Shonna Hynick joined JK Moving in September 2019 as Director of Customer Care. Before that, she spent 13 years at Graebel, stepping away in the mid-2000s to be closer to home for her two young daughters.
Finding her way to this industry
Shonna didn’t set out to work in relocation. She fell into a claims role at Graebel, then moved into the Omaha branch. What kept her there was the mix of operations and customer service, and the challenge of making sure every move exceeded expectations. “This industry is never boring, and no two days are ever alike. I love the challenge, and working with a great team who are true craftsmen and make what they do look easy.”
What brought her to JK
Before JK, Shonna was working in marketing and website design for a local company: good work, good people, but not much of a challenge. Once her daughters were in college, she started thinking about returning to the industry, and reached out to her former boss and mentor, David Cox, to ask if he knew of any companies hiring.
She didn’t know much about JK at the time, so she did her research and came away impressed with the company’s story and how Chuck Kuhn had grown it into what it is today. “I have never experienced the culture we have at JK. It is rare in the industry, and it makes what I do so much easier.”
A career highlight Shonna’s proud of
Early in her career, Shonna walked into a struggling branch at Graebel. Four years later, working alongside a team she calls fantastic, that branch was named Company of the Year, beating out markets ten times its size.
Advice for anyone new to the industry
“Be patient with yourself, and allow yourself some grace,” Shonna says. Coming in from outside the industry, it takes time to understand the complexity behind every move, and how much of that complexity customers never see.
“Behind every successful move is extensive collaboration, coordination, and communication to make sure everyone is aligned and working toward the same goal. It takes strong partnerships, trust in your team, and genuine dedication to getting it right. When all of that comes together and you see the outcome – a great move and a satisfied customer – it makes all the work behind the scenes incredibly rewarding.”
What’s next for Shonna
Shonna is currently working toward her Six Sigma certification, which she sees as a way to sharpen her escalation-management skills and bring more value to her team and JK’s customers.
Life outside of JK
Shonna and her partner, Andy, have been together for 16 years. They live in southwest Iowa, where Andy farms and raises cattle. “I love being in the country with all the space and without neighbors, but close enough to enjoy what the city has to offer,” she says. Her daughters, Michaela and Kamryn, are 28 and 26.
When she’s not working, Shonna is usually outside, either running, hiking, or tending to her landscape. “I love caring for the plants and flowers I have, experimenting with new additions each year, and watching the landscape grow and change over time.”
A fun fact about Shonna: She once ran a 40-mile ultra marathon – because she wanted the belt buckle finishers receive.
From a claims desk at Graebel to leading Customer Care at JK, Shonna Hynick has built a career on the belief that behind every good move is a great team. Whether she’s mentoring someone new to the industry, chasing a Six Sigma certification, or crossing an ultra marathon finish line, Shonna brings the same patience and drive to everything she takes on, and JK is lucky to have her.
If you’re interested in a career with JK Moving or know someone who might be, please visit our Careers site for more information!