One of the biggest supply chain solutions providers in North America, J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc., said today that Shelley Simpson has been appointed president and chief executive officer of the firm. She has also been nominated to be elected to the board of directors. Since August 1, 2022, Simpson has held the position of president for the corporation.
The business also revealed that Wayne Garrison and Kirk Thompson, the executive chairman of the board currently in place, would both retire from the board of directors and assume newly created positions as Honorary Founding Directors.
After Kirk Thompson retires from the Board, John N. Roberts, III, the departing CEO, will take over as executive chairman of the board. The modifications are a part of the Board’s development and succession planning for the company to promote future expansion and investor confidence.
Johnelle Hunt, co-founder of J.B. Hunt, expressed her happiness that Kirk and Wayne will continue to serve as consultants after their terms as directors. She was also thrilled to congratulate John and Shelley on their new positions as leaders. He genuinely cares about the company’s long-term success, and these adjustments give me a lot of hope for the business’s sustained growth.
With effect from July 1, 2024, Shelley Simpson, 52, was named as the company’s president and chief executive officer by the Board of Directors, who also proposed her for election to the Board at the next annual shareholders’ meeting in April 2024. In addition, the Board authorized Thompson and Garrison’s appointment as non-voting Honorary Founding Directors and their retirement at the conclusion of their present terms.
Shelley pushes us to continually strive for customer value and to be exceptional and creative. According to Roberts, she will stay committed to making disciplined investments that will generate suitable returns and long-term growth for the benefit of our employees, clients, and shareholders. By taking these actions, we can make sure that our company’s innovative growth mindset and strong corporate culture, which have been essential to its success, will continue to uphold its values and support its mission for the foreseeable future.
Throughout her nearly 30-year tenure at J.B. Hunt, Simpson held a variety of executive leadership positions with a primary responsibility for realizing the company’s goal of building the most effective transportation system in North America. In 2007, Simpson served as president of the business unit and was involved in the founding of Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS). As chief marketing officer, she took on executive responsibility for sales and marketing in 2011. In 2014, she was designated president of J.B. Hunt’s Truckload business sector, which led to the assumption of other leadership roles. In 2017, she was appointed president of Highway Services and chief commercial officer. She oversaw the strategic direction and platform launch of J.B. Hunt 360°®. Simpson took on additional duties related to people and human resources in 2020, and in 2022, he was elected president.
J.B. Hunt is regarded as a pioneer in the field of transportation. He would have been pleased to work with the best, since we are renowned for having exceptionally skilled and knowledgeable personnel, according to Simpson. Not only are Kirk, Wayne, and John excellent leaders, but they also see the value of developing great leaders and how doing so fosters stability, growth prospects, and eventually long-term business success. They have fostered a culture of innovation, safety, excellence, and honesty and respect, and for that, I am incredibly appreciative of the impact they have had and will continue to have on the business.
The designation of Garrison, a director since 1981, and Thompson, a director since 1985, as Honorary pioneering Directors will contribute to the preservation of these pioneering leaders’ priceless experiences for many years to come. Thompson began working for the company in 1973, and from 1987 to 2010, he held the positions of president and CEO. Garrison began working for the company in 1976. He rose through the ranks to become president in 1982, chief executive officer in 1985, and chairman of the board in 1995–2010.
Both Wayne and Kirk have significant institutional knowledge and expertise with regard to the firm and its business, operations, governance, and market position, which cannot be replaced, as evidenced by their long-standing commitment and devotion to the organization. According to Roberts, the company’s major shareholder and founder, Johnelle Hunt, as well as management, see them as highly esteemed and trusted advisors. They have guided the business through periods of exponential development and success as directors and executive officers. They are appreciative of their readiness to take on these recently established positions and eager to keep learning from their experiences founding and growing the business with the Hunt family for more than 50 years. We are lucky to have their wealth of knowledge and wisdom still with us.
Thompson and Garrison will not run for reelection at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, having resigned from the Board prior to attaining the age restrictions for directors. This will make room for more independent directors to join the Board in the future. With the appointment of Pat Ottensmeyer, a former president and chief executive officer of the Kansas City Southern Railroad, as an independent director in January 2024, the Board added two more independent directors, Thad Hill and Persio Lisboa, in the previous year.
Roberts stated that while maintaining the important contribution that our seasoned executives make, these Board and management changes demonstrate our dedication to cultivating good leadership, paying attention to our stakeholders, and improving our corporate governance, particularly with regard to Board independence. Over the course of the company’s more than 60-year existence, Kirk and Wayne have had a profound impact on the management and staff, instilling in them a culture of growth, leadership, respect, and achievement. Maintaining the Hunt family’s original ownership stake in the business is bolstered by their continued leadership and influence.
The goal of J.B. Hunt is to establish the most effective transportation system in North America. Customers benefit from the company’s industry-leading solutions and mode-neutral approach, which cut expenses, eliminate waste, and improve supply chain visibility. Driven by one of the nation’s biggest company-owned fleets and third-party capacity via its digital freight marketplace, J.B. Hunt 360°®, the company can handle any business’s specific shipping requirements, from the first mile to the last mile and all shipments in between. By means of methodical investments in its workforce, technology, and infrastructure, J.B. Hunt is providing outstanding value and support that facilitates sustained expansion for both the organization and its constituents.
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. is included in the Dow Jones Transportation Average, the Fortune 500, and the S&P 500. Its shares are traded on the NASDAQ market with the ticker JBHT. JBHT owns a 100% stake in J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. Intermodal, dedicated, chilled, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, single source, last mile, transload, and other services are offered by the company.
