Todd leads the Valley team in key strategic decisions that enhance business practices. Todd has been with Valley Companies for over 30 years, officially joining VC in 1999 and starting his current role as CEO & Visionary in 2012. Todd attended Normandale Community College, where he studied business. Leveraging his past experiences, Todd plays the role as Valley’s visionary overseeing decisions and bringing new ideas to light for implementation. When thinking of logistics, the first thing that comes to Todd’s mind is creating value and providing solutions. Core values have the utmost importance at Valley, and Todd considers laughter, God, and tears as his top 3. When not in the office, Todd spends his spare time with his wife and 3 boys. When asked to give his 20-year-old self advice, Todd would tell himself to grind every single day.
Eric ‘Spotter’ Gilbert is the Vice President of Operations at Valley Companies and has 30 years of experience in the logistics industry. From growing up in the Valley warehouse, sweeping the floors, to getting his CDL and driving truck, to leading all of Operations in the organization, Eric lives and breathes the Valley core values. As a 3rd generation Gilbert, he knows what it means to serve customers at the highest level, and when asked what he thinks of when he thinks of Valley – “You call, we haul!”, the motto that Grandpa Norman instilled in the organization from day one. Eric takes his role in the company very seriously and continues to learn and grow with the team as he leads our operations to ensure our customers are taken care of and that we’re meeting expectations. When he’s not in the office or on the dock, Eric can be found spending time with his family and shuttling his children around to their activities. He’s often referred to as the “Chief Happiness Officer” at Valley, and he lives up to that title every day!
Jennifer Jenkins has been with Valley Companies for four years and brings a plethora of knowledge to our team; as Valley’s Vice President of Finance, Jennifer collaborates and enables Sales and Operations to deliver superior logistics solutions to our customers. When she thinks of logistics, the first thought that comes to her mind is that it is “complex,” and Jennifer plays an integral role in helping coordinate logistics solutions with our partners and customers. Jennifer graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and while core values are fundamental at Valley, Jennifer considers the mottos of never settle, stay true, and be you, and our Valley FACTS as her top three. When she isn’t in the office, Jennifer spends time with her husband and two kids; as we know, Jennifer has many unique skills, including working as a farm hand helping vaccinate cattle once a year.
Ashley Briles brings almost ten years of administrative and logistics experience as the Director of Administration at Valley Companies. She works closely with our president and CEO while supporting the leadership team and is critical in behind-the-scenes support to all within the Valley organization. Ashley graduated from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a minor in International Studies; she brings many different skills and experiences to the Valley Team, including the year she spent in Singapore working on an expat assignment. Our core values are a fundamental component here at Valley, and Ashley considers loyalty, dependability, and support her top three. When she isn’t problem-solving for Valley, she spends time with her husband and two Bernese Mountain Dogs, Reggie and Henry.
Wilbur has been promoted to Chief Value Officer (CVO), and it was a well-deserved promotion! As Valley continues to grow and focus on technology and partnerships, Wilbur is just the man for the job to bring the best value to our customers and team. Whether it’s new logistics solutions for customers using industry knowledge and Valley talent to enhance their experience or building a fun work environment for the Valley Family, Wilbur’s always adding #ValleyValue. Valley is rolling with Wilbur as our CVO! In his spare time, Wilbur dreams of being a real person, likes long walks on the shores of the St. Croix, and rides his custom-cartoon-Harley.
