company but numerous side ventures. "I'm an investor in many different industries, many different areas of technology," he says. His diverse portfolio includes football safety helmets, software, agriculture, restaurants, manufacturing, bulk mail distribution, printing, medical technologies, and even whiskey, vodka and tequila production. He's backed a company developing eye drops to replace injections for certain eye conditions - a project that became personal after he experienced his own retina issues.
Childhood Lessons That Lasted
Perry's modest upbringing clearly influences his approach to both business and philanthropy. "Try to do that sometime," he challenges, remembering childhood lunches of mayonnaise sandwiches. "And then wash it down with some water, and the bread sticks stuck to the roof of your mouth." These memories drive his commitment to helping others. Twenty years ago, Perry started a program asking employees to identify families in financial need during the holiday season. "I read every single one of those submissions," he says. "There's some really sensitive things that come through that just will touch and break your heart." His giving doesn't stop there. "If you and I went out to lunch right now or dinner, and there's someone from the US military, I don't care if it's one person or a hundred of them, I'm buying their lunch or dinner," Perry insists. The same goes for police officers, firefighters and first responders.
Staying Passionate About Work
As Perry looks toward the future, his two sons are beginning to take their places in the family business. His 30-year-old son, Michael, will start training soon, though Perry makes it clear there's no automatic executive position waiting. "He's just going to be one of the guys-learning the business from the ground up," Perry explains. "And then he'll have to prove that he could actually handle it and do it." He's prepared a succession plan that not only takes care of his family but rewards key managers who've helped build the company. "My family is well taken care of. The key managers within my business are going to be very surprised," he says.
When asked about retirement, Perry laughs off the idea. "I don't go to work every day. I go to a place where I'm happy. I go to a place where I'm with an awful lot of nice people." Perry's success formula might seem simple - outwork everyone, treat people right, reinvest in the business - but his four-decade track record proves its effectiveness. In an industry where companies frequently fail, his transportation empire continues rolling forward, demonstrating that sometimes the oldest lessons about hard work and treating people right still deliver the best results.
To learn more about Perry Mandera, check out his LinkedIn profile.
Media Contact
The Custom Companies, Inc.
Mandera@customco.com
https://www.customco.com/
SOURCE: The Custom Companies Inc.
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