Longtime Director of Safety Don Lacy is retiring on April 1 following a 25-year career at Prime Inc.

Lacy first joined Prime in 1989 for a two-year stint as operations manager. He rejoined the company in 1996 as director of safety where he led a seven-member team, including a registered nurse, and three loss prevention department employees.

During his tenure, Lacy spearheaded numerous safety and communications initiatives for the company’s 6,400 drivers and its fleet of more than 5,000 trucks, including the creation of the “Prime University” training center, the establishment of weekly safety meetings and downloadable podcasts, and the implementation of the latest technological developments, including rollover stability control, lane departure warnings, and forward-looking radar.

Throughout his career, Lacy has been a tireless advocate for driver safety, serving on several boards and committees including: Professional Truck Driving Institute; Truckload Carriers Association Safety Group, Safety & Security Division, and Independent Contractor Division; American Trucking Association Council of Safety Supervisors; Commercial Motor Vehicle Section National Safety Council; Oklahoma Motor Carriers; and the Missouri Bus & Truck Association.

He has also served as an expert panel member of the American Transportation Research Institute, spoke at numerous industry events, and developed and implemented more than 30 safety programs.

Lacy’s accolades include: 2011 Claire C. Casey Safety Professional of the Year Award from Truckload Carriers Association; 2010 Fleet Safety Improvement Award from the Truckload Carriers Association; 1978 Safety Man of the Year from Missouri Bus and Truck Association; 1977 Missouri Safety Director of the Year.