I’m Ron Burgundy? Ranked Forbes Top 7,000,000 LinkedIn Connections | Content bruh-fessional | Weird and Sassy | Sometimes I share my guitar skillz | My mom says I’m funny… oh and Smiling is my favorite

After more than a decade in the automotive and fleet world, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. 

And honestly, I’ve made peace with the fact that vehicles always choose the worst possible moment to breakdown. 

Today, I lead Fleet Maintenance & Safety for a 5,000+ asset fleet at Wrench Group. 

I’m all about smart, fast decision making, controlling costs, navigating accident repairs, and knowing when it’s time to repair, replace, or politely retire a vehicle that’s been around the block one too many times. 

I enjoy turning complex fleet challenges into clear, practical solutions that keep operations moving and drivers supported.

If there’s a chance to streamline a process, improve performance, or save the team a few headaches, I’m on it.

Jacob Schwer

We have cameras in all of our company vehicles, it's a non negotiable. I WISH we didn't need them, but when you're a large organization with thousands of trucks on the road, all people see is a payday. 

Last year, we had a lady try to go after us for 500k or a million dollars I don’t remember, but it was ridiculous. She claimed our vehicle backed into theirs in the parking lot. 

First off, the tab was so light it didn't even trigger an event. 

Second, when I found the clip, we were backing out, our driver noticed them, stopped and honked, then they hit us.

Third, the other party tried offering US money not to report it. 😬 

It was resolved. We protected ourselves and our employee. Without a camera, who knows. 


So, due to the fact that people are literally insane, we will continue to have cameras in our vehicles.


*** hello world, it’s been a minute. Say hi. If you want to hear more about my fleet/automotive/corporate world thoughts, experiences learnings and more insane stories, give me a follow/connect. I really love my org, and It’s my goal to share more and network with fellow fleet/safety pros out there.

#fleetmanagement

If you’re new to fleet management, buckle up.

This job is less “office professional” and more “triage nurse for a rolling circus” 

Every day is a fresh adventure you never asked for. 

You’ll log in Monday morning expecting to review PM schedules, and instead find out one of your trucks is on the side of the highway because “the engine was making a weird sound but I figured it would stop eventually.” It did not stop. It got louder. Then it made other noises.

But that’s just the warm-up.

By Wednesday, someone will file an incident report that reads like a riddle. Something like:
“Vehicle contacted object. Object was stationary. Vehicle was also stationary. Unsure how contact occurred.”

You will also be unsure. Physics will be unsure. No answers will emerge.

And by Thursday, you’ll receive three emails marked “URGENT,” none of which are even remotely urgent, while the actual urgent issue will arrive with the subject line “Quick question,” followed by a photo of a wheel that has completely removed itself from the vehicle and is living its best life 40 feet away.

Friday will bring the real plot twist: a driver insisting their van “always sounded like that,” as if the high-pitched squealing of mechanical agony is part of the original factory specifications.

But here’s the beautiful part: this madness is where new fleet managers become seasoned ones. 

You develop instincts.
You develop patience.
You develop an internal radar that detects chaos before it happens. 

You learn to handle it all with grace, or the closest approximation of grace possible while on your third coffee and your fifteenth ping of the morning.

Here are the skills they don’t list in the job description, but absolutely should:

• The ability to interpret vague driver complaints using only context clues and spiritual intuition.
• The emotional strength to open repair invoices without flinching.
• The composure to say “Tell me exactly what happened” without sounding like you’re bracing for impact.
• The mental resilience to discover brand-new, never-before-seen types of vehicle damage.
• The optimism required to believe—against all evidence—that someday, someone will report damage within 24 hours of it happening.

And somehow, through all this, the fleet moves, the work gets done, and you become the quiet hero keeping an entire operation from collapsing into logistical anarchy.

So to all the new fleet managers out there: welcome. The job is chaos, but it’s the good kind. 

The kind that turns you into a better leader, a sharper problem-solver, and someone who can handle absolutely anything.

If you can survive fleet management, you can survive pretty much anything.

#fleetmanagement #thriving

EVs are being sold as a fleet solution. Yet many of them are still an experiment.

Sure electric vehicles have their benefits. Fuel savings, slightly less maintenance, and environmental benefits that matter.

But for a large, service based fleet, the reality still looks like this:

• Lower resale, fewer configurations, and real unknowns around batteries under load
• Charging that is inconsistent where our techs actually work
• Higher accident repair costs, higher chance of total loss (even minor repairs become major)
• Fewer body shops and vendors equipped to handle EV repairs 
• Range that works on paper and falls apart on long days, not to mention route planning concerns

EVs are not a bad idea. They are just not the right idea for us… yet.

Right now, I care most about trucks starting every morning, techs getting to jobs on time, and everyone getting home safely.

Because when a tech runs out of gas, they are mildly annoyed.

When a tech runs out of charge, suddenly I lose my will to live.

We will get there when the timing is right.

Until then, I am perfectly comfortable letting someone else be the case study.

#fleetmanagement #ev

I am not interested in being a leader that avoids hard conversations.

I am not trying to fit into some stereotypical leadership mold. Cause tbh, the current mold is broken. 

- I'm not trying to make bosses happy
- I'm not in it for the bonuses or promotions
- and I refuse to play corporate politics

I'm not about that life.

I care a lot about what I do, and I care about the people I do it with. I simply refuse to put my success above the needs of others. 

If the corporate ivory tower is making decisions without communicating with those in their charge, mistakes will be made. Trust will be lost. And the whole system fails. 

There's gotta be a consistent, real talk, open feedback loop. You gotta encourage honesty rather than getting a bunch of "yes men" 

That's what I bring to the table

I'm real
I'm kind
I'm unapologetically honest 

We have roughly 35-40 fleet/safety managers in our organization and I try to stay in touch regularly with each of them, and get to know their strengths and struggles. 

I'm not perfect at it, but I do my best. 

I'm confident that if you ask any of our fleet/safety personnel about me, you'll hear positive feedback. 

That's not me being cocky, I just know my people and I've been able to build trust with them. They know their voice matters just as much as mine

These folks in the trenches every day are smarter than me, many have more experience than me in a variety of areas. Why would I NOT lean on their expertise? 

Sure, we can't please everyone. And I get that leadership isn’t about being "liked"

But shouldn't we at least try? 

I'm not perfect, but I do believe I have the potential to elevate Wrench Group because of who I am as a person.

Hey so quick PSA… eating & driving do not mix well 

especially if it involves a fork, spaghetti and/or meatballs, 

oh and definitely not when going around corners. That’s a no no. You will indeed ruin your pasta/hit a tree. 

Thank you. 🙏🏼 

#protip #besafenotstupid

If you’re looking for marketing genius, go follow Morris-Jenkins 

They have a friggin ice cream truck. It’s beautiful and brilliant. And it’s free! 

I find their social media strategy to be one of the more refined ones. 

They’ve got humor, testimonials, videos, memes, educational, and they get their techs involved which is always cool to see. 

It’s beautiful. And I don’t think they get enough attention for their hard work building such an awesome brand. 

I don’t know the marketing people there, but I love them. And I’ve been a fan for years, even before joining Wrench. 

Any other underrating brands you follow? I wanna know about them

No alternative text description for this image

Brake lights don’t tell us the full story… 

Whether you slam em or lightly tap them, the brightness is the same. 

Because they tell us so little, safe driving habits become even more important.

If you wanna avoid collisions, do this

1. Keep a safe following distance.
With only one brightness to work with, space becomes your reaction time. It is the buffer that turns a surprise into a manageable slowdown (Hint - you need way more space than you think)

2. Avoid harsh braking whenever possible.
Smooth braking helps everyone behind you stay in control and reduces unnecessary ripple effects through traffic. (How? See point # 1) 

3. For the love of Moses, put that cell phone down. It’s never that important. Mount it, use bluetooth but don’t touch it. And eyes on the road, not the radio. 

Follow those 3 pieces of advise and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a safer driver. 

Make sense? 

#fleetmanagement #safety

This is how oversimplified math turns into bad business advice 

This is LinkedIn math, not fleet math.

Comparing total rent paid vs purchase price (while ignoring repairs, downtime, insurance, depreciation, financing, and cash flow) is how bad decisions get justified with clean numbers.

Renting isn’t “wasted money.” Especially if it’s only $2500 per month, what a steal! 

It’s paying for flexibility, risk transfer, and guaranteed uptime. Ownership only wins when utilization is high and risk is acceptable.

If your rent‑vs‑buy analysis fits in a post, it’s probably incomplete.

Real world operational math > social media math

#fleetmanagement #hottake

The #1 Work Truck Upfit Creator | Helping 6,000+ fleet managers & upfit pros avoid costly truck mistakes and build smarter, safer, more profitable fleets.

𝗛𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟭𝟴 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀. 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱'𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

Contractor renting a dump truck at $2,500/month for a "temp" gig.

18 months later: still renting.

Let's do the math:

→ 18 × $2,500 = $45,000 down the drain
→ Comparable used dump truck = $35K–$45K
→ Equity after renting = zip

Paid premium to own nothing.

Now look, renting makes sense sometimes:

→ One-shot specialty hauls
→ Trialing a new service line without full commit
→ Peak season overflow

But "temporary" has a way of becoming permanent. And every month you rent, you're funding someone else's asset.

The rule I tell fleet managers:

If you're renting the same gear for more than 6 months, crunch the buy vs. rent numbers. You might already be bleeding cash.

Renting = flexibility. Owning = equity.

What gear are you renting that screams "buy me"?

Great interview Meghann McNally 👏🏼 

It’s a fantastic group to be a part of. Talent is everywhere.

From national expansion to local execution, scaling home services requires alignment across brand, performance, and customer experience.

Our CMO, Meghann McNally, shares how Wrench Group is navigating that balance in this interview at ICR Conference 2026 with Exec Edge.

Watch here: https://bit.ly/4ag2GE1
#WrenchGroup #WrenchLife #HomeServices

Open article: Wrench Group CMO Meghann McNally on Scaling Home Services: ICR Conference 2026 – ExecEdge by executives-edge.com

Wrench Group CMO Meghann McNally on Scaling Home Services: ICR Conference 2026 – ExecEdge

United States Department of the Army

- Employed personnel data systems and effectively coordinated staff actions that enabled the team and senior leadership the ability to implement recommendations that impacted 1500 employees
- Developed mathematical algorithms and wrote statistical computer programs and simulations that fostered easy access to accurate and factual data and improved projections related to recruiting, retention, training, and career development
- Demonstrated expert knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of complex analytical, mathematical, and statistical data evaluation that enabled the organization to modify recruiting, production, and projection models and prevented future human capital implications.
- Provided critical recommendations to senior leaders that improved overall processes and future readiness of the organization
- Demonstrated the ability to be flexible and adaptable by becoming proficient in multiple military HRIS including IPPS-A, ATAAPS, eMILPO, EDAS, WebEDAS, TOPMIS II, ATRRS, iPERMS, RCMS, CSMM, and FMSWeb

Human Resources Business Analyst

eXp Realty

Helping to connect people with expert Realtors in a real estate company whose business model is more than just commission.

Licensed Real Estate Agent

Coldwell Banker Advantage

Helped 15 people buy or sell their homes in the Fayetteville area. Because this is my side hobby, I believe in exclusive representation and will only take on 1 client at a time. You deserve the best representation in what is arguably the most important decision in your life.

Real Estate Broker

US Army

• Revised policy which updated guidance for career progression, led to the creation of 3 new job series as well as an external hiring pathway where roles were previously only filled internally
• Researched and created a new handbook for the Army that provides instruction on how to effectively communicate with other cultures and nationalities
• Rekindled relationships with the HR department which led to a 10% increase in retention
• Improved efficiency by streamlining processes and updating policies; led to a 20% increase in recruiting
• Analyzed and validated the organization's recruiting and production model in concert with the Center for Army Analysis
• Trained 44 personnel on the proper use of an internal electronic routing system to streamline staffing which led to response time decrease from 3 working weeks to less than 10 days
• Built and maintained the organization's SharePoint site, migrated hundreds of documents from an internal server to the cloud-based SharePoint while simultaneously achieving universal document access and sharing across the organization

Human Resources Business Partner

Rated #1 HR manager 2 years in a row by the HR Officer - 2017, 2018
Rated #1 HR manager by the HR director - 2018
•	Supported career growth of over 1300 Civil Affairs Soldiers from Sergeant to Master Sergeant by analyzing historical career patterns, identifying trends, and developing individual career plans; 90% of Soldiers counseled received growth opportunity to the next rank within 12 months
•	Increased transparency by creating an online resource communication system that shared documents and relayed HR information to 1100 Soldiers around the world; opened lines of communications regarding career growth opportunities, evaluations, training, development, and benefits  
•	Designed assignment tracking solution to ensure Soldiers do not exceed an average of 24 months in one location; linked the Army’s Oracle database to Excel spreadsheets which provided real-time updates to individual records
•	Developed strategic talent management plans to ensure organizational changes are mutually beneficial for Soldier’s careers and Army initiatives; utilized market strategies to match the best available talent to the right organizations which resulted in better opportunities for individual and organizational growth
•	Increased recruitment efforts by 50% over 2 years through networking and relationship building.
•	Responsible for full life-cycle recruiting strategy resulting in 159 new Special Operations in-service recruits in the pipeline; 333 Soldiers advanced through the pipeline into promotional opportunities
•	Sought after by military senior leaders to provide updated guidance and develop new policy on human resources strategies including recruiting, training and development, benefits, positions, and employee relations; created buy-in for new, branch-wide human resources policy implementation.

Human Resources Manager

•	Partnered with Emergency Management Directors and County Administrators to obtain over $1,000,000 in grants for emergency management activities; improved dual purpose DC camp locations to comply with FEMA standards, radio repeaters, CERT training supplies
•	Managed contracts and budgets worth over $2,000,000; created tracking system to ensure no lapse of contracts resulting in an estimated 25% decrease in premiums paid to contractors
•	Created operational efficiencies by improving the financial disbursement strategy; reduced the amount of transactions which saved the organization over $30,000
•	Fostered information sharing and intelligence gathering by creating a civil information repository that shared documents to Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy special operations reaching over 1,000 special operators; impacted strategic decision-making for future operations
•	Created Standard Operating Procedures to streamline staff functions, codifying processes to reduce redundancies; increased organizational support by decreasing response times to within 24 hours and increasing training calendar white space by 7 days
•	Developed a 3-5 year training and development plan for the organization by redesigning the long range training calendar and streamlining training events

Training and Development Specialist

•	Led 7 employees by teaching, coaching, and mentoring; resulted in 100% promotion rate to the next rank
•	Forecasted equipment needs based on analysis of mission requirements; saved the organization over $200,000
•	Developed the civil-military engagement strategy for the organization by analyzing cultural dynamics in 6 African nations resulting in an increase in intelligence reporting and a decrease in enemy freedom of movement
•	Aided military advancements in Somalia by increasing the capabilities of the Ugandan and Burundian militaries by developing and implementing training for over 500 personnel on rapport building, interpreter use, mannerisms, and cultural sensitivity
•	Discovered discrepancies and redundancies in an Afghan district’s judicial system; recommended changes to reduce wasteful spending, saving the U.S. Government over $2,000,000 
•	Planned, proposed, and completed 21 construction projects valued at over $79,000 that brought essential services to impoverished communities affected by war

•	3 week Airborne (static-line parachute) training
•	3 week introduction to Civil Affairs
•	25 week French language training
•	4 week Africa Regional Analysis training
•	8 week Civil Affairs training
•	3 week culminating event measuring practical application of all skills
•	4 week Special Operations Construction Course (vertical engineering)

Special Operations - School

Operations and Construction manager responsible for the welfare, morale, and professional development of over 150 Soldiers, supervised planning of all company operations; managed all training and development programs, tasks, SOPs, future mission requirements, and deployment planning operations.
Platoon Sergeant responsible for the morale, welfare, training, and development of 16 Soldiers and unit leadership as the leader of the Commander’s Security Team; planned and executed over 100 missions and traveled over 10,000 miles without equipment or personnel loss. Overall project manager on five projects including a morale, welfare, and recreation facility that was lauded as “the most elaborate wood building” in Iraq.
Construction equipment supervisor responsible for the health, welfare, morale, and training of eight Soldiers. Planned and executed 5 high-visibility construction projects including the construction a base defense berm spanning 16 miles and a new equipment scrapyard that was over 500,000 square feet.

Construction Project Manager & Operations Manager

Construction equipment operator responsible for preventative maintenance and effective employment of excavators, dump trucks, bulldozers, front-end loaders, scrapers, graders, and the tractor-trailers used to haul the equipment.
Responsible for unloading and loading of all unit equipment at the port in Kuwait, provided base defense for the 101st Airborne Division main element from Kuwait to Mosul spanning over 30 days, constructed base defense berms around the Mosul, Tal Afar, Qayyarah airfields, took part in the 30 day project to prevent molten sulfur from reaching the Tigris River and subsequently poisoning the main water source for Iraq.

Heavy Equipment Operator

Basic training and advanced individual training for heavy equipment. Learned how to employ and maintain a grader, scraper, bulldozer, front-end loader, and a tractor-trailer.

Trainee

GameStop

-Received only positive feedback on customer surveys by building rapport with every customer
-Exceeded company goals in their "circle of life" program to help maximize profit
-Received exemplary feedback from 2 different store leaders for engagement and organization skills
-Reduced losses by engaging customers.  Prevented theft through presence and conversation
-Improved efficiency through reorganization of floor displays, current stock, and back stock
-Reduced financial errors by accurately accounting for all in-store stock and money

While I enjoyed my time and appreciated the experience of working for GameStop, trying to balance Active Duty, school, transition, and life in general became too difficult.  I love gaming and much of the culture associated with it.  This was a part-time role that I voluntarily took on to make sure I kept up with the gaming industry and to gain some retail experience to better understand employee to customer relationships.  It helped me gain an understanding and perspective as I continue my work in the Human Resources field.
In the 19 months with the company, I've only received positive survey feedback and always exceeded store standards for individual sales and store goals.

Guest Advisor

Not your traditional LinkedIn Mental Health Advocate

I'm a self-driven HR professional who understands that process improvement and adaptability are keys to organizational improvement. I'm a compassionate and empathetic leader with over 20 years of experience in employee engagement, talent management, recruiting, culture development, mentoring & coaching employees, and policy development & implementation.

I've been fortunate enough to work at all levels, including the strategic level, to develop and implement effective policies & procedures, and partner with executive management to support achieving organizational goals - especially when they align with lines of business. I understand the impact strategic decisions have on employees which allows me to provide candid feedback and realistic outcomes on proposed changes. 

I'm skilled at building key relationships both internally and externally, enabling organizational improvement and increasing capabilities to achieve the organization's desired results.

Lucas Velmer

I've got a little secret for you 30%+ disabled veterans...
 
 
You can be hired directly into the federal government OUTSIDE of USAJobs.
 
What's the catch?
You MUST BE QUALIFIED for the role.
 
So, how does it work?
First, you have to know about the vacancy. This can come from a multitude of areas. The primary source *should* be the agency's VEPM.

Second, you need to submit your resume. Most likely that will ultimately be to the VEPM.

Third, IF you're qualified, the hiring team will reach out to you to do an interview. 

Fourth, IF you do well in the interview and the hiring team chooses to do so, they will send you a tentative job offer.
 
 
That's pretty much it in a nutshell. So, how do you put your best foot forward?
 
 
Step One: The key is that Veterans with these Preferences MUST be QUALIFIED for the positions they want to be considered for by demonstrating throughout their resume that they have the skills and experience for the position. It’s not a rubber stamp, the resume is the gatekeeper to your future, write it with purpose!

Step Two: Use the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) official Position Classification Standards for White Collar Work that specifically identifies the qualifications and job descriptions for EVERY Federal position to determine the four-digit GS series for the career you're interested in pursuing.

Step Three: Go to www.USAJOBS.gov and type in the four-digit GS series of the jobs for which previously research in Step One above. This is just to help you understand where Federal agencies currently employ folks in that GS series and the pay grade.  Make a list of all the positions, locations, and Federal agencies offering employment in the aforementioned GS series you’ve researched. Also, add in your desired GS series/grades and locations to this list since not all positions are posted on USAJOBS.gov and Federal agencies can hire you outside of USAJOBS.gov using “Non-Competitive Hiring” for Veterans with Non-Competitive Preference.

#TheMoreYouKnow

Recruiter | Veteran | Mental Health Advocate

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Lucas Velmer

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The Battle

Jacob Schwer

Lucas Velmer

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