Customodal CEO Mike Eberl Celebrates 25 Years of Leadership and Innovation in the Logistics Industry
MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – Mike Eberl, CEO of Marshfield-based company Customodal Inc., is celebrating a rewarding 25-year journey in the logistics industry. Combining an entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, and a commitment to doing what’s right for customers, Eberl is a rare breed in the freight field today.
Eberl’s entrepreneurial journey began on April 2, 2000, with the founding of Apple fox LTD, DBA Straight Shot Express, in Schofield, Wisconsin. Co-founded with his wife Bridget, the business fulfilled a long-held dream.
“I just always wanted my own business,” Eberl shared.
Straight Shot Express was established as an emergency delivery service, providing rapid and reliable expedited trucking solutions. The company quickly grew, launching spinoffs and complementary businesses. Eberl started a leasing company to provide trucks to other companies and a repair shop serving external clients. He also founded AFX Trucking to handle freight outside the scope of expedited delivery.
By 2001, the company had expanded to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, followed by an acquisition in Milwaukee, and opening of new terminals in North Chicago and Detroit. During this period, Straight Shot Express became a key player in the industry, offering both emergency and traditional trucking services.
In 2006, operations were centralized in Milwaukee. However, family commitments in 2008 prompted a pivotal decision. Faced with his son’s health issues, Eberl chose to prioritize his family, moving centralized dispatch operations to Marshfield. This move not only exemplified his belief in “family comes first” but also marked the beginning of a new phase for the business.
Eberl transitioned the company from asset-based trucking to a non-asset logistics model between 2011 and 2015. This evolution culminated in the founding of Customodal, focusing on logistics engineering and execution. By stepping away from operating trucks, Eberl ensured the company could remain unbiased, always making decisions that prioritized customer needs.
“Today, we sit on the same side of the table as the shipper,” Eberl explained. “We educate, guide, and engineer how their stuff should move. To do logistics right, you have to be completely nondenominational. It’s too easy, if you have your own trucks, to fill them first and not do what’s right for the customer.”
This philosophy, combined with a deep understanding of transportation and a holistic approach to business, has set Customodal apart in the logistics industry.
Additionally, Eberl’s unique blend of experience and education has been a cornerstone of his success. A UW-Madison graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business, majoring in finance, investment, and banking, he combined academic knowledge with hands-on experience.
“I’ve driven trucks, solved problems in the middle of the night, and navigated every facet of this industry,” he says. “Most people in logistics come straight out of school and are taught to sell transportation. They’ve never experienced what it’s like to make it all work in real-time. My background lets me connect the dots between sales, marketing, and shipping in ways others can’t.”
Eberl’s journey began with humble roots. Moving to Marshfield for a job as a bookkeeper at the local airport, he started with nothing. “I slept on an old army cot in the airport while I saved for an apartment. A local businessman loaned me a car. Those experiences make you driven to succeed,” Eberl recalled.
Throughout his career, Eberl has stayed true to his old-fashioned values: honesty, integrity, and doing right by the customer.
“There are a lot of slimeballs in the transportation industry,” he candidly stated. “It’s a huge industry where people spend unbelievable amounts of money with people they don’t even know. I think people can tell we’re different.”
“The process of moving freight is endlessly interesting and always changing with so many moving pieces and differing urgencies requiring constant learning, adaptation, and shushing out of trade-offs to get things done,” he added. “The technology change over my time has vastly increased my reach and ability to influence more shipments for more clients, while at the same time reduced the number of people in the industry who truly understand it across many levels – giving me a unique perspective that is in growing demand.”
In 2023, Eberl transitioned Customodal’s partnership from TForce Worldwide to Priority 1, continuing to adapt and refine the company’s offerings.
As Eberl reflects on 25 years in logistics, his legacy is clear. He has built a business that combines innovation, customer focus, and integrity, while staying true to the values that shaped his career. “The ability to evolve while staying grounded is what keeps us successful,” he said.
Mike Eberl’s 25-year journey is an inspiring example of leadership, perseverance, and the impact of prioritizing both customers and family.
“The people I’ve met, served and been privileged to work with – clients, carriers, and employees (teammates) – have added to my life immeasurably,” he said.
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Author: News Desk
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