Concord alumnus Travis Madrelle graduated from Concord in 2002. He is the Owner of truck company MSA 360 Transport, which is located on the corner of M60 and Concord Road. Mandrelle is both a successful businessman and a man committed to his family. Mandrelle is married to Monica and has two kids enrolled in Concord schools: Audrey in 6th grade and Waylon, a sophomore.
As we recognize Mandrelle, it is important to recognize his accomplishments from when he was in school. Mandrelle participated in football and made it to the semifinals senior year. He was very passionate about football and enjoyed playing for Concord. Behind every accomplishment are regrets that everyone wishes someone had warned them about. One regret Mandrelle shared was not trying harder and lifting more weights to be better in football. As he was very determined when it came to football,” I wish I had done more to make myself more successful before graduating.” Another regret was not finishing baseball. Mandrelle played his freshman and sophomore years, then quit.
Besides his accomplishments in sports, Mandrelle was also a good student. Many new teachers have joined the Concord staff, but the current art teacher, Mr. Couling, was one of his teachers when he was in school. Mr. Couling adds, “I enjoyed having him as a student, and it is cool to now be teaching his son.” Other than Couling, another person who was around was Athletic Director Matt Lehman. Mandrelle adds, “Lehman has been there for about 86 years.”
Lehman expresses how Travis is a top-notch guy. “He is a very hard worker, great sense of humor, and is proud of his school. 360 Transport is a big sponsor for the Concord Classic weekend, and I am very thankful for that.”
Varsity Football Coach Max Clark played football with Mandrelle. Clark explains, “Playing high school football together is my favorite memory of him from school. We played the same position on the D-line, and we really did a number on the teams we played. Occasionally, we were in the backfield together as RBs, which was fun because I knew we would punish the other teams.”
Clark also recognizes Mandrelle for many of his attributes that set him apart: “Travis is a valuable member of our community because of his selflessness and willingness to do whatever to help out. He has started and grown a great local business with his partners that never hesitates to support the school system in any way possible. But not only the school system is he willing to go out of his way to help other local businesses, especially the farm community, when needed.” Clark ends by saying, ” He has also been willing to bring on young talent and train them to bring them up through the ranks of his trucking business. He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk!”
While others see his success, Mandrelle explains how he is proud of his career. He didn’t see it as something that he wanted to do, but it worked out best. He wasn’t exactly planning on being so involved with the truck driving business, but he is glad he is. He is also very proud of how it has turned out for him. Travis’ son wants to continue his dad’s business with truck driving in the future.
Waylon explains how he feels about his dad’s success and growth from the start: “When I think about my dad’s trucking business, I think of the times when I was just a little boy and my dad worked at North Concord Farms, and he and his friends started the business with just one truck and worked around the clock to make things work. The money was rough, but 10 years later, it is thriving. They have about 20 trucks on the road.” Waylon feels that his dad has worked really hard to make it what it is today, “I hope one day I can take over what he’s started. I want to add that my dad is a very nice guy and can always get along with anyone he meets, and he’s always working hard on whatever it might be.” As Waylon finishes his last two years at Concord, he thinks it’s cool that his dad went to Concord before him, and all the memories and mistakes he tells him about are endless. He enjoys listening and learning from them.
Mandrelle might have gone to Concord many years ago, but many things are still the same. He shares, ” For the most part, it’s still the same old Concord, small school. One different thing is how it used to be an open campus, we would come and go as we please, other than that, there were no major differences.”
It is always good to acknowledge those who have gone to school at Concord and are successful. Travis Mandrelle is one of our alumni who has turned hard work and strong values into success. Mandrelle ends his interview with advice for current students: “Work hard but don’t be afraid to take risks.”
