My earliest memories of our first office are very vivid. We had approximately 5,000 feet of office space, no furniture, no computers or equipment and a few employees. We did have six cell phones resting against the window due to the poor reception in our building, but very few calls. At that point, it seemed more like a dream than a reality. But what we couldn’t see was the large number of talented individuals who would soon join us in Rick’s vision of a very unique company.

Our Purpose Statement, “To Provide A Better Place For People To Work” encapsulates the essence of Cornerstone. It’s a simple but powerful belief that people who are treated with integrity and respect, who have a good work/life balance and who enjoy their work will deliver superior value to our customers. This is our competitive advantage. The people whose commitment, professionalism and skill delivers the value our customers expect on a daily basis.

Over the years we have experienced tremendous growth in our business, yet our purpose has never changed. The decision by Rick in 2012 to make Cornerstone an employee-owned company was the ultimate fulfillment of the vision that started our company. How fitting is it that those who built this company now share in its ownership.

To our customers, we can’t thank you enough for trusting us with your business. You gave us the opportunity to deliver on our promises. You have our commitment that we will continue to strive to exceed your expectations!

To those whose efforts have made Cornerstone, I can only say thank you. It has been a blessing and an honor to work with you. I look forward to our future and to what we can accomplish as we continue to move our company forward.

Sincerely,
Tim

Transportation veteran Rick Rodell founded Cornerstone Systems with the simple purpose of providing a better place for people to work, and a goal to create one of the finest transportation providers in the United States. On April 21, 1997, Cornerstone was incorporated in the state of Tennessee with just four people, six cell phones and an empty 5,000 sq. ft. office space. The four people were Rick Rodell, Tim Clay, Sheryl Barton and Charles Corpier, and the first load moved was a truckload of furniture on June 2. Within 6 short months, Cornerstone quickly grew into a multimillion dollar industry leader, and that growth still continues today.

One reason for our success…we are relationship builders. Known for providing an exceptional customer experience, our personalized approach to all we do has also created an outstanding culture for our employees with a family-friendly environment and work/life balance. “We have always believed that the best way to care for our customers is to care about each employee and their families.” said Chairman/Founder Rick Rodell. “People are what make Cornerstone Systems valuable to its customers. People doing their jobs, being involved and caring about our customer’s freight is what we are about. We are all in this together and what sets us apart from our competitors is our focus on the customer and our employees.”

Still privately held and operated today, and employee-owned since 2012, Cornerstone Systems is an award-winning industry leader and premier nationwide provider of solutions for transportation and logistics, offering intermodal, railcar and railcar consolidation, truck brokerage, LTL, supply chain solutions, domestic transportation of U.S. imports/exports, container drayage, warehousing, transloading, on-site logistics, specialized shipments and more.

Back in 1997 Rick Rodell decided to create something better for those he cared about. His wife found the name of his future company from the Bible and he formed Cornerstone Systems. “To our employees, thanks. Thanks for doing your jobs and for taking the extra time to do it right. Thanks for being Cornerstone and the company that Cornerstone has become.”

Our continued growth is a true testament to our employees, and a steadfast belief in our Purpose Statement and Core Values. A purpose statement is different than a mission statement. In a conversation with Chairman/Founder Rick Rodell, he was asked what was the purpose in creating Cornerstone in the first place? “To provide a better place for people to work” he replied. That simple statement, along with our set of core values, still serves today as the fundamental foundation of who we are, how we hire, and how we conduct ourselves with each other and with our customers.

Purpose Statement

“To Provide A Better Place For People To Work”

Core Values

Integrity – Period

Honesty – Absence of Deceit

Respect – How We Treat People

Loyalty – What We Give And Expect In Return

Never Satisfied – We Will Continuously Seek Improvement

Cornerstone is an equal opportunity company, and we are proud of our diversity. As a past recipient of the “Top 500 Mid-Size Businesses in America” award from Diversity Business, we strive to provide a working environment free from discrimination and bias based on race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. This includes all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages and benefits. We currently have minority representation in all departments within our company structure. Cornerstone has clear policies and procedures in place to ensure fair treatment for all applicants and employees. Our core values are integrity, honesty, respect, loyalty, and never being satisfied; and we live those values every day.

For four years in a row, Cornerstone Systems has been recognized as a Top Workplace based on anonymous employee surveys. The survey measures 15 culture drivers that an outside party has named as critical success factors for any organization.

In 2023, Cornerstone Systems was also named a Top Workplace for Compensation and Benefits, Purpose and Values, Work-Life Flexibility, and Leadership.

Our Purpose Statement, “To Provide A Better Place For People To Work”, coupled with these recent accolades as voted on by our employees, helps solidify that objective.