The University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business has partnered with corporate companies in the past to aim to assist students in learning industry skills and practices—their newest partner being ITS Logistics.

The college’s corporate partners program connects students with various companies. These companies range from Reno-area businesses to international technology corporations. According to the College of Business, the partnerships are a way for students to gain real-world experience while still in school.

“The College of Business partners with a number of companies, ranging from Reno-area businesses to international technology corporations, to help engage with and inform students about best business practices,” the College of Business writes on their website. “Those companies often recruit College of Business graduates, owing to the quality education and real-world experience they receive while a student at the College.”

The College of Business just welcome ITS Logistics to their list of corporate partners, which includes companies like Microsoft and Wells Fargo. ITS Logistics is a third party logistics (3PL) company that began in 1999. The three founders, Dan Allen, Darryl Bader, and Jeff Lynch all grew up in Nevada, graduating from the University of Nevada Reno before pursuing careers in their individual fields. In 1999. Jeff Lynch grew tired of working for someone else, and after reaching out to Dan and Darryl ITS Logistics was formed.  They wasted no time signing their first dedicated contract with CLIF Bar/New Life Bakery and acquiring 40,000 square feet of office and warehouse space and two trucks. In only one year they became a $1 million company.

The company continued to grow, moving its primary warehouse and corporate office to Sparks, Nevada. Taking advantage of the area being at the intersection of U.S. 395 and Interstate 80. This allows for next-day ground service anywhere in the western United States. Later in 2016 ITS consolidated from five separate locations across the Reno/Sparks area and expanded its corporate offices and warehouse and distribution center into a newly remodeled 630,000-square-foot campus in Sparks that was formerly the distribution center for General Motors.

ITS Logistics provides the management and facilitation of the movement and storage of goods. As a 3PL they offer either single services like transportation or warehouse storage, or integrated packages of services capable of managing an entire supply chain. ITS specializes in long-term, dedicated operations that move freight daily for Fortune 500 companies. This allows them to provide great large-scale learning opportunities for College of Business students.

“Corporate Partners have access to talented undergraduate and graduate College of Business students,” College of Business Dean Greg Mosier said to NevadaToday. “This partnership with ITS Logistics is an excellent opportunity for the University and for students interested in learning more about the company.”

ITS Logistics continues to grow and add service lines with more trucks, warehouses, over 500 employees in the local area and leading technology. They work with companies like Starbucks, Amazon, Kellogg’s, the U.S. Navy and Mercedes-Benz. The company’s success was recognized in 2016 with the “Reno Gazette-Journal Large Business of the Year Award”. They employ many UNR graduates, and are preparing to embrace a new role as a corporate partner of the College of Business.

ITS Logistics, like other corporate partners, is aiming to help provide critical feedback on the preparedness of the students they work with. They help bring the opportunity of real-world experience and perspectives to students, and providing networking opportunities.

Emily Fisher can be reached at oali@sagebrush.unr.edu or on Twitter @NevadaSagebrush.