Gale Wickersham

(Abraham Lincoln students prepared biography for the 2017 ALHS Hall of Fame Induction program)

Gale Wickersham (Wick, as he has become known to his friends) attended Franklin and Myers Elementary Schools, Eastside Jr. High School and Abraham Lincoln High School, graduating in 1967.

Gale’s journey through high school was at best difficult and challenging, both personally and academically.  Today Gale would certainly fall into the category of students we call “at risk”.  Gale worked several jobs in the community and on his family farm. While at Abraham Lincoln, Gale found that involvement in ROTC, Red Cross and the school newspaper helped him keep some interest in school. After high school graduation, he worked various jobs while attending Sioux Falls College and later Kearney State College in Nebraska.  While in Kearney, Wick began working night shifts driving for Yellow Freight Co.   In 1971, Gale moved to Omaha and began working for American Transport Inc., dispatching trucks nationwide.

Gale met his future wife in 1973, while Judy was a student at the College of Saint Mary.  In 1975, Judy and Gale eloped to Lake Tahoe, NV.

Gale began his first company, a truck brokerage firm, in 1975.  His next business venture involved obtaining the Dorsey Trailers dealership for the Nebraska territory.  Gale’s office was an old popcorn stand that he bought from Technical High School and moved to the corner of a gravel lot on 72nd St. in Omaha. He rented this location from a friend, Lee Seaman Jr.

Gale attributes his early business and personal relationships with C.L Werner and Duane Acklie as contributing to his growth and success in the trucking industry.

Sales were slow but steady, and Gale eventually purchased a gravel lot off I-29 in Council Bluffs and later more property in Omaha.  During this period Gale expanded his business adding leasing, service and parts to his lines of businesses.  In 1988, Gale began selling Wabash National trailers which lead to significant growth in sales, including opening branches in Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. Wick’s company became one of the nation’s largest truck trailer dealers.

Gale and Judy have two children, Steve and Dawn.  They are involved in the business, as is Dawn’s husband Corey, who manages the truck dealership businesses in Omaha and Lincoln.  Dawn and Corey are the parents of Gale and Judy’s three beloved grandsons.

Judy is a longtime supporter of the Omaha Community Playhouse and has been a volunteer for many organizations.  Gale and Judy also support the AKSARBEN 4-H auction, Boy Scouts and Autism Action Partnership, and other local charities.  Gale enjoys mentoring young people, including his own employees who seek to improve their lives. Some of Mr. Wickersham’s businesses include: Wick’s Trucks Omaha, Wick’s Trucks Lincoln, Wick’s Truck Trailers Omaha, Wick’s Truck Trailers Springfield, Missouri, Wick’s Truck Trailers Sioux City, Western Trailer Leasing and Western Land Company.