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Matchmaker Logistics HistoryJim Skane, Sr. always had a knack for spotting a good match. In fact, he knew he’d found his perfect match when he met Eileen at a party in the spring of 1959. Problem was, they were both at the party with other dates! Propriety prohibited Jim from asking for Eileen’s phone number that night. But in the fall, at another party, Jim and Eileen crossed paths again. This time, they were both there without dates. Jim wasted no time–he asked Eileen on a date and proposed just 20 days later! The couple married in November 1960, and started a family right away. Jim Jr. was a honeymoon baby; Bob arrived on the scene a few years later. Jim Sr. supported the family with a career in transportation sales, working as a National Account Representative for Cooper Jarrett, a regional LTL carrier. |
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In 1981, with the onset of deregulation, Jim Sr. saw an opportunity to fill a void in the marketplace by creating a logistics company that would assist trucking companies in finding backhaul loads and reducing dead head miles. He launched Matchmaker Logistics out of his home in Trumbull, Connecticut.Thanks to solid corporate contacts in the transportation industry, it didn’t take long for Jim Skane Sr. to build a thriving business. In fact, Eileen soon left her career as a realtor to manage the accounting and administrative sides of the business. Jim, a born salesman, leveraged his warm, friendly personality and his knack for telling great jokes on the sales and customer support sides of the company.
Matchmaker Logistics was truly a family affair. In 1985, Jim Skane Jr. joined the company as its first full-time employee. In 1987, Bob Skane came onboard to help with operations. |
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In 1990, the Skane family relocated their business from Connecticut to Wilmington, North Carolina. As always, Jim Sr. didn’t hesitate once he’d found an ideal match. The family vacationed in Wilmington during Memorial Day weekend, and by August they had moved permanently to the area. Five years later, Jim, Sr. announced his retirement.Today, Bob is the President of Matchmaker Logistics and, like his father, he is the head of sales for the company. Matchmaker Logistics has continued to thrive, despite technology and industry changes, because the core of Matchmaker’s success has always been based on the principles taught by Jim Sr. and Eileen. These principles, such as hard work, sacrifice and an unwavering commitment to the business, have seen Matchmaker through the past 40 years and continue to drive the company.
When Jim Sr. passed away in 2003, he and Eileen had been married for 43 years. Bob Skane says: “Mom and Dad were devoted to each other and committed to our family. Together, they made a great team. They taught us that good relationships require work, commitment, strong values, and a sense of humor. These are the principles that we strive to bring to our way of doing business each and every day.” Indeed, as the face of the industry has changed, Matchmaker has held fast to its old-school values. Just like a good marriage, excellence in business requires dedication, effort and energy. Each time those elements create a win-win situation for our clients, our carriers, and our company; it’s another perfect match for the Matchmaker history books. |
