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JB Hunt Transport Services President Shelley Simpson is the recipient 2023 Influential woman in trucking Prize.
The award was presented by the Women In Trucking Association and Daimler Truck North America. Simpson received the award during the WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas last month.
“I am honored to be recognized for this award alongside such influential and dynamic leaders,” Simpson said in an emailed statement. “I’m grateful to represent our people and the incredible work they do every day to move our industry forward.”
The award recognizes the achievements of female role models and pioneers in the trucking industry.
“Shelley’s passion and leadership for this field, including her commitment to expanding gender diversity in transportation, has been evident throughout her nearly 30-year career,” said Jennifer Hedrick, president and CEO of WIT. statement.
Trucking executives recognized as finalists were Tori Blake, CFO and co-owner of Western Logistics Express and WLX, and Megan Ferguson, vice president of end-to-end delivery acceleration at Walmart.
All of the finalists were impressive with their decades-long commitment and passion for the trucking profession, Hedrick said in an email to Trucking Dive. The organization’s awards program began in 2010 and has seen a steady increase in nominations.
“The goal of the award is to recognize those in the transportation industry who provide leadership, create change and inspire, and Shelley has done just that,” Hedrick said.
Throughout her tenure at JB Hunt, Simpson has cultivated leaders and championed helping others grow in the transportation profession, she said.
“It is our privilege to honor women like Shelley who have exemplary vision, tenacity and desire to build future leaders,” said Hedrick.
Simpson was named president of JB Hunt in 2022. She worked her way up to the C-suite, joining the carrier as an hourly customer service representative in 1994, according to on her LinkedIn profileand later taking on more than a dozen subsequent roles overseeing operations across the company.
Over the years, Simpson served as president of JB Hunt’s Integrated Capacity Solutions, a business unit she helped create and later assumed sales and marketing responsibilities as chief marketing officer.
Simpson later became president of JB Hunt’s trucking business, where she helped improve the efficiency of the company’s fleet. In 2017 she was named general commercial manager and oversaw marketing, sales, customer experience and external product development, including JB Hunt 360°, the company’s technology platform for load matching and operational efficiency.
Her role at JB Hunt evolved to include overseeing the carrier’s international services division. Prior to her current role, Simpson served as EVP of People and Human Resources, leading the company’s efforts to create an inclusive culture and work environment.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include Simpson’s statement.