Q&A: From Farm to Fleet and Beyond With Matt Gilliland

Matt Gilliland didn’t plan on a career in fleet management. Growing up on a Nebraska farm and later working in his father’s repair shop, he developed mechanical skills that would prove invaluable in fleet. But his initial path led elsewhere, from political science studies to social services work.

Then came December 2006. Gilliland was at Kearney Tire & Auto Service, a preferred provider for Nebraska Public Power District, when an ice storm hit. His shop operated 24/7, servicing utility trucks overnight so lineworkers had warm, clean vehicles at daybreak. When an opportunity to become NPPD’s fleet manager arose in 2007, Gilliland applied for the job and made the cut.

Today, as director of operations support and business continuity, he oversees aviation, drones, facilities, drafting, investment recovery, inventory governance, business continuity planning and approximately 1,450 fleet assets across 86 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

UFP spoke with Gilliland about his unconventional journey to fleet leadership. Here’s an edited version of our conversation.

UFP: Take us back to the beginning. Where did you grow up?

Gilliland: I was born into a farming family – the firstborn of eventually five kids – in Farwell, Nebraska. We sold the farm due to the farm crisis in the late ’70s and early ’80s and moved to the Beatrice area. My dad eventually opened a repair shop in Plymouth, Nebraska, where I spent my formative years.

At my dad’s shop, we fixed everything. It didn’t matter what it was – we painted vehicles, overhauled engines, split tractors and put clutches in. The local International dealer went out of business, so we picked up a whole lot of International tractor work. I spent one summer doing nothing but TIG welding irrigation pipe. So, from about eighth grade through high school, I had a lot of exposure to all things mechanical.

Where did you go after high school?

I went to the University of Tulsa and started with political science, thinking law school or becoming a city manager. I played football there but transferred back to the University of Nebraska at Kearney when my girlfriend – now wife – stayed in Nebraska.

We married young, both in college, and needed income. I started part time at Kearney Tire & Auto in about ’96. But eventually, one of us had to take a break. It made sense for me to work since I had the mechanical skills to earn more.

What did your early career look like?

After my wife graduated, I took a job working in a boys treatment facility for four years, a ranch-based group home using horses for therapeutic treatment. My farm background was a good fit.

But the last two years of that, I worked two jobs – four days on, four days off at the treatment home and my “off days” at Kearney Tire & Auto – because we needed the money.

When my wife became a store manager at [Nebraska-based retailer] Gordmans around 2002, we moved to Lincoln, where I took on a role in family services, working on court-ordered reunification plans.

But we weren’t in Lincoln long before Kearney Tire & Auto called again, this time offering me a sales and service position at double what I was making. My wife could transfer stores with Gordmans, so we moved back to Kearney.

What did you learn at Kearney Tire & Auto that helped shape your career?

I worked for Marv Dawes – a tremendous businessperson. He was the owner-operator. My father was my biggest influence; my father-in-law, number two; and Marv, number three. He taught me how to sell, read people, take notes and be diligent. He taught me so much about business and leadership.

How did NPPD enter the picture?

Nebraska Public Power District operates in 86 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, so we don’t service our own chassis. We rely on the retail network. At the time, Kearney Tire & Auto was an NPPD preferred provider.

In December 2006, a horrific ice storm hit. We went 24/7, servicing utility trucks at night so linemen had warm, clean trucks ready at daylight. NPPD loved us.

But as that relationship matured, NPPD’s fleet manager role opened suddenly. I applied along with numerous others and ended up getting the job in September 2007.

What did the fleet operation look like when you arrived?

The fleet wasn’t corporate-wide. I was hired to run the transmission and distribution fleet, which was very organized. But the production plants were fragmented, each plant having its own fleet, managed independently.

Immediately after I was hired, senior management asked me to outsource the rest of the department. They’d already reduced headcount from 25 to 12 a few years earlier. Now they wanted to finish outsourcing and get out of the fleet business entirely – just administer it. So, I pushed back: “We’re not going to do that, and here’s why.”

What was the “why”?

Number one was the cost [of outsourcing]. Number two was expertise, especially on the insulated boom stuff. You just can’t find that. Even if you find a reputable dealer that sells Versalift or Altec, you just can’t pull into their shop – there is no such thing in Nebraska. And the third thing that sold it is that we, as NPPD employees, care more than anybody else will. So, if you’re really focused on safety, that’s how it’s going to look.

When did you tackle the fleet fragmentation issue?

In 2012, I sold executives on corporatizing the fleet. We went from about 1,800 assets to 1,200. The company didn’t fully understand what equipment it had. Within each plant, the business units weren’t talking to each other. “Well, you have that, and I have the same thing, and we each use it very sparingly.”

Different cultures at each plant, different processes and resistance to change. Getting everyone aligned with standardized processes and centralized decision-making was the real challenge.

But we were able to do it. We had a huge reduction. The money we gained from remarketing the surplus equipment was reinvested in our production facilities.

Your role has expanded significantly beyond fleet. Walk us through that.

After 2012, aviation got added, then facilities, then other business units. Usually, it was predicated by a reorg or someone’s retirement. From 2007 to now, something was added every few years. Business continuity came in 2020.

Today, I oversee fleet, aviation, drones, facilities – about 42 to 43 campuses and 80 buildings total – drafting, investment recovery and inventory governance.

Along the way, you went back to school. When did that happen?

Very early on at NPPD, I earned a bachelor’s in business administration at Bellevue University, completed around ’09, ’10. Then my MBA through Wayne State College in ’12, ’13, while having two little ones at home. It was a pull.

What advice do you have for those considering a career in fleet?

First, embrace it. Fleet is a tremendous opportunity. The people are fantastic, it’s ever-changing, and there’s never a dull day. It gives you exposure to all things in the business and face-to-face opportunities with internal customers that can lead to opportunities beyond fleet management.

Second, the best investment you can make is in yourself. Get education, get expertise. Your goal should be to become a preeminent voice, the subject matter expert. When you go to a trade show, be on the stage, not in the audience. That was my goal.

Also, join professional organizations. Find like-minded individuals. The people you interface with have a significant influence on you. Get around people who’ve already paid some tuition in hard knocks – that can save you some skinned knees.

Any final thoughts?

Do things that are uncomfortable. If you don’t like standing in front of crowds, find crowds to stand in front of. I’m an introvert – almost problematic – but if you take a professional approach and know your stuff, it makes standing and delivering easier. Confidence comes from preparation.