Claudiu “Jack” Stan: The Steady Hand Behind USA Containers' Growth

Some people walk into a job. Others help build the entire company from the ground up. Claudiu “Jack” Stan is one of the latter.

Jack isn’t just USA Containers’ Financial Risk Manager. He’s been with the company since day one. What started as a casual coffee catch-up with an old friend from high school and the company’s founder, Andrei Popa, turned into a business partnership that still stands strong today.

“I didn’t come looking for a job,” Jack recalls. “But when the opportunity came up, I said, let’s try it. I didn’t care if we wouldn’t get paid for a couple of months. I believed in what we were building.”

Jack has worked as a professional dancer and in the hospitality industry (where he saved a choking guest at a luxury hotel in Texas, earning him the “Omni Life Saver” award), but none of his previous jobs brought the same fulfillment as helping to grow USA Containers.

A Calm Voice in the Chaos

In the early days, things were uncertain. As with any startup, there were no guarantees, and times were challenging during the COVID years. But Jack stuck with it, working day and night, and became an integral part of the operation.

His role evolved into managing customer relations, training new hires, and later overseeing risk and financial compliance. Jack is the type of person who stays on a two-hour customer call—not to close a sale, but to help someone who was having the worst day of their life.

That’s what happened when one distressed customer shouted at him for nearly three hours. Jack remained calm and compassionate. The next day, the customer called back—not to complain, but to apologize. He had just lost a family member, and Jack’s patience had left a lasting impact.

“That call stuck with me,” Jack says. “You never know what someone is going through. I’m here to help people, not just sell something.”

Helping Others Succeed

Over the years, Jack has trained dozens of employees, many of whom were later promoted into other departments. And while he jokes about “losing” good team members to logistics or inventory, he’s proud of the role he played in their success.

“I go overboard with training,” he laughs. “Even when it’s not required, I explain everything, because I want people to understand the whole business. And when they message me later saying it finally all makes sense—that means a lot.”

Jack’s strength lies in his empathy, patience, and quiet leadership. He doesn’t seek the spotlight, but his influence is felt company-wide. His colleagues know they can count on him for clarity and support.

Looking Back—and Ahead

Fifteen years after high school, Jack and Andrei are still working side by side, no longer as students, but as leaders. From their shared roots in Romania to the global reach of USA Containers, Jack’s loyalty and resilience have helped shape the company’s culture.

“We’ve had our ups and downs,” Jack says. “But we’re still here. And we’re not stopping.”

Fill out the form below for a free shipping container quote from USA Containers: