Yesterday, Best Yet Express proudly celebrated a remarkable milestone as owner and CEO Jay Newjahr marked 28 years with the company his family founded nearly five decades ago.
In today’s fast-moving business world, stories like Jay’s have become increasingly rare. Long-term careers, family ownership, and multi-generational leadership are often overshadowed by constant change and short-term thinking. Yet Best Yet Express remains proud to be an example of something enduring: old-fashioned values of hard work, loyalty, integrity, and perseverance paired with the innovation and adaptability required to succeed in a modern industry.
Jay’s journey embodies those values.
At 18 years old, Jay joined Best Yet Express, the transportation company founded by his parents, Chris and Sherry Newjahr, in 1978. He didn’t start in management, and he certainly didn’t start with the expectation of becoming an owner one day. Like many family business success stories, he began at the ground level, doing whatever needed to be done.
He swept docks, loaded freight, operated forklifts, worked in collections, handled customer service, dispatched trucks, managed dispatch operations, oversaw company operations, and eventually assumed leadership of the entire organization. Over the years, he worked his way through nearly every position within the company, learning firsthand what it takes to keep freight moving and customers satisfied.
At the same time, Jay attended college classes in the evenings to pursue a business degree while working during the day. Long before becoming an owner, he was investing in the knowledge, discipline, and work ethic that would eventually prepare him to lead the company through its next chapter.
When Jay joined the company in 1998, Best Yet Express looked very different than it does today. Many processes that are now automated were handled manually. Communication relied heavily on phones, paperwork, and fax machines. The transportation industry itself was changing rapidly, and every day brought new challenges and opportunities to learn. Those early years provided invaluable experience and helped shape the practical, hands-on leadership style that Jay is known for today.
Working through nearly every role in the organization gave Jay something that cannot be taught in a classroom. It provided a deep understanding of how every department contributes to the customer experience and a genuine appreciation for the people whose hard work keeps the business running. Those experiences continue to influence the way he leads today, fostering a culture built on accountability, teamwork, and mutual respect.
Like any business that has endured for nearly five decades, Best Yet Express has experienced its share of challenges. Economic downturns, industry changes, competitive pressures, and periods of uncertainty have all tested the company along the way. Through every chapter, however, Jay’s commitment to the business, its employees, and its customers never wavered.
One of the photos accompanying this story captures the roots of that commitment. Taken in 1986, it features founder Chris Newjahr alongside his children, Jay and Lisa, standing proudly in front of one of the company’s early power units at the Hawthorne family home where Best Yet Express operated during its early years. It is a snapshot of a family building something together and a reminder that behind every successful family business is a story of sacrifice, determination, and belief in a dream.
In 2013, after spending 15 years learning every corner of the business, Jay assumed ownership of Best Yet Express when Chris retired. The transition marked the beginning of a new chapter for the company. Under Jay’s leadership, Best Yet Express underwent significant modernization and restructuring while remaining true to the values upon which it was built.
More importantly, Jay’s leadership has always been rooted in experience. Having worked nearly every position in the company himself, he understands the challenges employees face at every level and the importance of delivering exceptional service to customers. That perspective has helped shape a company culture centered on accountability, teamwork, reliability, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Family businesses like Best Yet Express are becoming increasingly uncommon in today’s corporate landscape. Multi-generational ownership, long-term employee relationships, and leaders who spend decades learning a business from the ground up are harder to find than they once were. Best Yet Express remains proud to represent a different approach—one built on lasting relationships, personal accountability, and a commitment to preserving the values that helped build the company while continuing to evolve for the future.
Today, nearly 48 years after its founding, Best Yet Express remains proudly family owned and operated. Jay and his wife, Lara, work together to lead the business, while their children are already showing an entrepreneurial spirit and growing interest in the company that has been such an important part of their family’s story.
As Best Yet Express approaches its 50th anniversary, the company continues to build on the foundation established by Chris and Sherry Newjahr in 1978. While technology, customer expectations, and the transportation industry have changed dramatically over the years, the core principles that built the company remain unchanged.
Jay’s 28-year journey is more than a work anniversary. It is a testament to dedication, perseverance, and the belief that lasting success is built one day at a time. His story reminds us that leadership is earned, legacy is built through commitment, and great companies are created by people who show up every day ready to do the work.
Congratulations, Jay, on 28 years of dedication to Best Yet Express. We are proud of your journey, grateful for your leadership, and excited for the road ahead