Leonard J. Kulwicki

"…not only are they my customers, they are also my friends."

It was a sunny afternoon and we were heading south on Route 19 coming out of Cranberry when it caught my eye. A rolling billboard of a tractor trailer emblazoned with Consumers Produce on it's side, clipping along on Interstate 79 overhead on it's way home to the strip district. At least a quarter of a mile away, and in sight for not more than five seconds, there was no question Leonard J. Kulwicki was at the wheel. The cab of the truck a dead giveaway.

"It's a 1978 International Transtar II with a ten speed Fuller Road Ranger transmission," beams Lenny. While he could choose any of the 15 new trucks Consumers Produce has added in the last two years, Lenny insists on keeping the Transtar II. Never mind that the door literally rusted off its hinges and had to be replaced, this is Lenny's pride and joy. "They don't make em like that anymore."

And they don't make them like Leonard J. Kulwicki either. This is a man who is proud to the core of his family, Consumers Produce, and the teamsters profession.

Lenny and his Transtar II have covered a lot of highway miles over the past fifteen years. "I have delivered to every customer that Consumers Produce delivers to. Over the course of time not only are they my customers, they are also my friends."

Leonard counts his fellow Freshness Professionals among his friends as well. Shop steward for Teamsters Local 926, he says the bond between coworkers at Consumers Produce goes beyond the union brotherhood. "We have a constituency of people in this building who work very hard together and are very proud of what we do and who we do it for. I know I can count on each and every one my coworkers and they can count on me."

They also count on Leonard at the Morningside Soccer League where he is the league president. "I do it to make sure the children have a safe place to learn and play soccer and learn to associate with other kids in our community," Lenny says.

Lenny and his wife Nancy, who have been married almost 20 years, have a virtual soccer team starting lineup around the dinner table each night. Six children (Alissa-19, Leonard Jay-18, Angela-16, Julia-14, Rebecca-13, and Richard-11) have made for a lively household. While honor roll work is expected in school, the family also enjoys compounding family memories.

"We love to camp," Lenny says. "The epitome of everything is the beach. If I don't stick my toes in the sand at least once a year I'll loose my mind." Every July the Kulwicki family makes the trek to Cape Henelopen in Delaware. "We camp right on the beach. We have a tent for the boys, a tent for the girls, and a tent for the adults." Lenny relishes the time to just be a family, but not too much time. "Ten days. A week is not enough, and two weeks is too much."

Then it's back out on the road for Consumers Produce. "I love it, you know the greatest feeling for me is taking that 1978 International Transtar II across a nice dry sunny highway with a full load on it. There's just nothing like it in the world."

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