For most of Geoff Turner's adult life, he's had a tough time explaining to friends and neighbors what his second-generation family business does. The CEO of Choptank Transport has found himself going into lengthy explanations at cocktail parties or other events to highlight what his company's work is, only to find the listener still thinking at the end of it that he runs a trucking business.
Given Geoff's easy-going nature, he resigns himself quickly to the fact that most people don't have a clue what Choptank Transport does. Still, as one starts to take notice of this Mid-Shore's company profile, it is rather astonishing that more can't appreciate the extraordinary success story tucked away in a 30,000 square foot office complex just a few blocks from downtown Preston, Maryland.
In short, Choptank Transport plays a critical role in America's huge freight industry. Turner and over three hundred employees work with individual truckers throughout the country to ensure that food and products get from "a to b" on time and at the best cost for its clients. It is a highly complex, logical operation for the layman, which is highly competitive in a world where 95% of trucking businesses own less than five tractor-trailers.
In Preston alone, the company has over 312 service professionals working the phones and Choptank's proprietary database and software to design "lanes" for customers to get their products to market. Add to the fact that all of these employees earn professional salaries, many in the six figures, and it doesn't take long to see the huge economic impact Choptank has on the region.
Now Choptank is doubling down on the Mid-Shore with a new office complex planned for Easton this year which will house another 200 employees, and it doesn't take long to see that Choptank is a substantial player in the economic development of the five-county area.
The Spy spoke with Geoff a few weeks ago about the company its plans for the future.
