A Freight Brokerage Company You Can Trust

Chad grew up in the family trucking business. “During my elementary years, I swept, raked, mowed, and washed trucks,” reflects Chad. Throughout high school, he drove forklift, counted freight, loaded trailers, completed bills of lading, and did whatever needed to get done in the office or warehouse. By his senior year, Chad was a co-op student, spending half of his day at school and the rest of his day at AMST learning the dispatch trade.

After high school, Chad pursued his Associates in Business at Davenport College then completing a BA in Business Management and Marketing from Cornerstone University in 2005. While attending college, Chad continued working as a dispatcher, a load planner, and in customer service for Gordon Food Service and AMST.

Chad became a full-time employee at AMST in May of 2005 working primarily in dispatch, customer service, and load planning. In 2008, Chad and his cousin, Greg, started to assume operational leadership roles while their father’s served as working mentors. As Operations Manager, Chad began to oversee the insurance, safety, human resources, finance, maintenance, and equipment areas of the company.

In 2018, Chad was promoted to the role of President of AMST. “I love working at AMST. Each day is uniquely filled with problem solving, critical thinking, data analysis, planning, and forecasting,” states Mulder. “Continuous improvement is what really gets me excited,” smiles Chad. “Using my skills and abilities for God’s glory while serving our customers and employees to the best of my ability is what I strive to do every day.” Chad and his wife Jill live in Holland with their three daughters. They also do refugee foster care.

“I remember when I was three or four years old and being super excited to travel with my dad,” reflects Greg. “My brothers and I would fight over whose turn it was to ride with him.” His passion for trucks and heavy equipment never stopped. Greg spent his early years at AMST in the same Mulder tradition— mowing, sweeping, and washing trucks. While in high school, he worked in the warehouse and shop. During his Junior and Senior years, Greg was a co-op student at Careerline Tech Center and earned a Diesel Mechanics Certificate and Heavy Equipment Mechanics Certificate.

After high school, Greg obtained his CDL license and began driving for AMST. In 2004, he graduated from Cornerstone University with a BA in Business Management and Marketing. With his degree in hand, Greg began his full-time career at AMST starting in the shop and six-months later in dispatch. In 2008, Greg shared the operational management responsibilities with Chad.

While Chad focuses on customer development and office duties, Greg concentrates on employee relations, the warehouse, and the shop. “Working, coaching, and growing our great team of employees is what I enjoy most,” comments Greg. In 2018, Greg was promoted to the Manager of Mulder Leasing Co. in addition to his responsibilities with AMST.

“Being part of something that started from nothing to a significant business is motivating,” states Greg. “I plan to carry on the legacy.” Greg and his wife Shannon live in Holland Michigan with their six young children.

A week before Peter graduated from high school, he began his trucking career. At a green 18, he delivered his first semi-load of hay to Lexington, Kentucky for his father. After graduating in 1976, Peter continued to farm by day and drive by night. Even for the Mulders, the pace became too much. In 1981, the family took a risk and sold all of their farming equipment to focus solely on trucking.

Like his older and younger brothers, Peter held a variety of roles throughout the years in finance, dispatch, driving, safety, and benefits. Eventually the boys gravitated to their natural strengths with Hanz overseeing long-term strategy, hiring, and finance; Philip managing the shop and mechanical operations; and Peter leading dispatch, employee benefits, and safety areas. Peter has also served as the Corporate Secretary for AMST since ?? Over the years, he has grown in his expertise in legal matters by attending various conferences, seminars, and industry events. Many of his peers look to him for advice and he enjoys sharing his knowledge.

“We have been blessed throughout the years and have learned what is important and what isn’t,” comments Peter. “My life verse is Isaiah 40:31: ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’ ” Peter and his wife Sally live in Holland, Michigan and have 5 grown children and 30?? grandchildren.

By the time Hanz graduated from high school in 1979, his father owned five semi trucks. Hanz decided to join his dad and brothers and became a full-time employee. It wasn’t long before he was on the road four to five days a week traveling throughout the Midwest while washing and maintaining the equipment on weekends. After getting married in 1981, Hanz’s responsibilities continued to grow.

While raising three kids and serving as Deacon at his church, Hanz worked 70 to 80 hours a week taking AMST to the next level. Hanz was responsible for scheduling, operations, driver relations, and customer service. “I remember taking calls till nine at night to serve our customers well,” recalls Hanz. “There was a time when we worked 24-hour days between the office and the warehouse. We were committed to making it work.”

Hanz has been the visionary leader for AMST. He orchestrated AMST’s first land purchase for the business in the late 1980s. To accommodate continued growth, Hanz championed the purchase, relocation, and building of AMST’s current 40-acre campus in 1998. He saw the opportunity to get into LTL freight and to form the brokerage. As he looks down the road, Hanz has dreams for the next generation to expand their frozen storage operation.

“I have served in almost every aspect of our business. I enjoy working and don’t have many regrets. As a family, we have worked through the hard times together. My life verse is Colossians 3:17, ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’ ” Hanz and his wife Linda live in Holland and have three married children and four grandchildren.

As the oldest son of Art Mulder, Philip didn’t get into the trucking business until he completed a stint as a farmer. In 1974, the summer after he graduated from high school, Philip recalls bailing close to 1,000 acres of hay. Hard work is the hallmark of a Mulder. In 1976, Philip’s dad started to transition from his 40-acre farm in southwest Michigan into trucking with the purchase of his first semi. Philip couldn’t see himself behind a desk, so in 1977 he went full-time into trucking with his father.

Philip did whatever needed to be done for the family business. He drove truck, painted, repaired equipment, and dispatched. Any time he could get out of the office was a good day. Philip enjoyed building friendships with the employees, meeting the customers, and seeing the country. He still does.

Meeting the needs and desires of the customers has always been a priority to Philip and his family. Even when roads are closed, the Mulders always find a way to deliver. “I remember a snow storm that blew in over a weekend,” recalls Philip. “We had a large furniture delivery to make that Monday. We spent all weekend plowing, shoveling, and even picking up our drivers. We successfully delivered all eight loads of furniture. Our customer was stunned by our service because their own employees did not even make it in to work. We earned a lot of respect that day.”

“Building a small business with my dad and brothers has been worthwhile,” states Philip. “We have tried to serve the Lord all along the way.” Philip and his wife Robin live in Holland, Michigan and keep busy with their two married children and three grandchildren.

Alex has worked for Mulder companies since 2013. While his work is less involved in day-to-day operations, he enjoys the planning and analytics of his position. He says, “it’s very rewarding to see growth of people. I love creating visions for the future and watching those goals come to fruition.” Alex’s entire career has been with Mulder companies, starting with AMST in high school and then with the brokerage as an undergraduate at Baker College. After college, he worked for AMST in customer service and IT, then returned to Mulder Brothers and into his current role at the brokerage. As a result, he says his background has had “a little bit of everything” over the years from data entry, bill sorting, invoicing, scheduling, dispatching, load planning, customer service, and IT support, and then to his current position. In his free time, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and their cat and two dogs. He also has several hobbies and interests, including airsoft and woodworking. “Work smarter, not harder, and figure it out” are the words that guide Alex at work and in life.