April's Contractor of the Month
Graham Balcom
Graham Balcom is a genuinely nice guy with a giving heart. Otherwise known as "Balky", he's always willing to lend a hand to someone in need and is a key player when it comes to charity events. A natural social butterfly, he is not afraid to make his presence known and the world's reaction to him is usually greeted with his humble, take-it-or-leave-it attitude that may be confused with modesty. His frequent acts of kindness result from his instinctive gut reactions, despite whether people take notice or not. As he puts it, "I'm no super hero. I just do what I do."
Last month at Mercer's annual Mid-America Cookout, he shaved his signature mane and beard as a fundraiser to fight breast cancer. This is the second year he's shaved for a cause- at last year's cookout, his haircut raised $1000 to help out a fellow contractor who was going through tough times. The idea came to him on a whim and before that night, he hadn't been "clean cut" for nearly 16 years. When asked if he missed his unruly locks, he replied, "Hair grows back, and I figure I could use a haircut at least once a year. How many people can say get get paid to get their hair cut?"
Balky has built a reputation at Mercer for helping out fellow contractors. He's been known to offer advice, re power trucks and deliver freight for broken-down friends. Recently Russell Barnett's truck broke down in North Carolina, on his way to meet his wife in Louisville to attend the Mid-America Trucking Show. Balky left his route to pick up Barnett, they delivered his load and headed for Louisville together. There, Balky let Barnett and his wife stay in his truck for the weekend and helped them find financing needed to get their truck back on the road. "Graham will do anything he can to help people. He really has a generous heart." says Barnett.
Mercer owner operator, Debbie Berkel, recounts back to her last birthday when she ran into Balky on the road. Debbie explains that in conversation, he had learned that it was her birthday. "He went into the truck stop and brought back a small stuffed bear holding a heart that said, 'A Friend reaches your hand and touches your heart.' I thought that was so sweet. There is something about Graham ... he wants to help everyone. He's really an outstanding person."
In turn, Balky believes he is a good fit for Mercer because the company's family atmosphere exhibits the same friendly virtues that he exercises in his daily life. After 11 years as a Mercer contractor, he is confident that he's found a home here. "As far as I'm concerned, there's only one company and that's Mercer. All of the people keep me here. It's the camaraderie ... I'd say 98% of all the drivers here will do anything for each other."
Do you know someone who should be nominated as Mercer's Contractor of the Month? To submit a suggestion, please contact Johanna Inman (jinman@mercer-trans.com).