Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award

Bill Stevenson wins Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award

Stevenson

The 2012 Orin C. Hutchcraft Quality Service Award was presented to William N. Stevenson, Stevenson Transfer, Ottawa IL.

Stevenson Transfer has been a continuous member of the association since 1957; and like in most family companies, Bill grew up working in the business.  Upon graduation from college in 1965, he and his father formed the second father/son team since his grandfather started the business with a horse and carriage in 1908.

Although he has not held elected office in the association, Bill has seldom missed an association event.  He has worked for decades to foster camaraderie and mutual support among the movers in northern Illinois, and whenever regional membership meetings were held in his vicinity, he always came and recruited others to come, too.  He’s typically among the first to register for conventions and golf outings.  As a matter of fact, last year he was barely out of the operating room from a hip replacement when he came to our golf outing and played!  In 2005 he won the “Coveted Iggy Award” at a convention competition to determine who knew the most about moving regulations.

Bill has served on many, many boards in his community, including Chamber of Commerce, Community Hospital, Visitors Bureau, School Board, and the Library just to name a few. He served multiple terms as City Commissioner.  He has been involved in many charitable organizations as well, including food drives such as “Stuff the Mayflower” and “Freezin’ for a Reezin” to benefit local food banks.

At a family dinner Bill once said, “Some people feel that the work they do is something separate from who they are. I am not one of those people.”  These words define him well. He is what he does. Whether he’s moving a cumbersome and valuable object, negotiating a new contract or doing volunteer work in his community he is absorbed in his work. He’s up every morning before the sun to “Bite the Nail!” He never tells a customer no.  Whatever they need he’ll find a way to accommodate them.   And he always has a big smile on his face.

The fourth generation of Stevensons is active in the business today, right along side of Bill. His son, Mike, is a member of the Illinois Movers board of directors; and daughter in law Angie and son Bill Jr. are part of the successful family team.

Orin C. Hutchcraft

orinAbout the Award: As a charter member of IMAWA, member of the Board of Directors for many years, president, and untiring volunteer, Orin C. Hutchcraft made more contributions to the Association and Tariff Bureau than can ever be counted. To perpetuate the values in which he believed and to recognize his many contributions to IMAWA and to the moving industry, the Association named this distinguished award as a tribute to him.

Eligibility: Nominee must be an employee of a current IMAWA member (or retired from IMAWA member). Members include both mover members and associate members. Any member employee may qualify for nomination (consideration is not limited to management personnel).

Criteria: Among other things, the committee shall consider the nominee's individual tenure (length of employment) and reputation in the moving and storage industry, the nominee's individual community and charitable activities, and the nominee's personal active participation in the Illinois Movers' and Warehousemen's Association. Quality service toward a member's own customers is ordinary and expected. Of particular importance for this award are activities "above and beyond the call of duty" that have contributed to the positive public perception of the moving and storage business and the improvement of the industry as a whole. The award is presented annually at the IMAWA convention.

For more information about how to nominate a candidate for next year's award, e-mail IMAWA.

Past winners of this award:

  • 1992: *Orin C. Hutchcraft, Partner and co-founder, Hutchcraft Van Service, Urbana, IL
  • 1993: *Joseph McAleer, V.P. Sales, Pickens-Kane Moving & Storage, Chicago, IL
  • 1994: Char Damery, Office Manager, Federal/Johnson Moving & Storage, Decatur, IL
  • 1995: Harry R. Swift, Hillier Storage & Moving, Springfield, IL
  • 1996: Patricia Smith (now McLaughlin), Executive Director, IMAWA
  • 1997: Kenneth Barling, Founding Owner, Kenney’s Delivery Service, Bloomington, IL
  • 1998: *John A. Sorenson, Partner and Co-founder, Suburban Moving & Storage, Inc., Lisle, Illinois.
  • 1999: Ted Boyer, Boyer-Rosene Moving & Storage, Arlington Heights, IL (retired)
  • 2000: *Donald H. Maaks, Johnson Transfer & Fuel Co., Bloomington, IL
  • 2001: *Charles Puscheck, Prager Storage & Moving, Naperville, IL
  • 2002: Bruce Anthony, Kentucky Trailer (formerly TransAdvantage), Batavia
  • 2003: Thomas F. Paisley, President, Underfanger Moving & Storage, Springfield, IL
  • 2004: Jerry Clifton, President, Clifton Moving & Storage, Decatur, IL
  • 2005: *Bill and Jack Hallett, Hallett & Sons Expert Movers, Summit, IL
  • 2006:  (award was not presented)
  • 2007: Carl G. Carlson (retired), Berryman Transfer, Joliet, IL
  • 2008: Mike O'Mara, O'Mara Moving & Storage, Freeport, IL and Madison WI
  • 2009: Richard Olsen, Jr., Olsen Brothers, Inc., Rolling Meadows
  • 2010: Sue Shippert, Shippert's Moving & Storage, Dixon
  • 2011: Shirley Marx, New World Ltd, Chicago

*deceased