When Keith Gill retires from Lotus Terminals on September 16, he will close the book on a transportation career that began in 1977 and has spanned nearly five decades.
It is a career that has taken Keith through many sides of the transportation business, from sales and operations to customs, hazardous materials and management. Along the way, he has moved everything from everyday freight to a live rhinoceros and hippopotamus, and even a specialized boat destined to help protect a U.S. president.
More importantly, Keith has built relationships with customers, suppliers, government officials and colleagues that have lasted for decades.
Ask Keith to sum up the journey in one word, however, and he keeps it characteristically simple:
INTERESTING INTERESTING
After almost 50 years, that may be an understatement.
An Unexpected Road into Transportation
Transportation wasn’t Keith’s original plan.
In his early twenties, he was working in financial services and interested in pursuing a position with Royal Trust’s Personal Trust Department. At just 24 years old, however, he was considered too young for the opportunity.
Keith went back to school, enrolling in BCIT’s Administration Management program. Around the same time, a close friend entered transportation and sparked his curiosity about the industry.
In 1977, Keith made the move.
What followed was a career that exposed him to many sides of the business. He worked in sales and operations, dealt with customs and hazardous materials, managed people and customers, and learned firsthand how complicated moving freight can become.
Leading Vansea
Of the many roles Keith held during his career, his time as General Manager of Vansea Transport stands out.
It gave him the opportunity not only to work in transportation, but to lead a transportation business and its people.
As Keith recalls:
“I got to take the company and the employees in the direction I wanted to, and that turned out to be a profitable one.”
Transportation rarely presents the same problem twice, and Keith developed an appreciation for looking beyond the obvious answer, understanding the details and finding a practical way forward.
It also produced a few assignments that would be difficult to forget.
When the Freight Gets Interesting
Among the more memorable projects of Keith’s career was coordinating the transportation of a live rhinoceros and hippopotamus from the Calgary Zoo to the Toronto Zoo.
Then there was the U.S. Secret Service.
Keith helped arrange the delivery of a Zodiac Hurricane boat from Richmond, British Columbia, to Kennebunkport, Maine, where it was to be used by the Secret Service in protecting President George H.W. Bush.
Those stories illustrate something Keith has understood throughout his career:
“Moving goods from A to B sounds simple, but it’s far more complex than people realize.”
Behind every shipment are people, equipment, regulations, timing, documentation and any number of things that can change along the way. Understanding those moving pieces and finding solutions has always been part of what kept the business interesting for Keith.
The Road to Lotus
Keith’s road eventually brought him to Lotus Terminals through Vansea.
When Lotus acquired Vansea Transport, it provided a new home for the business and its people and opened the next chapter of Keith’s career.
Keith brought with him years of transportation experience, established industry relationships and an understanding of the business built over decades. At Lotus, he continued working with customers and colleagues while sharing that knowledge with the team.
For Keith, good service has always gone beyond simply completing the move. It means understanding what the customer actually needs, anticipating potential problems and removing as much uncertainty as possible from the process.
Sharing What He Has Learned
Keith has always believed in sharing what he has learned with others.
One phrase colleagues have heard regularly says plenty about his approach:
“If you have any questions, never hesitate to get a hold of me.”
That willingness to share nearly five decades of experience is something his colleagues at Lotus have appreciated firsthand.
Brad Bentz remembers Keith as a patient source of support from his earliest days at the company:
On the longest, toughest days, Keith never shied away from answering a question or explaining something extremely obvious to him but not to me.
Brad is also quick to point out another side of Keith: “He’s hilarious.” Of the things he’ll miss most, Brad says, it will be “the real laughs.”
Jeff White similarly points to Keith’s experience and willingness to work through a problem:
His wealth of knowledge has been very beneficial and I appreciated being able to bounce different ideas off him to come up with solutions for customers.
Loretta West also speaks to the impact Keith’s knowledge and support have had on those around him:
I really want you to know how much I’ve appreciated your experience, professionalism and guidance over the years. Your knowledge and support have helped me more than you probably realize.
That knowledge has been particularly valuable when navigating the complexities of cross-border transportation.
Jolanta Kasinska, who worked with Keith throughout his 12 years with Lotus, describes him as the team’s go-to expert on cross-border matters, from CBSA to U.S. DOT regulations.
Whenever we were slammed with a fine, Keith somehow always found a way to get it voided or substantially reduced. He was the guy you wanted in your corner when the border authorities came calling!
But for those who have worked alongside Keith for years, the relationships and conversations stand out just as much as the transportation knowledge.
Bob Meredith met Keith when he joined Lotus 10 years ago, and the two quickly discovered they knew many of the same people in the industry despite their paths never having crossed.
Since then, Keith and I have shared countless conversations, swapping stories about the past as well as discussing current events and day-to-day affairs. Keith is incredibly well-read and can comfortably speak on a wide variety of subjects.
And then there are the jokes.
I particularly enjoy his sense of humor. In fact, I must admit that I've borrowed more than a few of his jokes over the years and made them my own!
That combination of experience, generosity, relationships and humour has defined much of Keith’s time at Lotus.
From Prab Bal
Lotus CEO Prab Bal reflects on the experience and perspective Keith brought to the company:
Keith brought decades of transportation experience with him when Lotus acquired Vansea, and that knowledge has been valuable to our team ever since. He understands this industry from many different angles and has always been willing to share what he knows. After a career stretching back to 1977, Keith has certainly earned this next chapter. Congratulations, Keith, and thank you for everything you've contributed to Lotus.
A Career Summed Up in One Word
Almost 50 years.
Countless shipments. Customers and colleagues. Changes in technology and regulation. And, somewhere along the way, a rhinoceros, a hippopotamus and a Secret Service boat.
So perhaps “INTERESTING” really is the right word.
And retirement doesn’t appear likely to be boring either.
Keith is looking forward to warmer weather and plenty of opportunities to enjoy one of his favourite pastimes: golf.
After nearly five decades in transportation, his colleagues agree the next chapter is well deserved.
As Keith prepares to retire from Lotus Terminals, we celebrate the full road that brought him here. Nearly five decades in transportation, relationships spanning generations, stories worth telling and knowledge worth passing along.
Keith, thank you for the years you shared with Lotus and the experience, humour and friendship you brought to our team.
