Leadership Views: Jared Bonneville, UPS

Name: Jared Bonneville  
Position: Vice President, Marketing, UPS 
Years With the Board:  1 (UPS has had a rep on the board for 5 years)

You have been with UPS for most of your career. What are the merits of growing with one corporation? What would you tell people interested in a career with UPS?
I began working at UPS while I was in college. I never expected that I would spend my entire career with one company. However, I very quickly realized that UPS had more to offer than I expected. The main things that appealed to me were the people and the opportunity for growth. UPS employees are dedicated to working on behalf of our customers and our communities. We are a 115-year-old company rich in tradition that also knows how to transform itself to meet the needs of the marketplace.
 
During my 33-year career, I have had opportunities to work in our package operations, our transportation group, hub sorts, sales, and marketing. All these experiences have made me a better partner and leader by providing me with breadth of perspective. I would encourage anyone who is looking for the opportunity to have multiple careers within one organization to consider UPS.
 
What are the skills or qualities you value in a leader? What would you tell young transportation professionals who are beginning their careers?
The ability to connect with your employees is key. Listening with the goal of understanding is an absolute must. If your team believes that you truly want to hear what they have to say, they will tell you everything you need to know. As important as listening is the ability to communicate your vision. Clear, concise, and executable goals are critical to achieving buy-in from your team.

I would remind young leaders that your teams want to win. Show them the goal and the path to reach it. Help them breakdown barriers and don’t slow them down with non-value-added activities and requests. Never underestimate the value of positive feedback when things are going well. And when things are not going well, use those opportunities to teach. As a leader, your goal is to inspire.
 
UPS recently announced that it “surpassed 1 billion COVID 19 vaccine doses delivered mark” – a massive effort and dedication of resources on the part of the company. Can you comment on this effort?
Just one year after the first vaccine was delivered by UPS, we surpassed 1 billion doses successfully distributed. This milestone was achieved through innovative solutions and the efforts of UPSers around the world. The strength of our network and our dedicated UPS employees not only supported healthcare customers and global organizations but also joined in public-private partnerships to provide vaccines and cold chain expertise to countries with hard-to-reach populations, ensuring delivery to as many people as possible.

More than 40 industry leaders serve on the TSC Institute's Board. Following on our successful Transportation Talks webinar series, we feature brief thoughts from a member each month.