Meet the Authors

Craig Barth first joined Premier Trailer Leasing in 2017 as Vice President and General Manager and assumed the role of Chief Financial Officer three years later. Throughout his career, Craig has taken on financial leadership roles at prestigious organizations including Ford Motor Company and Citigroup, managing budgets upwards of $350 million. Craig serves as an integral member of the Premier Trailer Leasing team today as we grow our revenue operations and scale for continued success in the trailer leasing and rentals industry.

Navolia Bryant joined Premier Trailer Leasing in 2015 as Premier Trailer Leasing’s Chief People Officer and has raised the bar in what lived company culture can look like. Navolia is an accomplished executive with more than 25 years of experience overseeing human resources operations. In 2022, Navolia received the 2022 Top Women to Watch in Transportation Award, hosted by Women in Trucking Association. More recently, at the 4th Annual HR Stars Awards Gala, Navolia won the prestigious Change Champion of the Year and HR Executive of the Year awards.

Industry veteran Derek Shawen has spent his career of almost two decades in the semi-trailer space. With a background in operations and an eye for the details, he brings a wealth of experience to his customers as Vice President of National Account Operations and Special Projects at Premier. Derek loves passing on his expertise to those new to the industry.

Bill von Kessel is Vice President and General Manager of Premier Trailer Leasing and an industry expert. His 34 years of industry experience include branch operations, branch management and sales, truck dealership management and truck leasing management.

Tim Ifland is our Vice President Specialty Equipment and a true industry veteran. His 35 years of trailer industry experience include everything from branch operations, sales management, procurement, product SME/sales training, account management and branch equipment services to warranty, quality control, breakdown services, tires, maintenance and safety.

Miles van Rijn is one of our Branch Managers here at Premier. With 15 years of trailer operations experience, he has seen it all and enjoys sharing his expertise with Premier's customers. Miles is always happy to help. Connect with him on LinkedIn!

Ryan is a Vice President and General Manager at Premier Trailer Leasing. With over a decade in the industry, Ryan is a seasoned trailer expert, striving to support his clients with the best trailer fleet recommendations to meet their unique needs. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn to pick his brain.

Ben Polk is Premier’s telematics guru. With 12 years of transportation operations experience, he knows a thing or two about what it takes to keep fleets going. He's eager to share his expertise with Premier's branch leaders as well as customers. Connect with him on LinkedIn!

Michael Schmidt serves as the Regional Sales Manager, bringing extensive industry expertise to his role. With over 12 years in sales, his experience spans branch operations, territory sales management, automotive leasing, account management, and branch equipment services. Connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more! 

Ed Behnen, a seasoned professional in equipment financing and trailer management, has dedicated nearly two decades to his career. With a strong background in financing and expertise in crafting customized solutions, he brings invaluable experience to our team as Senior Vice President of Sales. Ed is passionate about delivering personalized customer experiences to optimize fleet requirements. Connect with him on LinkedIn!

Dan Nelson, our VP General Manager at Premier Trailer Leasing, brings 20 years of industry experience to the table, including valuable operations expertise in addition to sales. His extensive background in fostering collaborative relationships with our team and clients has positioned him as a leader in identifying optimal solutions for our customers. Dan remains committed to exploring innovative approaches to support our customers' operational success, drawing on his comprehensive knowledge and hands-on experience in sales and operations at both the branch and regional levels.  Connect with him on LinkedIn!