Kirby Cooley

Background

About Kirby Cooley

From math hater to data enthusiast:Early on in school I wasn’t much of a math nerd and only knew enough to get a passing grade. At some point during high school something clicked and I began to enjoy, understand, and thrive with the more complex math. I began to excel in the more advanced classes learning functions and formulas, although I questioned their real-world application. I discovered this missing piece while I was getting my Bachelor’s in Supply Chain Management at Louisiana Tech University.After graduating, I started my career at Southeastern Freight Lines as a dock supervisor although I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to use my passion for numbers and analysis. After learning more about my role and the Less-Than-Truckload industry, I was able to start using the tools available to me to improve our operational efficiency. I used statistical process control within excel spreadsheets to make informed decisions during the shift that optimized our load efficiency, exception rate, and other key performance indicators. After a couple of years in multiple supervisor roles, I decided I wanted to lean more into the data side of my career. I took the leap and left my job to pursue a role in Data Analytics.In the months after I left SEFL, I utilized my time learning other helpful data analysis tools. I enrolled in the Google Data Analytics courses and earned my Google Data Analytics certificate. I was able to gain more in-depth knowledge of spreadsheets (excel/sheets) and learn new tools such as SQL, Tableau, and R programming language. I was then able to use what I had learned to complete a capstone analysis project on a fictional Bikeshare company. Combining these new skills with my previous LTL industry experience, I secured my desired analyst role at Veho.In my new role as a Network Optimization Analyst I was able to expand my knowledge into the realm of Full-Truckload and parcel delivery services while also utilizing my toolset that I gained with my Google Data Analytics Certificate. I even added a new feather in my cap by building tools for teams to help optimize their workflow. After about a year at Veho, I had accomplished more than I had imagined and built great relationships with my talented co-workers, but unfortunately I was impacted by a round of layoffs.Now I'm in search of a similar role and looking to use what I’ve learned throughout my experience in transportation and analytics to contribute to the overall success of a company. I’m very optimistic about the future and looking forward to connecting with you!