In an industry where fuel prices and a fluctuating economy can make or break a company, Cooper Freight Service, Inc. has remained one of the more recognizable names in the Memphis trucking market with more than 30 years of operation. Founded in 1975 by Henry Cooper and his son, Don Cooper; the trucking company started with five employees who were all part of the Cooper family. “The entire family drove either a cube van or bob truck in the beginning, picking up and delivering freight,” says Don Cooper, president of Cooper Freight. “There were a lot of sleepless nights and long days. The Lord blessed and the job got done.” The truckload carrier has grown from a handful of employees to 100 employees and terminals in Memphis and Grenada, Miss. Mark cooper says. “A good name is to be more desired than great wealth,” he says, quoting Proverbs 22:1 Cooper Freight has been able to turn that good name into substantial revenues. The company’s first year of operation in 1975 netted $50,000 in revenue, but the company has grown revenues to $14.5 million in 2006 and $15.3 million in 2007. Cooper Freight also plans to expand its fleet from 86 to 95 trucks and from 215 to 240 trailers. But in order for a company to be successful in the trucking industry, customer satisfaction has to remain high. Cooper Freight has remained a consistent choice in the Memphis market because the company doesn’t take business that it can’t deliver on, Mark cooper says. “Our motto has been, ‘Be dedicated to service,’” Mark Cooper says. “We are from the air freight days so air freight means when (a customer) calls, you have to react. Our entire reaction time is based on that, when we moved over to truckload deliveries. We never commit to loads that we can’t positively deliver when we say we can.” The company’s dedication to its customers is a big reason for the success of Cooper Freight, says Margaret Davis, loan officer for Regions Bank in Southaven. Davis has worked with the Cooper family for many years and watched the business grow. “I’ve been with them for 16 years, and they are just a phenomenal family-run organization,” she says. “They do a phenomenal job: In my opinion, they are run better than a lot of big corporations. They are respected in the community and give back a lot.” But a company can not operate for more than 30 years without facing adversity. With diesel prices continuing to hit record marks, Mark Cooper says Cooper Freight has had to adapt and continue to find ways to be profitable. “Its is tough right now and we are trying to be as proactive as possible,” he says. “We are trying to stay on top of the latest technology with GPS tracking, conserve oil, cut idle times down and cut speed along with teaming up with vendors to get discounts. The main thing is to stay on top of it at all times so when things get bad, you are already in that mode.” Cooper Freight has been able to fight off high turn over that frequently plaques companies in the trucking industry. Davis says the respect and benefits Cooper Freight provides to its employees. “If you were to talk to an employee who works there, they would say (Cooper Freight) treats them with such respect,” she says. “They have such low turn over.”