Crete Chairman Duane Acklie passes at 84

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Updated Sep 20, 2016
Duane AcklieDuane Acklie

Duane Acklie, the man who helped built Crete Carrier Corp. into one of the largest privately owned fleets in the U.S., passed away Saturday, Sept. 17 in Lincoln, Neb.

Acklie, 84, most recently served as chairman of the company. According to an article posted online by the Omaha World-Herald, Acklie and his wife, Phyllis, purchased Crete in 1971 and he served as the company’s CEO until 1991.

Current Crete President and CEO Tonn Ostergard posted the following Facebook post to announce Acklie’s passing:

U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement regarding Acklie’s passing:

“Duane Acklie was a loving husband, a caring father and a successful businessman who built a business from the ground up. He loved his state, and he was an active member of his community. I was fortunate to have Duane as a longtime friend; I will miss him dearly. Bruce and I send our sympathies to his wife, Phyllis, and the rest of the Acklie family.”