| Industry: | Energy & Transportation |
| President & CEO: | Eric Kessenich |
| Headquarters: | Appleton |
| Employees: | 4,600 |
| usventure.com |
Since 1951, U.S. Venture, Inc. has grown from its early beginnings in Kaukauna as Schmidt Brothers Oil Company into an industry leader in the distribution of renewable and traditional energy products, as well as lubricants, tires and parts, now using data-driven insights to manage energy and information in the global movement of goods.
The company has expanded its number of locations across the country. In 2019, U.S. Venture acquired Green Bay-based Breakthrough and in 2023 added Pacific Tire Distributors of Portland, Oregon. “The combination of our various expansion efforts has turbocharged our corporate growth,” particularly in recent years, says Mercedes Bereza, vice president of marketing.
U.S. Venture’s rapid growth has necessitated a focus on talent acquisition and retention, including building a company culture Bereza says is “focused on learning and development, wellness, sustainability and giving back to the communities we serve.”
Those efforts have paid off, as the company has gained recognition as a Great Place to Work-Certified Company and has consistently been named to Deloitte’s Wisconsin 75 Top 10 list for more than 15 years, among other awards.
Additionally, U.S. Venture partners with nonprofits, “working to try to solve some of our society’s biggest problems to try to make the world a better place,” Bereza says.
