Skip to content

J.B. Hunt's Thompson Stepping Down from President/CEO Role

Kirk Thompson


J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Lowell, Ark., announced that Kirk Thompson plans to step down from his role as J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ president and CEO on Dec. 31.

He was elected to the position of Chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2011, replacing Wayne Garrison who will remain a director. Thompson, who has worked with the board on this transition for several years, has been with the company for 37 years and has served as CEO since 1987.

His replacement will be John N. Roberts, III, 46. He has been with the company for 21 years and currently serves as president of Dedicated Contract Services. Roberts has led DCS from revenue of $150 million in 1997 to an enterprise that will soon surpass $1 billion in revenues as a separate business segment.

Thompson oversaw J.B. Hunt’s growth from revenue of $286 million in 1987 to a projected $3.8 billion in 2010. Over his tenure, the company successfully transitioned from a truckload carrier to a multi-faceted transportation services company, including pioneering a move into intermodal transportation. The company’s market capitalization has grown from $500 million to over $4.4 billion during the same time frame.

“With the company’s strategic positioning well established and operational execution at such a high level, this is the right time for me to step back from the day-to-day operations,” Thompson said.

“John and I have worked together closely for the last 13 years after he was drafted to lead DCS in a ‘battlefield promotion,'” Thompson said of his successor. “His response to that challenge and the challenges of growing a start-up business to almost $1 billion has been nothing short of outstanding. The board and I are confident he will do a similarly outstanding job as the fourth CEO in J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ history.”

Nick Hobbs has been promoted to president of DCS. Hobbs has been with the company for over 26 years serving in many capacities during that time. His most recent responsibilities were as senior vice president of operations for DCS, a role he has held for 12 years.

Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Bookmark and Share

People: Related News

10/29/2010 – Con-way Multi-Modal Appoints Execs to Lead Planned Expansion

Con-way Multimodal announced the appointments of C. Thomas “Tommy” Barnes and Greg Orr to the roles of president and vice president of operations, respectively….
More

10/29/2010 – J.B. Hunt’s Thompson Stepping Down from President/CEO Role

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Lowell, Ark., announced that Kirk Thompson plans to step down from his role as J.B. Hunt Transport Services’ president and CEO on Dec. 31….
More

10/28/2010 – NGVi Expands Staff with Alternative Fuel Advocate

Natural Gas Vehicle Institute added 20-year alternative fuels advocate, George W. Kalet, to its staff as manager of Technical Services and Development….
More

10/25/2010 – FleetNet Adds Marketing VP

FleetNet America has hired Jarrett G. Gokey as vice president of sales and marketing….
More

10/22/2010 – Kenneth Churchill of Churchill Truck Lines Passes Away at 92

The former president and son of the founder of Churchill Truck Lines of Chillicothe, Mo. has passed away at the age of 92….
More

10/22/2010 – Fleet One Names VP of Product Management

Fleet One, a provider of fuel cards and fleet management solutions, announced Matt Lattin has joined company as vice president of product management….
More

10/21/2010 – Northwood University to Honor Aftermarket Professionals

Northwood University will honor eight aftermarket leaders, including some well-known heavy-duty aftermarket figures, with its annual Automotive Aftermarket Management Education Award….
More

10/20/2010 – Ken Cummings, Longtime Newport Media Rep, Dies at Age 69

Ken Cummings, longtime sales representative for Newport Business Media, died Monday, Oct. 18, in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He was 69….
More

10/19/2010 – Former FMCSA Administrator Joins National Transportation Law Firm

Annette M. Sandberg will join the law firm of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson Feary as of counsel in the firm’s office to be established in Spokane, Wash….
More

10/18/2010 – IMMI Announces Vice President of CAPE

IMMI, which makes advanced safety systems for commercial vehicles, announced Tom Chezem as the vice president of the Center for Advanced Product Evaluation (CAPE) on the IMMI campus….
More

10/15/2010 – Atlas Makes Promotions to Support Growth Plans

Atlas Van Lines has made several key organizational changes….
More

10/13/2010 – Decisiv Adds VP to Head Strategic Planning, Customer Support

Pete Russo, a member of the Decisiv board of advisors, has joined the Decisiv senior management team as vice president of professional services and customer support….
More

10/13/2010 – Fontaine Fifth Wheel Adds to Customer Support, Sales Teams

Fontaine Fifth Wheel and its aftermarket parts subsidiary, Fontaine Parts Connection, announce personnel and organizational changes….
More

10/12/2010 – England Logistics’ Myers Named to IRTA Board

Charles Myers, director of International Business Development at England Logistics, was named to the 2010 Board of Directors for the International Refrigerated Transportation Association….
More

10/12/2010 – Darrell Hicks Honored at TMC Fall Meeting

Trucker Buddy International honored Darrell Hicks recently during the fall meeting of the American Trucking Associations’ Technology and Maintence Council meeting in Raliegh, N.C….
More

10/12/2010 – IANA Honors Comtrak’s Bruns

The Intermodal Association of North America has named Mike Bruns, recently retired president and founder of Comtrak Logistics, Inc., as winner of the 2010 IANA Silver Kingpin Award….
More

10/11/2010 – Highway Angel Honored for Administrating CPR

Jaime Avitia, a professional truck driver for Stagecoach Cartage Distribution of El Paso, Texas, has been named a Truckload Carriers Association Highway Angel for helping an accident victim….
More

10/8/2010 – Brodsky Out at Retread Bureau

The Tire Retread Repair Information Bureau has fired Managing Director Harvey Brodsky, who had been in the job for 29 years….
More

10/8/2010 – SAF-Holland Names VP-Aftermarket

SAF-Holland named Carl Mesker vice president aftermarket for the Americas….
More

10/7/2010 – Webb Wheel Aftermarket Adds to OES Sales Team

The Aftermarket Business Unit of Webb Wheel Products hired three industry veterans to join their OES sales staff….
More

10/6/2010 – Trojan Battery Names President

Trojan Battery named Jeff Elder president, the first president in Trojan’s 85 year history that has not been family member….
More

10/5/2010 – Qualcomm Names Jain VP of Business Development

Qualcomm Enterprise Services appointed Vikas Jain as vice president of business development. Jain will lead a team charged with assessing new market opportunities….
More

10/5/2010 – HDA Truck Pride Names Alread Sales/Marketing Director

Tina Alread has joined the HDA Truck Pride management team as director of sales and marketing….
More

9/30/2010 – Cummins Names VP of Corporate Strategy and Business Development

Cummins named Thad Ewald vice president of corporate strategy and business development….
More

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Join over 3.000 visitors who are receiving our newsletter and learn how to optimize your blog for search engines, find free traffic, and monetize your website.
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.
Tax, Accounting, Consulting - Emil Estafanous, CPA, CFF, CGMA