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Indianapolis, IN: This summer marks the 20th Anniversary for Stoops Freightliner. From its humble beginnings with just 15 employees, the company is now one of the largest single-point Freightliner dealership networks in North America, with a total of six dealerships and more than 600 employees.

Jeff Stoops, president of Stoops Freightliner, opened his first dealership in 1987 after careers as a high school teacher, part-time driver and trucking executive. This small dealer on the North Side of Indianapolis quickly became one of the top handful of Freightliner dealers in the country.

“Initially, it was never my goal to be a truck dealer, it just kind of happened,” admits Stoops. “But over the years I gained a good understanding of the truck industry from my work as a driver and as an executive.”

Stoops credits his success to three key factors: a focus on total customer satisfaction, staying ahead of the curve and a strong employee base. For instance, his company offers sales, service and parts for both trucks and trailers, an uncommon business model that better serves truckers.

In 1991, the company became the first Freightliner dealer to offer 24-hour, 7-days-a-week service. Many dealers have followed suit since, but Stoops continued to look for ways to offer customers a more valuable experience. “Unlike most trucking dealerships we offer a combination of sales, service and parts,” he says. “Many dealers do some of these things but few do all.”

Stoops plans to continue to stay ahead of the curve, by opening of a new facility in Ft.Wayne, IN. The dealership is slated for a 2008 opening and hopes to double its existing Fort Wayne employee base of 70 within three years.