October 21, 2020 | News & Press Releases
CHARITON, Iowa (Oct. 21, 2020) — In the month Hy-Vee celebrates its 90th anniversary, the company announces that Steve Willke, a driver from the Chariton Distribution Center, has become Chariton’s 90th driver to reach the 1-million-mile mark for consecutive miles driven without a preventable accident.
Willke reached the milestone on Friday, Oct. 9, 17 miles west of Peoria, Ill. after delivering to the Peoria Journal Star. When he returned to the Chariton Distribution Center, Willke was met by fellow employees, where his accomplishment was celebrated.
Willke has been a Hy-Vee employee since June 2011 when he began working as a part-time driver. In November 2011, he became a full-time driver averaging anywhere from 2,700 to 3,000 miles per week.
Willke now joins the Hy-Vee Road of Gold Hall of Fame. The Hy-Vee Road of Gold program honors drivers who have achieved safe miles driven milestones 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.