Erin Barrick: The (soon-to-be) New Face of Barrick Enterprises

 

[February 12, 2025] 

Driving down Chicago Street, you may have noticed some of the semi-trucks sitting in a parking lot on the side of the road. Maybe you are even familiar with the business, Barrick Enterprises. If you are not, they are a trucking company, dealing mostly in asphalt, that operates right here in Lincoln. Lincoln Daily News was recently able to sit down with John Barrick, the owner of Barrick Enterprises, and his daughter, Erin Barrick, who is set to start taking over the company.

Barrick Enterprises started in 1935 under the name Barrick Transfer and Beverage Co. Mildred and Lewis A. Barrick were the founders and would haul meat and other freight to the Illinois Central Railroad from surrounding areas. Two years later, the Barricks added soda water to their list of hauled goods, and beer shortly after that. During the 1940’s Lewis would haul live chickens and eggs to military bases, while Mildred would deliver these items to areas around Chicago.

By the 1960s, Barrick Transfer employed 27 drivers and had 77 trucks and semis. It was during this time that Lewis’s son, Jack, who had helped with the family business from a very young age, married his wife, Linda. Jack and Linda had a son named John (the current owner) who started helping with the business from a young age.

In the 1980’s, the company expanded into asphalt, something they are still focusing on today. In 1994, the beer business was sold as the requirements for being a beer distributor were becoming increasingly difficult. John took over the business in 2004 and is now looking toward the future and one day passing the business on to his daughter.

The shop the Barricks have on Chicago Street is primarily used for fixing up and/or cleaning their trucks. John also revealed that one of the buildings is used for some cars that they have purchased and collected over the years.

Erin talked a bit about herself, sharing that she has grown up in Lincoln, and in her dad’s shop. “I grew up in the business,” Erin said, “riding around with [my dad] in trucks. Taking over was kind of an easy decision.” Erin continued, sharing that she is getting close to graduating diesel tech school in May. John then shared that, in addition to her diesel tech education, she also got a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Her diesel tech education is currently being completed at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield.

Erin then shared some of what Barrick Enterprises does, as a trucking company. “Right now we haul asphalt for UCN” (United Contractors Midwest). She continued, sharing that when the interstate outside of Lincoln was being worked on last summer, their trucks were working on hauling asphalt for that job. Erin also shared that they have moved rock and gravel for customer driveways as well.

John then stated that the company used to move more “dry” goods in trailers rather than the dump truck work they currently do. “It’s gone back and forth,” John said. “Sometimes the van work gets busy.” John also joked that they like asphalt, as it cannot be laid in the winter, so it gives them that season off. Erin said that they tend to focus on work that is the most profitable, and for the time being, that is asphalt.

Erin then shared what the average day looks like for her, which proved a hard question to answer. “It really depends on the day. I’ll do paperwork one day, mechanic the next. It really just depends what needs to be done,” Erin said. Currently, Erin goes to school in the afternoons as well.

John then shared what his average day looks like. In the winter, much of the maintenance work gets done. The active season for their company usually runs from about March to December. He also shared that they sometimes start as early as four or five in the morning, and their days can last ten or 12 hours, depending on the day. John also shared that their work is not limited to Logan County. They go as far south as Litchfield with asphalt. They have also gone as far as Chicago, St. Louis, and surrounding states when they are running freight. John shared one of his favorite things about running asphalt. “That’s the one nice thing about asphalt; you are closer to home. You’re home every night. You’re not living on the road.”

Erin was then asked about why she wants to take over this business and be a small business owner. She shared that she has a passion for this work, both building and driving them. “My whole life just kind of led to this decision,” Erin stated. “I really can’t picture any other job [or] life.”

Erin was then asked about her goals for Barrick Enterprises. Mirroring something that John shared earlier, Erin would like to change the name back to Barrick Transfer, the previous name of the company. This, she said, would be “an ode to the history.” For the moment, she shared that she would like to focus more on asphalt work rather than dry van work. Erin also shared that this industry is constantly changing, so it is hard to gauge exactly where she wants the company to go. “The industry changes so much from year-to-year. You kind of just have to plan as you go.”

John then capitalized on Erin’s statement, sharing that the nice part about having tractor-trailers is that you can hitch different kinds of trailers to them. “Today you’re pulling a dump trailer, tomorrow you can pull a dry van, or the next day pull a grain hopper… They’re versatile.”

After the interview was over, John and Erin showed off their workshop, and the two shop cats that they have. Peterbilt and Clessie, both named after the models of trucks that they own and operate.

John shared that they like to keep their trucks clean. When they show up to a work site with a clean, nice-looking truck, it helps to set them apart from the competition. John then pointed to a truck and was asked how old it was. The truck in question looked brand new but was in fact is over fifty years old. It was a 1970 Peterbilt - 359.

Erin also shared that their 90th anniversary is coming up soon, February 15th of this year. While there is no set date for Erin to take over the company, she is going to start slowly taking on more ownership responsibilities from her father and, likely soon, become the new face of Barrick Enterprises.

[Matt Boutcher]