Trucking Family Members
Kermit Osmon – 1935-60
Bob Breeden – 1963-94
Clarence Breeden – 1963-92
Carl Breeden – 1973-present
Debra Breeden – 1973-present
Darrell Breeden – 1970-present
Vivian Breeden – 1994-present
Bill Breeden – 1980-present
Dennis Breeden – 1985-present
Jackie Breeden -1987-present
Jeff Breeden – 1990-present
Gary Edwards – 1984-present
Shannon Edwards – 1988-present
Rodney Clidienst – 2003-present
Colleen Clidienst – 2003-present
Charles Akins – 1987-2003
Sheila Akins – 1987-96
Alan Plumber – 1985-present
Chris Breeden – 1991-present
Christopher Breeden – 2003-present
Dwayne Jones – 2003-present
Many people subscribe to the philosophy of not mixing business and family. Some would say it’s a recipe for disaster. Not Dennis Breeden. The 44-year-old Plainville, Ind., driver and trucking company co-owner has found hiring family members to be a win-win venture. “We’re a close family anyway,” Dennis says. “Having family members working with us has been great.”
In addition to millions of miles of safe driving, the family has a long track record of community and social involvement for numerous causes, including helping low-income people and a prison ministry (see “Helping Hands”).
That’s why Truckers News has selected the Breedens as its 2004 Great American Trucking Family. They will receive their award and be recognized at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, Sept. 10-12.
Dennis and wife Jackie, along with partners Mark and Tracy Thomforde (no family relation) own a 25-truck fleet called J.T. Express, which primarily hauls parts for a Toyota plant in Princeton, Ind. Family members working with Dennis’s company include his sister Colleen Clidienst and brother-in-law Rodney (owner-operators), his uncle Darrell Breeden and wife Vivian (owner-operators), his brother Jeff Breeden and his uncle Bill Breeden, an ordained minister, who drives part-time.
Other family members are either leased to T.S. Boyd Grain that also hauls Toyota parts or work in the automotive parts plant.
Even though Dennis, a certified diesel mechanic with almost 20 years of over-the-road driving experience, stays busy running and expanding his year-old company (he just started a small LTL division with the Kroger supermarket chain), he will fill in driving when needed. And his wife also has no problem with jumping in a truck as a fill-in and delivering a load solo. “We all pitch in when we’re needed,” Jackie says.
Dennis’ trucking heritage actually begins on his mother’s side of the family. His grandfather Kermit Osmon was an owner-operator hauling produce for more than 20 years starting in the 1930s. Several other members of the Osmon side farmed and hauled grain.
After Dennis’ father, George Breeden, died in 1968, his mother Sheila married Charles Akins. They became owner-operators and drove for North American and Atlas Van Lines, where they earned numerous driving awards.
