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Meet the Team: Liquid Chemical Safety at All Chemical
Here at All Chemical, we’re always saying that our team is our strength. Chemical logistics isn’t a solo enterprise. In our over 45 years of stellar service in this industry, we’ve built a team of dedicated professionals whose passion and expertise have directly contributed to the success we’ve enjoyed as a company.
That’s why we like to celebrate our people by turning the spotlight on a few individuals. This time, we’re excited to introduce you to a few members of our safety team: Matt Quadrel, Gerard M. Madonna, and Don Wrege.
Meet Matt: Safety Manager
Matt was raised around trucks, coming to work with his father (our founder, Steve Quadrel). He learned about truck driver safety firsthand, working in the shop on the equipment, getting familiar with the industry’s mechanical side. After earning his bachelor’s, he entered the transportation industry, taking on a safety and compliance role.
“I knew I wanted to follow my family’s roots,” says Matt. “Working in this industry from a young age has given me lots of passion for the company, and that’s made my tenure a great experience.”
He especially loves seeing the complete lifespan of new drivers, from their first onboarding all the way through their All Chem driving career, as they bring their unique backgrounds to the team. “There’s nothing more rewarding,” Matt says.
As Safety Manager, Matt oversees all compliance related to NJ Department of Transportation (DOT) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. “Our focus is to lead employees to hold our workplace truck driver safety to a high standard,” Matt explains, “and to maintain a positive safety rating, which is provided by the FMCSA Safety Measurement System (SMS).”
His typical workday has him wearing many hats:
- Overseeing vehicle maintenance
- Addressing unsafe driving
- Monitoring Hours of Service (HOS) regulations
- Conducting crash investigations
- Assessing driver fitness
Since his start in 2009, Matt has seen the advent of countless new technologies. “Technology has its own unique challenges, but there have been plenty of upsides,” he says. In pursuit of liquid chemical safety, All Chemical has taken advantage of many of these technological advances:
- Dashcams
- Asset tracking
- Vehicle telematics
- Driver coaching
Matt says that the chemical logistics industry is a side of the world a typical person wouldn’t even think about—yet the supply chain is a vital part of our economy and everyday lives. Household products like hairspray, toothpaste, cleaning wipes, and countless other must-haves are only accessible to consumers because of safe liquid chemical transport, delivering raw materials to manufacturing facilities to produce those necessary finished products.
What advice would he give someone pursuing a career in this field? “The industry will have its ups and downs, since it runs parallel with the economy,” Matt says. “Just know that liquid chemical safety plays a huge role in economic well-being. Our nation couldn’t exist without it!”
Meet Gerard: Driver Trainer
Gerard Madonna (Gerry) was raised on truck driver safety. He learned to drive stick shift, forklifts, and load trucks at the tender age of twelve, and he’s never looked back. It’s in the family: His father still owns and operates his own trucking company, and his older brother launched one, too. As Gerry developed his career, he worked for both his father and his brother before looking for opportunities of his own, which led him to chemical logistics dispatching, running warehouses, and managing storage facilities.
The road to All Chemical was winding. “At 37, I enlisted in the US Army Reserves and spent 14 years as a part-time soldier,” says Matt. “That amazing experience opened my eyes to a new level of safety, leadership, and a greater ability to adapt to new things and better learn from those around me. It provided me the skills to conquer any adversity; it taught me to do anything with nothing.”
Eventually, eager to find work closer to home after a 75-mile commute each way, Matt’s resume landed on Don Wrege’s desk—and the rest is history.
“I’ve never been surrounded by such a high level of performers, outside of a military environment,” Matt says wonderingly. “Our entire team teaches me as much as I could ever teach them.”
His typical day involves plenty of responsibilities:
- Ensuring the ability, knowledge, and proficiency of new drivers
- Maintaining continuing driver familiarity with procedures and protocols
- Troubleshooting deliveries, trailers, and liquid chemical safety issues
- Cross-training shuttle drivers to ensure a versatile force on the roads
- Using the Motive application to coach established drivers: tracking driving habits and mentoring for higher public safety and driver safety
- Conducting the Smith System Advanced Driver Safety Training on a rotating basis
- Performing alcohol and drug screening for the company through his Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) certification
- Performing the safety inspections of emergency equipment (fire extinguishers, eye washes, safety lighting, etc.)
- Keeping the team current with forklift certifications
“My job never really ends!” Matt laughs. “I speak to all of our drivers every day and night, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every day truly is a blessing.”
As far as training and experience go, Matt says there are no limits with All Chem. “Don and Anthony consistently give me the opportunity for training and updates through organizations like the New Jersey Motor Truck Association (NJMTA), the National Safety Council, and Transportation Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS).” Experience opportunities abound, since the industry virtually guarantees what Matt calls “spicy” challenges.
“I remember one job especially,” Matt reminisces. “I needed to empty product from a customer’s tank that had already been contaminated by another carrier. When I showed up, there were 12 members of management and engineers waiting, looking over my shoulder as I worked. Let me tell you, I was so thankful that day for how thoroughly All Chem trains us!” The customer came away impressed and satisfied, and Matt advanced his career experience even further.
“If I could give any advice to someone interested in chemical transportation, I would say do not hesitate!” Matt says emphatically. “Without question, it can be very dangerous; but the rewards are significant. What we do affects just about every part of our lives: products to treat everyone’s drinking water, swimming pools, additives for pharmaceuticals and foods, you name it. This work matters!
“And I have to say, our All Chem company—our family—is head and shoulders above the rest. How lucky am I that my introduction into the chemical logistics industry has been with the best?”
Meet Don: Director of Safety and Maintenance
“I’ve been in this business for over 50 years at this point,” Don Wrege grins. “Jim [Notarfrancesco] and I worked together at Linden Bulk back in the day, in fact! But I first started off as a driver at 19 years old—applied to drive a flatbed with a single-axle tractor, first time—and I said to myself, Boy, am I gonna be able to do this?”
So, Don went that night to a truck driver friend of his, Tommy Bellas. “Tommy, I need to ask a favor.”
“What’s that?” Tommy said.
“I need to learn how to drive a tractor-trailer over the weekend.”
“You what?”
Don laughs, remembering. “Well, turns out I had a natural gift for driving tankers! I liked it so much, I bought my own truck—I was an owner/operator for three years, in fact. Later, Tony Douglas at Quality Carriers was a mentor of mine as I got involved in the safety end of things, and I really credit him with the thoughtful management style I’ve tried to emulate. I honestly think being an ex-driver myself really helps, because I know firsthand the types of tanks, the protocols, and the issues that matter to drivers.”
Choosing All Chemical was a no-brainer for Don. “It’s the easiest place to work, with top-notch management, stellar safety records, and a team that really listens to each other,” he says. The company doesn’t even need to advertise for drivers; because they treat their drivers so well, the word spreads: All Chem is the place you want to work for.
“Our management philosophy is the reason for that,” Don explains. “We don’t nickel and dime our drivers, and we support them. Some places, they fire drivers at the first infraction, and they don’t pay them well, so drivers rush to make the money they need to make, and that leads to mistakes. We don’t do that at All Chem. Our founder, Steve Quadrel, always believed the employee is the company’s greatest asset—and he’s right!”
In Don’s view, people don’t realize the chemical logistics industry is by far one of the safest industries—because of oversight. As Director of Safety and Maintenance, he’s responsible for much of the oversight that happens at All Chem:
- Managing compliance, recruiting, and truck driver safety training.
- Working with the driver trainers to handle inspections.
- Running safety drills with employees and the local community.
- Coordinating with COO Anthony and Director of Operations Jim each week to keep the company running smoothly.
- Keeping abreast of regulations through multiple outside sources, such as the Department of Transportation (DOT) or member organizations like the American Trucking Association (ATA) and National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC).
“I’d want people to know that this is a rewarding career,” says Don. “There’s real satisfaction in learning the complexities of the industry; you become in high demand as you increase your knowledge. It’s a good living, with good opportunity to climb the ladder long-term.”
When it comes to truck driver safety and chemical logistics, we’re a company led by our values—and our success comes from our team! Call us today to find out how we can service your transportation needs.
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