November 16, 2020 | News & Press Releases
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 16, 2020) — Hy-Vee, Inc. announced today that three of its drivers from the Cherokee Distribution Center have reached the 1-million-mile mark for consecutive miles driven without a preventable accident. They are Brandon Rife, Sheridan Shannon and Paul Kai. All three drivers will become members of the Hy-Vee Road of Gold Hall of Fame.
Rife became Cherokee’s 28th driver to reach 1-million miles during his return trip from Grand Island, Nebraska, on Wednesday, Oct. 28. He hit the milestone between Missouri Valley and Onawa, Iowa. Rife’s wife joined him for the trip to mark the occasion, and they later celebrated the achievement with a group of employees and family members at the Cherokee warehouse. Rife has been a Hy-Vee employee since May 2007 when he began working as a part-time driver for the Cherokee Distribution Center. In July 2007, he moved to full-time status.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Shannon became Cherokee’s 29th driver to reach the milestone while en route to the Waukee, Altoona and Indianola Hy-Vee locations in Iowa. He hit 1 million miles east of Early, Iowa, and was met by a group of employees at the Indianola Hy-Vee and later at the Cherokee Distribution Center to celebrate his accomplishment. Shannon has been a full-time driver for Hy-Vee’s Cherokee Distribution Center since March 2011.
The same day, Kai reached his milestone en route to the Sioux City Hy-Vee Pharmacy Clinic in Sioux City, Iowa, and the Hy-Vee East store in Norfolk, Nebraska — becoming Cherokee’s 30th driver to hit the 1-million-miles achievement. He reached the exact milestone west of Remsen, Iowa, and was met by a group of employees at the Hy-Vee East in Norfolk and later again at the Cherokee Distribution Center to celebrate. Kai has been a full-time driver for Hy-Vee’s Cherokee Distribution Center since January 1999.
The Hy-Vee Road of Gold program honors drivers who have achieved safe miles driven with a variety of gifts and a personalized gold- (1-million-mile safe driver) or black- (2-million-mile safe driver) painted Hy-Vee tractor to drive for five years.
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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 275 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $11 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 5 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 85,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.