PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sterling Heights, MI — May 1st, 2026 — Tyler LaBarge, President & CEO of U.S. Truck Driver Training School, Inc. (USTDTS) — today announced the co-founding of Desert Roots Wellness, a personal transformation and coaching company designed to help individuals and businesses break through the personal and professional ceilings holding them back.
LaBarge co-founded Desert Roots Wellness alongside partner Samka Keranovic, bringing a combined 15+ years of experience in sales, marketing, business management, finance, HR, team building, leadership, and lived personal transformation to the venture.
A Career Built From the Ground Up
LaBarge's journey with USTDTS began in 2003 — not in a corner office, but washing trucks. Over the following two decades, he earned his CDL-A license, became a certified CDL Instructor, and coached thousands of students through career transitions that equipped them with the skills, confidence, and mindset to build more fulfilling lives for themselves and their families.
Under his leadership, USTDTS achieved National Accreditation through the Council on Occupational Education and earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Education and SAA approval to administer VA education benefits — a distinction that made USTDTS the only institution of its kind in Michigan.
Promoted to President & CEO in January 2020, LaBarge faced an immediate trial by fire when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered businesses across the country. He successfully led a full operation of over 35 employees through the crisis, maintaining compliance, integrity, and safety while keeping the school's doors open and its mission intact.
The Next Evolution
"People before profits has always been my guiding principle," said LaBarge. "After two decades of developing people professionally, I've come to understand that the most common bottleneck in business isn't external — it's internal. Desert Roots is where I get to address that directly."
Desert Roots Wellness offers one-on-one coaching, structured programs, and digital toolkits built around a simple but powerful framework: that lasting transformation requires work on the mind, body, and soul. The company serves individuals navigating personal reinvention as well as business owners and leaders seeking to align their professional performance with their personal growth.
"Samka and I built Desert Roots because we lived it first," LaBarge added. "Every principle we teach, we've tested on ourselves. That's what makes this real."
Continuing to Lead USTDTS
LaBarge remains fully committed to his role as President & CEO of USTDTS, where he continues to oversee all departmental operations, maintain federal and state compliance, and lead the institution's mission of student achievement and workforce development.
"This isn't a departure from anything," said LaBarge. "It's a fuller expression of what I've always stood for. The work at USTDTS and the work at Desert Roots come from the same place — a deep belief that developing people is the highest form of impact any of us can have."
About Desert Roots Wellness
Desert Roots Wellness is a personal transformation and coaching company co-founded by Tyler LaBarge and Samka Keranovic. The company helps individuals and businesses build lives and businesses rooted in clarity, boundaries, and self-trust — using lived experience, practical frameworks, and honest support that moves the needle. Services include one-on-one coaching, group sessions, digital programs, and on-demand toolkits.
For more information, visit www.drwmbs.com
Media Contact:
Tyler LaBarge
Co-Founder, Desert Roots Wellness
President & CEO, U.S. Truck Driver Training School, Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.drwmbs.com