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Shelley Simpson he almost quit the trucking industry in 2001 to raise her newborn son, Peyton.
Twenty-three years later, she will take the helm this summer as CEO of JB Hunt Transport Services.
Simpson, chairman of JB Hunt from August 2022, will be the first woman to serve in the top job at the company, one of the biggest carriers in a historically male-dominated industry.
She will join Carol Tomé of UPS as the only other female CEO among the 10 largest companies for hire (using Transport Topics ranking for 2023), only ArcBest’s Judy McReynolds and Marcia Taylor of the Bennett Family Companies among the top 50;
In doing so, however, Simpson will carry on co-founder Johnelle Hunt’s legacy of strong female leadership at Lowell, Arkansas-based Heavy Trucks.
“I can’t help but think of the leaders who have left a lasting impact on me,” Simpson wrote in the a post for International Women’s Day on LinkedIn. “Ms. Hunt, for example, exemplified perseverance and attention to detail, showing me the importance of never giving up.”
Simpson’s rise — announced during Women’s History Month, no less — marks a milestone for JB Hunt and the industry. She serves as a role model for other women who envision themselves in C-suites and other top trucking jobs, several women in the industry told Trucking Dive.
“Pioneer and role model”
Becoming CEO in July is the culmination of a 30-year career at JB Hunt for Simpson, who started as an hourly customer service representative. As chief commercial officer and president of Highway Services, he led the strategy and launch of the JB Hunt 360 platform in 2017.
Simpson’s tenure and rise to CEO underscore the company’s culture, where Johnelle Hunt has been described as “the single most important force in JB’s success,” according to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame produced Jonelle with her late husband in 2001.
“JB succeeded where others failed not simply because of his interest in new opportunities,” according to a video on the Hall of Fame website, “but also because of his strong religious convictions and the pragmatic business acumen of Johnelle, his his partner for almost 50 years.”
After hearing the news of Simpson’s promotion, Women In Trucking Association Founder Ellen Voie sent Simpson a congratulatory email calling her a “pioneer and role model.”
By taking the reins of such a huge trucking company, Simpson will set an example for other women to aspire to and look up to, Voie told Trucking Dive in an interview.
“I’ve known Shelley for many years, and she has really stepped up and deserves to be CEO,” Voie said. “But what’s amazing about Shelley is that she’s very humble and not only hard-working, but very well-respected not only by her employees but also by her peers.”
“It’s never been more exciting”
The gender gap among drivers is usually the focus of discussions about the need to get more women into trucking. Women make up about 12% of truck drivers, according to the Women In Trucking Index.
While nearly a third of C-suite executives are women, according to the index, even fewer sit in the corner office than behind the wheel.
Despite the disparity, Simpson’s rise is another example of how women can succeed in an industry that “embraces women in leadership positions and really recognizes talent, regardless of gender,” the president of the American Transportation Research Group said in an interview. and COO Rebecca Brewster.
“This is an industry where people can thrive when they work hard, when they’re dedicated,” Brewster said. “It’s never been more exciting in terms of opportunities for young people, and especially young women, to come into the industry than it is now.”
The promotion is a testament to Simpson’s “unparalleled expertise, but also its genuine commitment to people and innovation,” Kelley Martin of Daimler Truck North America said in an email.
“Shelley embodies the values of integrity and respect, making her a true beacon of inspiration for women in our industry,” said Martin, OEM director of pricing strategy. “Her leadership is not only driving JB Hunt’s success, but shaping the transportation landscape for generations to come.”
“Extremely encouraging for women in transport to see”
When Simpson tried to leave JB Hunt decades ago, now-retired COO Craig Harper convinced her to stay.
Harper then gave Simpson the flexibility to step back from her job as vice president — but still encouraged her to stay with the company, on a part-time basis — when her twins were born.
Lauren Harper, Harper’s daughter, followed her father into the trucking industry, where she works in strategy and business operations at autonomous truck technology provider Kodiak Robotics.
In a LinkedIn message to Trucking Dive, he described hearing about Simpson’s accomplishments over the years and getting to know her personally.
“It is extremely encouraging for women in transportation to see Shelley lead one of the most respected companies in our industry,” she wrote. “But Shelley isn’t CEO of JB Hunt because she’s a woman, she’s CEO because she’s the best.”