There is nothing quite like hitting the highway in the summer, especially when you have a packed itinerary full of member visits and deep-dive strategy sessions. For this trip, I had a new co-pilot along for the ride: NationaLease’s new VP of Truck Technology and Maintenance, Mike Blimling. If you haven’t had the chance to meet Mike yet, you’ll quickly find that his passion for maintenance operations and fleet tech is contagious. Spending days on the road together gave us the perfect opportunity to talk shop, align our strategies, and focus on how we can continue delivering top-tier support to our membership.
First leg: Lease Line NationaLease, A & D NationaLease
Our first stop brought us to South Brunswick, NJ, to catch up with Glenn Garland and the fantastic team at Lease Line NationaLease. Glenn is always a wealth of industry insight, and our conversation spanned everything from upcoming NationaLease events to new programs and services available to our members. We stepped out for lunch at B2 Bistro and Bar, where the food was excellent, but the real highlight was the collaborative brainstorming about how Lease Line is navigating current fleet challenges.
After wrapping up a productive afternoon, Mike and I headed over to Luca’s Ristorante for dinner. Located right on Route 27 on the North Brunswick border, this spot is an absolute gem for authentic, artisan Italian cuisine. The warm, upscale atmosphere was the perfect backdrop for winding down, and the food was incredible—I had the Cinquanta and Mike ordered the Coniglio, which were both fabulous. We only wished we weren’t on the road so that we could take home the leftovers from the enormous portions. It was a great chance to unpack the day’s discussions and talk through Mike’s vision for elevating our maintenance programs as truck technology continues to evolve at a breakneck pace.
The next morning, we were back at it, meeting with Mike Ventola at A & D NationaLease. We had the opportunity to share some updates and show some opportunities that can help save them time and money and improve on efficiencies. These face-to-face visits are a constant reminder of the incredible strength and diverse expertise running through our network.
Next up: Fleetrock
From North Brunswick, we tracked west, driving scenic highway miles over to Quakertown, PA. We broke up the drive with a lunch stop at the Barley Creek Taproom—a fantastic spot with a great atmosphere to recharge our batteries before our afternoon session. Once in Quakertown, we joined a powerful contingent from the home office. Dean Vicha, Joe Gallick, and Ashley Barber joined Mike and me to meet with Joe King and Jake Kuehner at Fleetrock. Fleetrock’s data-driven approach to maintenance management is a vital component of how we keep fleets running efficiently, and our roundtable discussion focused heavily on integrating new tech solutions to streamline uptime for our members.
When you get that group together, you know the evening is going to include both sharp business strategy and great camaraderie. We wrapped up the day with a spectacular dinner at Top Cut, celebrating our shared successes and looking ahead to the second half of the year.
Final stop: Bergey’s NationaLease
Our final stop of the trip was a visit with Ric Cieselka at Bergey’s NationaLease. The Bergey’s team has an deep history, and Ric shared some fantastic insights into how they are so successful in cultivating customer loyalty and outstanding customer service. We also had the chance to review some NationaLease programs with Ric and Kevin Houck, Bergey’s new Director of Maintenance.
To round out the visit, Ric took us over to The Perk for a fantastic lunch. This neighborhood landmark has been a Perkasie staple since it was built as a hotel back in 1854, and walking inside feels like stepping into a piece of local history, with the walls proudly covered in vintage photos of local sports teams and town heritage. The atmosphere is completely unpretentious and welcoming, making it the perfect spot to grab one of their famous, award-winning burgers or some classic pierogies while wrapping up our notes and talking about where the industry is heading next…
Heading home… for now
With a notebook full of ideas and a renewed appreciation for the incredible dedication of our members, I headed to the Allentown, PA, airport to catch my flight back home to Chicago. Seeing the passion, resilience, and innovation across our member network never gets old. Thank you to everyone who hosted us, shared their insights, and continues to make NationaLease the strongest network in the business.
Until next time, the journey continues!
