For more than 30 years, Perry Mandera has been a leader in the transportation industry from starting his own transportation company at age 23 to building The Custom Companies into a full-service transportation company.

Perry Mandera's career highlights, include:

1980    Began his first of several businesses at age 23

1984-   Served as the Republican Ward Committeeman for the 26th Ward
1988    in Chicago - at the time he was the youngest man to ever serve 
           as a Committeeman

1986    Started The Custom Companies

1986    Custom Companies became the "first of its kind" as a 
           full-service transportation company offering a complete range 
           of Truckload and LTL shipping options as well as Domestic
           and International AirFreight forwarding services, Local Cartage
           and Dedicated Contract Cartage - creating the first "one-stop 
           shop concept" for the transportation industry.
           
1991    Named "Executive of the Year" by the Italian American Executives
           of Transportation - the youngest ever in its history

1996    Elected to the Board of Directors for the Illinois Transportation 
           Association [ITA]

2000    Named to the "Top 100 American Transportation Executives 
           of the Millennium" by the Illinois Transportation Association [ITA]

2001    Joined the Board of Directors for the Walter & Connie Payton 
           Foundation [current Board member]

2003    Custom Companies received the Pat Summerall Award as
           "Champions of the Industry" in transportation

2004    Received the Leonard Schaller "Businessman of the Year" Award

2006    Joined the Board of Directors for The Jesse White Tumblers 
           [current Board member]

2007    Currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois
           Transportation Association [ITA]