DRIVEN VOL. 6 | Fall 2023
Stepping outside, Chris Aranda hears the dull roar of a distant combine. It’s a beautiful fall evening in central Illinois, the kind with dusky lavender clouds and the familiar smell of harvest. In the distance, Chris can see the terminal of Nussbaum Transportation, where he serves as Vice-President of Sales & Business Analytics. Living here is the best of both worlds: out in the country but still close to work.
As porch lights come on and fireflies begin their nightly dance, Chris is enjoying family time. Most evenings, it’s splashing in the pool with his daughters and riding dirtbikes with his boys. A cool evening breeze kicks up, so Chris puts an arm around his wife Brittney as they stroll through her flower garden. The flowers are asleep for the day but will unfurl
again tomorrow.
As the sun fades and stars begin to twinkle, Chris humbly thanks God for the privilege of being a husband and father. It’s his favorite position in the whole world and one he doesn’t take lightly.
THE TIES THAT BIND
Chris’s story begins in the quiet town of Cissna Park, Illinois (the occasional frog or a swarm of June bugs was about as noisy as it got). Born in Chicago, Chris and his mother moved several times before settling in Cissna when he was four. They moved in with Chris’s aunt and uncle, who adopted three boys soon after their arrival. For Chris, it was like gaining three new brothers!
This unlikely merging of families created a tight-knit, fun-loving childhood. The house was rarely quiet, and the four boys were often ushered outdoors to burn off energy. They rode four-wheelers, slept under the stars on the trampoline, and invented numerous games of their own. Chris remembers getting in trouble for mowing a football field in their yard: “I think it was my first time on the mower,” he says with a chuckle. “I killed the grass so my brothers and I could play.”
On the weekends, Chris and his mom attended family get-togethers in nearby Hoopeston, Illinois. Hispanic culture prioritizes family time, dancing, and laughter; their family was no exception! Relatives often rented a civic center, so there was plenty of room for potluck dinners, entertainment, and too many aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmas to count. You never knew if you were dancing with your first, second, or third cousin—and nobody cared. “It was just one big family,” Chris remembers fondly. “That’s probably what I appreciate most about my childhood—it felt very intentional to be with multiple generations.”
For a young boy growing up without a father, role models were very important. Chris is incredibly grateful to his Uncle Walt and his Sunday school teacher, Todd Kaeb, for filling this role in his life. He remembers Uncle Walt as a patient and jovial father figure who always modeled steady leadership in their family. Walt was a farmer and carpenter, so Chris got regular lessons during planting and harvest season. Today, as a father and homeowner, Chris regrets not paying closer attention to his uncle’s handyman skills!
Todd Kaeb also played a significant role in Chris’s formation. Todd possessed a salient passion for people, both in Sunday school and in his work as an inventor, salesman, and entrepreneur. Chris remembers watching him work a crowd: moving from group to group, checking in and saying a kind word here or there. He wasn’t disruptive or distracting—he was just there for people. And Chris decided that’s how he wanted to be someday.
ENTERING THE WORKFORCE
Like most teenagers in the corn belt, Chris spent his summers doing manual labor. After a few years of walking beans, he began pouring concrete slabs for silos at Illinois Grain & Seed (one of Todd’s ventures). This lasted through high school, after which Chris attended Parkland College and worked for KSI Conveyors, another Todd Kaeb enterprise. Traveling across the country to install equipment, Chris got his first taste of the trucking world, albeit in a slightly smaller truck. After eight months in this role, he transferred to the sales department.
A MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
As it turned out, Chris discovered a passion for selling. It was challenging, fast-paced, and people-focused. Four years in with KSI, he wasn’t even contemplating a switch, let alone the transportation industry. But God works in mysterious ways—in this case, through a conversation with Phil Sauder—a close friend and Nussbaum’s insurance rep. “You know,” Phil remarked one day, “if my kid was ready to enter the workforce and I had to give him two companies to choose from, Nussbaum would be number one.” Chris was intrigued. What was this Nussbaum he spoke of?
After a little digging, Chris decided to visit this “number one” company. As he pulled into the parking lot for the interview, he noticed a union group picketing out front (at the time, Nussbaum was using a non-union group to construct their new offices). “What am I getting myself into?” he wondered. But upon entering the office, Chris was greeted by childhood friend Nate Anderson, and it wasn’t long before the pieces clicked into place. Following a tour and some discussions with the executive team, Chris became Jeremy Stickling’s first official hire in 2013.
Though passionate about sales, Chris needed to learn the transportation industry first. His early roles included Driver Manager, Logistics Coordinator (now known as Fleet Planner), and pricing. Chris admits he wasn’t the most skilled DM, but his drivers taught him a lot, and he still keeps in touch with a few of them to this day. At any rate, learning the ins and outs of Nussbaum’s operation prepared him for the eventual transition to truckload sales.
SELLING AT NUSSBAUM: THEN AND NOW
Chris officially joined the sales team in 2015, which then consisted of CEO Brent Nussbaum, CFO Bill Wettstein, and Operations Director Doug Bradle. Over time, Chris took on more sales responsibilities and began growing a new team. Today, the Sales, Pricing, & Business Analytics department is a thriving center for Nussbaum’s strategy and business development. Its eight team members are passionate about excelling in their jobs, which energizes Chris as their leader and fuels Nussbaum’s continued growth.
Chris’s role has evolved significantly over the past nine years. At first, it covered everything—all aspects of the sales process, down to the nuts and bolts. Today, he spends his time on the people side, building and maintaining relationships with his employees, customers, and across departments at Nussbaum. This is key as the sales team works with external shippers and internal stakeholders to grow the business with profitable freight. Chris’s goal is that everyone be heard, share their buy-in and concerns, and ultimately conduct a smooth operation.
Nussbaum uses the term “three-legged stool” to describe the interdependent relationship between our sales, pricing, and operations teams. Each plays a critical role in supporting our customers and
our business:
• Sales: focused on customer relationships and developing new business.
• Pricing/Business Analytics: prices new freight based on customer bids, market conditions, etc. Focused on Nussbaum’s profitability.
• Operations: services customer freight on a daily basis. Focused on performance metrics, driver care, and building a strong freight network.
A FAMILY OF HIS OWN
Chris loves his job, but he isn’t all business—he’s a family man through and through. It all started when he met Brittney Wagenbach from California at a church function in 2011. Their interaction touched his heart—so much so that he prayed for her all that next year. They met again on a mission trip to Jamaica in 2012, and this time, the feelings were undeniable—and mutual. He found out later that she had been praying for him that year too! Over the next 17 months, their relationship continued to blossom as they spent time with mutual friend groups and sought advice from parents, pastors, and mentors. In November 2013 (just a few months after starting with Nussbaum), Chris proposed, and she said… yes!
RAISE THEM WELL
One decade later, Chris is still in awe of his wife. “I’m convinced Brittney can do anything,” he says. “The joke is, if something breaks around the house, I call Brittney. She has so many qualities that I love.” They are truly best friends, working together to raise their family well. Their four children—Jaden, Scarlett, Titus, and Zeke—are life’s greatest blessings. The Aranda family motto is “Love your brothers and sisters, treat people well, and make faith important to you.”
What does Chris hope to teach his kids? A lot, but three lessons in particular: be brave with your fears, focus on relationships, and come to know God’s love. Chris does his best to model these qualities, but he also muses that in the process of raising kids, they’ve taught him a thing or two.
“It’s one of the coolest things about the ups and downs of parenting,” he explains. “These memorable moments where I gain a deeper understanding of how God might view His children. Parenting brings many emotions, and it teaches us how many different emotions God has toward us. You picture Him sometimes—and it’s an unfair picture—as a stern dad, but He’s not. Because I’m not. We’re not. He is a joyful, loving Father. Parenting shows me how even in tough times, there is plenty to laugh about, and love covers a lot! I think we forget that sometimes.”
OUTSIDE THE OFFICE
If Chris isn’t wrangling sales or children, you’ll find him unwinding at the gym, playing basketball with coworkers, or riding a mountain bike. Granted, Illinois has no mountains, but simply going off-road is a thrill unto itself. Chris enjoys the adrenaline and feeling of complete focus—you can’t think about anything except where those wheels are going next. With a job that requires constant critical thinking, it’s nice to take a break.
Chris and Brittney love traveling, especially to tropical climates. They recently made it to Hawaii and enjoyed hiking through jungles and waterfalls. The pinnacle of the trip was a helicopter tour, which Chris says is one of the coolest things he’s ever done. They hope to visit Spain someday, but with four kids, they’re content to haul their camper around the Midwest for now.
Getting out into nature is a must, in some shape or form. The Arandas camp a few times per year or at least enjoy the hiking trails if they don’t want to stay overnight. At home, you’ll find them tending Brittney’s flower farm or splashing in the pool—a nightly activity in the summer. They also love hosting guests—between relatives and friends, the Aranda home can turn into a hotel through the spring, summer,
and fall months.
A PASSION FOR PEOPLE
If Chris isn’t wrangling sales or children, you’ll find him unwinding at the gym, playing basketball with coworkers, or riding a mountain bike. Granted, Illinois has no mountains, but simply going off-road is a thrill unto itself. Chris enjoys the adrenaline and feeling of complete focus—you can’t think about anything except where those wheels are going next. With a job that requires constant critical thinking, it’s nice to take a break.
Chris and Brittney love traveling, especially to tropical climates. They recently made it to Hawaii and enjoyed hiking through jungles and waterfalls. The pinnacle of the trip was a helicopter tour, which Chris says is one of the coolest things he’s ever done. They hope to visit Spain someday, but with four kids, they’re content to haul their camper around the Midwest for now.
Getting out into nature is a must, in some shape or form. The Arandas camp a few times per year or at least enjoy the hiking trails if they don’t want to stay overnight. At home, you’ll find them tending Brittney’s flower farm or splashing in the pool—a nightly activity in the summer. They also love hosting guests—between relatives and friends, the Aranda home can turn into a hotel through the spring, summer,
and fall months.
THE ADVENTURE AWAITS
As the last rays of sunlight disappear, Chris & Brittney attempt to get the kids out of the pool and ready for bed. Midwest evenings are hard to beat, but they’re ready to turn in and get some rest. Tomorrow is another workday—an opportunity to serve and pour into someone’s life. For Chris, ‘giving is the real joy of living’—leaving people better off than you found them.
“I started out really selfish in life,” reflects Chris. “But my family and working at Nussbaum have encouraged me to be giving. What a winding road it’s been, but I’m excited to be on the journey!”
CHRIS BY THE NUMBERS
4
CHILDREN
10
YEARS OF MARRIAGE
4
ROLES AT NUSSBAUM
11
YEARS AT NUSSBAUM
