by Lisa Townsend | Apr 23, 2018 | Airways News
Surrounded by women for most of his life, Grant has quite the talent for saying just the right things to not get himself into too much trouble! With two sisters, a wife, three daughters, and ten female employees working for him in the Accounting department, having that ability comes in handy!
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Grant was raised a military brat moving from place to place, including Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Oklahoma and Europe. After choosing the same path, he found himself a Corporal in the United States Army and spent quite a few years living in Germany.
Grant prides himself on his family, and his marriage of thirty years to his wife, Meg. Together they have raised three daughters and a son.
Their first daughter Haley, most recently married, graduated college and is currently working as a Teacher. Their second daughter Erin, is attending medical school at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; and third daughter Clare, is attending the University of Arkansas. Their son Jack, has just begun college at Northwest Arkansas Community College.
Grant began his journey with Airways Freight in September of 1989. With next year being 30 years, there’s not one person at Airways that has not had some kind of correspondence with him, new or old. Working as the Accounting Manager, Grant’s objective approach has made him significant in the day to day administration of his department. He’s worn many hats over his tenure, but consequently settled into the world of accounting and has made it his chief initiative ever since.
Anyone that knows Grant, knows he loves to read. One of his favorite authors is Edgar Rice Burroughs, an American fiction writer most notably known for Tarzan and John Carter. One of the first books he ever read was by Sir Walter Raleigh, another fictional writer from the late 1500’s. He was a poet, soldier, politician, spy and explorer and most significantly a writer. His writings told of his explorations and the popularizing of tobacco in England and notably the namesake of Raleigh, North Carolina.
Grant is independent in his thinking, he is cognitive and likes to think outside the box. He comes from a long line of intellectual minds, and even has a sister who is a Romance novelist on the bestseller list.
Grant is congenial and has an impressive knack for feigning the narrative. He has a jovial disposition and complaisant attitude. He also reminds us on the regular that “Every day is a Holiday, and every meal is a banquet”.
by Lisa Townsend | Apr 16, 2018 | Airways News
Dakota began his journey with Airways Freight in November of 2013. Being no stranger to Airways and having some close personal ties, Dakota’s decision to apply was an easy one.
While being in school full time, Dakota always worked at least two jobs. He was eager to work in a place that had great benefits, with room to grow, and had the kind of team morale he had always heard about. He quickly transferred from Night Operations to International Tradeshow Account Manager. The daily challenges and shift in pace as well as the constant variations each day represents are the things that make his job intriguing and are what truly sets Airways apart from anything else he’s ever done.
Dakota grew up in the town of Combs, Arkansas and attended school in St. Paul for a couple of years before transferring over to Elkins, Arkansas and eventually graduating from there in 2009. What stands out the most from his childhood is the vacations he took with his family camping at Roaring River, and also getting to vacation with family friends at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
After the death of his father, Dakota looked up to his older cousin Gary Johnson. From a very young age he was always a great mentor, and to this day, there is never a time when he doesn’t look to him for advice. Dakota is extremely grateful that he has been in his life, and feels he owes a lot to him.
While growing up, Dakota was always the one to make sure he and his friends stayed safe and out of trouble, so sometimes he was referred by them as “the mother hen” of the group.
Dakota is very proud of his family consisting of his wife, Maggie, his son Emmett and another son due at the end of July, Rowan. The connection they share and the trials of surviving the hardships of having a premature baby, only strengthened their bond as a family.
When asked if he had any philosophical views, Dakota believes through experience that when something bad happens, you have three choices… You can either let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.
Dakota likes to read, and also enjoys the outdoors, riding four wheelers in particular. He tries to spend as much time with his family as he can, and he and his wife are looking forward to the arrival of their newest addition.
Dakota is hardworking and dedicated, he has done everything from sports information and working as a pharmacy tech to custodial and parking/transit at the University of Arkansas. His work ethic is a force to be reckoned with and he always gives 110% in anything he does. Dakota’s favorite quote is a line from the movie Gladiator “What we do in life echoes in eternity”. He lives each day ready to take on any challenges, and is consequently creating his legacy.
by Lisa Townsend | Apr 9, 2018 | Airways News
Integrity is doing the right thing even when no-one is watching. Those are the words Julie Coursey tries to live by daily, and if you’ve ever worked with her, you know she is the very definition of those words.
Beginning her journey with Airways Freight in August of 2005, Julie had previously worked a short time at JB Hunt before hearing about Airways and how it would be a perfect fit for her. Like most of her co-workers, what she likes best about working at Airways is the family atmosphere and casual close-knit environment that she is embraced by every day.
After working in Domestic Operations for over ten years, Julie decided she wanted to transfer to the International Trade Show department in 2016. She really enjoys working with her colleagues and loves the camaraderie they share. With a lot more paperwork involved and having at times a language barrier, communicating with agents and customers is quite different than when she worked in Domestic. Although there are certain difficulties involved, it is very challenging and gratifying at the same time.
Born and raised in Harrison, Arkansas, Julie is the middle of three close in age sisters. When they were very young they would travel the United States with their father, an entertainer and musician. He was a “One Man Band” and referred to himself as Jeff Coursey “Almost Famous”.
Julie attended high school in Valley Springs, Arkansas and was 3rd in her class, she was a cheerleader throughout and she also played volleyball. After high school, she attended Drury College in Springfield, Missouri on an ACT scholarship, and then briefly attended Northwest Arkansas Community College.
When Julie has free time, she loves spending it with her daughter Abby who is 19, her boyfriend Brad, and her sister and best friend Ann. She enjoys anything that involves being outdoors, and loves sports, especially the Arkansas Razorbacks (Go Hogs!). Julie loves traveling and back in January of 2017, she took her daughter to the Phuket Province in Thailand. She and her daughter had the adventure of a lifetime, whitewater rafting, zip-lining and four-wheeling through the jungle as well as having an unforgettable experience of riding an elephant.
Julie has been described by her friends and co-workers as friendly, loyal, outgoing and hardworking. She has an infectious laugh and never misses a beat. She also has a hidden talent of doing the wave with her eyebrows! She’s without a doubt a great asset to the International Trade Show department, and has made Airways Freight very proud.
by Lisa Townsend | Apr 2, 2018 | Airways News
Inquisitive and tenacious, Will Underwood began working in our Night Operations department in August 2014, while attending college at the University of Arkansas. He started his venture with the intention of utilizing his experience at Airways Freight and applying it to his major in Supply Chain Management.
Will previously worked as a warehouse and sales distributor, at Fayettechill, an Ozark Mountain based company that specializes in outdoor clothing and accessories. He also interned in research and development with a company called Southwire, before finally becoming an employee of Airways Freight.
The comradery of his fellow co-workers is what truly sets Airways apart from the other places he’s worked. From helping customers and sales agents, to the nightly responsibilities of making sure freight gets where it needs to be. Will has learned a great deal about customer service and it has given him first hand knowledge in the field he is studying for.
Besides working full time and attending college, Will is also an alumni of the Kappa Alpha Order, and has done many philanthropic projects including fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, as well as reoccurring blood drives for the American Red Cross they proudly named “Operation Crimson Cross”.
Growing up about an hour west of Atlanta, Will was raised in Carrollton, Georgia. He is the oldest of three boys, one of which is also an employee at Airways Freight, Nathan Underwood. He has many memories of childhood including building forts in the woods with his friends and playing soccer up until high school.
Though referring to himself as “out-kicking his coverage”,
Will is very fortunate to have married his best friend and college sweetheart, Holly. They are recent newlyweds, and together they love spending time with their dogs, Arthur (a yellow lab) and Bitsy (a Great Pyrenees). They love going to the dog park, and really enjoy hiking. Will also likes to read, watch movies and listen to music.
His determination and “get the job done” attitude, are just two of the distinctive qualities that make Will Underwood exceptional in our Night Operations team at Airways Freight and we wish him the very best in his future endeavors.
by Lisa Townsend | Mar 26, 2018 | Airways News
Stable and authentic, his quiet distinctive charm, makes Gordon Thomason an undeniable asset to his colleagues. His strong work ethic, and congenial approach make working with him revered.
An International Commercial Airfreight Account Manager, Gordon Thomason started his career with Airways Freight on December 4th of 2006, after previously working as an Operations Manager for a call center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His transition from working for a large publicly owned company to a smaller privately-owned family-oriented business has made a great impact on his life today. Gordon values his relationships with his co-workers and is grateful to work for a company that holds their employees in such high esteem.
When Gordon isn’t in the office, he enjoys traveling. Spain being his favorite destination, the Cayman Islands hold a close second, but there is so much more of the world he aspires to explore.
Gordon has been married to his wife Heather for ten years, and together they have a daughter named Annika who is 8 years old. He is also the father to Dane 22, and Delaney who is 18.
Something you might not know about Gordon is that when he was younger, he attended military school in New Mexico. His three years turned out to be one of the best things that has ever happened to him, and ultimately life changing.
The youngest of six kids, with five older sisters, Gordon spent the greater part of his childhood in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. He was greatly influenced by his father, but learned quite a bit from his sisters growing up. He was an avid soccer player throughout his childhood and played until he graduated from high school.
Gordon loves college football and spending quality time with family and friends. He’s very friendly and is quick to lend a hand. He’s hard-working and steadfast and we are pleased he has made Airways Freight his home.
Surrounded by women for most of his life, Grant has quite the talent for saying just the right things to not get himself into too much trouble! With two sisters, a wife, three daughters, and ten female employees working for him in the Accounting department, having that ability comes in handy! 
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