Logistics & Industrial Services, Finalist
Sometimes in business you have to follow your gut feeling. That is exactly what John Magee had to do when making the tough decision to leave his former company. When Magee’s previous logistics company was faced with a hostile takeover from a private equity company, he saw things he couldn’t tolerate.
Magee felt he needed to create a place where maintaining integrity, caring about ethics and making decisions that allow you to hold your head high meant something. Along with a group of others in executive and leadership positions, Magee walked away from the multibillion business to start a new company. While waiting out a one-year nonsolicitation agreement, he developed a strategic plan and a character statement and Crane Worldwide Logistics was born.
Magee, who serves as president of the full-service shipping and logistics company, defined this new organization’s internal culture to be customer-centric, responsible, attentive, operating with integrity and flawless execution. While some may have thought it foolish, Magee embarked without any guarantees. There were no contracts, no salary and no prospects — all during the Great Recession.
Failure wasn’t an option, and with the support of eight others who believed in Magee’s vision, he knew success could happen. His vision was to be a global, midsized company that offers personalized customer service and flexibility above and beyond what small companies offer, while creating a global network strong enough that Fortune 500 customers would want to do business.
In August 2008, Crane Worldwide acquired three companies pushing the business to 100 employees in 12 offices, in seven countries. The business has grown organically in more than three years and has now expanded to more than 1,000 employees in 75 offices in 21 countries. Magee expects to reach 120 offices in 35 countries over the next few years.
How to reach: Crane Worldwide Logistics, www.craneww.com
