Royal Truck & Utility Trailer, a seven-location dealer operation with facilities across Michigan, was named the winner of the first ever Trailblazer Award, powered by Successful Dealer, during the National Trailer Dealer Association (NTDA) Convention banquet Friday in Marco Island, Fla.
The Trailblazer Award was created this year to honor North American trailer operations for their business excellence, customer service superiority and importance to their communities.
Other finalists for this year’s inaugural award were Stoops Trailers, Trailer Equipment, Tri-State Trailer Sales and Vernon Gene’s.
Founded as a two-bay service operation that evolved to support trailer sales, parts and more, Royal Truck & Utility Trailer President Ken Bumgardner accepted the award on his company’s behalf at the NTDA Convention.
“I really appreciate this. There's a lot of great dealers in this room so this is a real honor. We certainly wouldn't be here if not for my dad and my grandfather who started the business and transferred it to us,” he said.
Bumgardner and his sister, CFO Julie Igielski, serve as co-owners of the third-generation family business that was founded by their grandfather Roy Bumgardner and a business partner in 1970. Their father, Carl, led the business for many years and, since the siblings have taken over, it has only continued to flourish.
