J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. announced the appointment of Shelley Simpson as president of the company, along with her nomination for election to the company?s Board of Directors. Simpson has served as the company?s president since August 1, 2022. The company also announced that Kirk Thompson, current executive chairman of the Board, along with Wayne Garrison, will both retire from the company?s Board of Directors and will take newly formed Board advisory roles as Honorary Founding Directors.

John N. Roberts, III, outgoing chief executive officer, will assume the role of executive chairman of the Board upon Kirk Thompson?s retirement from the Board. The changes are part of the company?s succession planning and Board development to support future growth and shareholder confidence. The Board of Directors appointed Shelley Simpson, 52, as company president, effective July 1, 2024, and nominated her for election to the Board at the company?s upcoming annual shareholders?

meeting in April 2024. The Board also approved the retirements of Thompson and Garrison at the end of their current terms and approved their appointment as non-voting Honorary Founding Directors. Simpson?s career at J.B. Hunt spans nearly 30 years, where she served in a wide range of executive leadership roles focused on delivering on the company?s vision to create the most efficient transportation network in North America.

In 2007, Simpson helped found Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS) and was named president of the business unit. She assumed sales and marketing executive responsibilities in 2011 as chief marketing officer and took on additional leadership roles in 2014 when she was named president of J.B. Hunt?s Truckload business segment. She was named chief commercial officer and president of Highway Services in 2017 and led the strategic direction and launch of the J.B. Hunt 360° platform.

In 2020, Simpson added responsibilities for people and human resources, and was named president in 2022. The creation of the Honorary Founding Director positions for Thompson, a Director since 1985, and Garrison, a Director since 1981, will help preserve the invaluable experiences these founding executives have to contribute for years to come. Thompson joined the company in 1973 and served as president and chief executive officer from 1987 through 2010.

Garrison joined the company in 1976, becoming its president in 1982 and chief executive officer in 1985, and served as Chairman of the Board from 1995 to 2010. Retiring from the Board before reaching the company?s Director age-limitations, Thompson and Garrison will not stand for re-election at the company?s annual Shareholders meeting to allow for additional independent directors to join the Board in the future. In January 2024, the Board welcomed Pat Ottensmeyer, former chief executive officer and president of the Kansas City Southern Railroad, as a newly appointed independent director, following the addition of two other independent Directors in recent years, Thad Hill and Persio Lisboa.