Finding my path (and a few passport stamps) at Fifth Wheel Freight
Published
If you had asked Aaron Vince ten years ago what he'd be doing today, he's pretty confident he wouldn't have said "working in freight compliance."
And yet, here he is, almost four years into his journey at FWF, and he can honestly say it's been one of the best decisions he's ever made.
Aaron's path here wasn't exactly linear. He graduated from Grand Valley State University in 2013 with a degree in Political Science, initially thinking he might head down a pre-law track. He's always had a bit of a split brain — part of him loves structure, processes, and rules, while the other part thrives on creativity. Aaron has been playing piano since he was six, sang in an a cappella group in college, and even ran a freelance photography business on the side for a few years.
After college, he dipped into nonprofit work before eventually attending culinary school and spending about eight years managing a restaurant. He credits the restaurant world with everything he loved — fast-paced, unpredictable, and built around creating great experiences for people. But it's also demanding. Nights, weekends, holidays — it doesn't leave a lot of room for anything else.
Getting married was the turning point for him. He realized he wanted to be more present, to actually live in the life he was building — not just squeeze it in around a work schedule. Around the same time, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more out there for him to experience.
That feeling really took hold back in 2018, when Aaron took a three-week solo backpacking trip from Morocco to northern Europe. That trip flipped a switch. He caught the travel bug hard. But back in the restaurant world, long trips like that just weren't realistic. He managed a few shorter escapes — Colombia (twice) and Guatemala — but knew if he wanted to explore more of the world, something had to change.
Enter FWF.
A friend who worked in sales at FWF referred Aaron after COVID, and he was hesitant. It would be his first office job. Aaron wasn't sure how he'd handle the structure, the routine, the shift from a chaotic restaurant environment to a more traditional 8–5. He remembers voicing that concern during the interview process, and one of the guys who hired him said something that stuck:
Listen, I don't go to bed at night counting sheep and dreaming about semi trucks.
At the time, it made Aaron laugh, but it also clicked. This wasn't about trucks. It was about service. At its core, FWF is a service provider, just like a restaurant. Instead of delivering meals, we're delivering solutions. The goal is the same: take care of the customer, no matter what.
So he took the leap into an industry he knew absolutely nothing about.
Like most people at FWF, Aaron started in sales in 2022 before quickly moving into a Compliance Specialist role later that year, where he found his lane vetting carriers and managing risk. In 2023, Aaron took on training for new hires and began handling company contracts, while also studying for the customs broker exam. He passed in 2024 and was promoted to Compliance Manager, where he now oversees carrier operations, training, contracts, and helps lead the development of our customs brokerage and internal carrier rating systems.
It's a lot — but it's the kind of work he genuinely enjoys. It scratches that "left-brain" itch for structure and process, while still requiring creativity and problem-solving every day.
And then there are the opportunities outside of work.
Since joining FWF, Aaron has been able to take seven international trips: exploring Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland), relaxing in Puerto Rico, island-hopping in Greece, traveling through Central Europe (Germany, France, Spain), experiencing Japan, and adventuring through Southeast Asia. And he's not done yet — he's already got plans to head back to Germany for Oktoberfest and on to Paris for a Celine Dion concert this fall.
Beyond travel, life has grown in other ways too. Aaron bought his first home, became a board member for his neighborhood association, and continues to build on his career in compliance.
Of course, life isn't all work and travel. When he's not in the office, you can usually find Aaron assembling LEGO sets, hanging out with his dog Zoey and cat Lewis, or working on his next project car — he's fully restored and flipped two classic cars so far. Aaron has also developed a bit of a passion for bourbon (his collection is pushing 50 bottles), plays competitive solitaire (yes, it's a thing), and genuinely enjoys working in Microsoft Excel.
Oh, and he's the reigning chili cook-off champion at FWF. Which, depending on who you ask, might be his greatest accomplishment of all.
Looking back, what stands out most isn't just the career shift — it's the life shift. FWF gave Aaron the structure he needed without taking away the things that make him who he is. It's allowed him to lean into both sides of his personality — the analytical and the creative — and build a life that feels balanced, fulfilling, and honestly, a lot of fun.
Aaron didn't grow up dreaming about freight either. But he's glad he took the chance on it.
