OOIDA Internal Services works behind-the-scenes

Before the sun has made its first appearance of the day. Before any employees file in or any calls come into the OOIDA offices. Even before the first of many pots of coffee is brewed, the building’s Internal Services team has been hard at work preparing for the day.

Chuck McIntyre is the supervisor of the team. McIntyre, who had a background in construction before joining the Association nearly 18 years ago, wears many hats as he and his team work to provide a “safe and clean environment for employees and guests.”

Keeping three floors of an office neat and tidy is no easy task. One of the team members helping to bring the clean is April Sell, who has been working with the Association since 2022. She said the work of the Internal Services team makes every employee’s job a little bit easier.

“Everybody wants to come into a clean building,” Sell said. “I mean, it’s clean, it smells good and you can do your job without worrying.”

Samantha Jenkins is another member of the housekeeping crew and joined OOIDA in December 2025. Jenkins said Internal Services not only helps every department in the building meet its needs so they can do their best work, but it’s also responsible for ensuring OOIDA members who come to the Grain Valley offices have a good first impression.

“We want to make sure that our building looks clean and professional,” she said. “That way, they know that we’re serious about what we do for them.”

Working alongside OOIDA’s Building Services team, the Internal Services staff provides OOIDA members with a clean and inviting space.

Putting on a smile

Housekeeping is only one part of the Internal Services team. The other important part is the front desk team, who are responsible for a variety of tasks throughout the day, but none more important than welcoming OOIDA members when they enter the Grain Valley offices.

Angel Stokes, who has been with the Association for eight years, is the first to greet you as you come through the door.

“I am the face of OOIDA when they walk in,” says Stokes with a smile and a laugh, something anyone who has interacted with her is sure to have witnessed.

Beth Driscoll, who has been with OOIDA for nearly 14 years, is the other familiar face at the front desk. Driscoll also mans the counter at the OOIDA Road Gear shop, helping fulfill orders while offering a welcoming “hello” to truckers.

“I’ve been around trucking forever, and I don’t know how those guys do it. It’s hard. It’s hard on families because I lived that life,” Driscoll said. “I just like being able to talk to the guys; they’re fun.”

Stokes said that talking with OOIDA members and directing them to the help they need is the most rewarding part of her job.

“When members walk in, and they have issues or problems, they might be a little upset or something, but just listening to them and getting the people they need to help solve their problems,” Stokes said. “I like to make them feel welcome and important when they walk through that door.”

All in the family

In talking to employees across the OOIDA offices, regardless of department, a common theme emerges: their work teams are like families.

The Internal Services department is no exception.

“I work in a wonderful department with wonderful people,” Stokes said. “We come to work, get our work done and have fun, and I think that is important.”

As a supervisor, McIntyre said that a sense of family is an important part of making a tough job just a little easier.

 “Our goal is to make sure they know that we care about them, and their families come before this job….Obviously, it’s not the most glamorous position in the world, so we don’t micromanage or rule with an iron fist,” McIntyre said. “We want you to want to be here.”

Jenkins said the team takes an “all hands on deck” mentality to tackling tasks, and agrees that the most rewarding part of her job is working with people with whom she has real connections.

Growing up in the “trucking town” of Oak Grove, Mo., which has roughly the same number of truck stops as public schools, Jenkins has a soft spot for drivers. She appreciates truckers and all they do, and is proud to work for a company like OOIDA.

“I love that we dig deep into what could possibly be wrong out there and find the right avenues for our truckers and make sure that they have what they need. We’re their support system,” Jenkins said. “Because you never know if they’re out there alone, or if they have a family, or if they have a community at their job that they’re doing. So, knowing that we can answer their calls, that they hear a friendly voice on our end, and that we’re just here to help them is pretty amazing.” LL