A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

CHRIS BALTZTRANSPORTATION INSIGHT PRESIDENT AND CEO

When you look to the year ahead for your company, what excites you most?

Recent reports indicate that the digitalization of supply chain processes could potentially generate trillions of dollars in optimization savings and increased income across the business landscape in the next decade. The exponential growth in small package shipping spurred the expanding e-commerce economy creates complexity for our clients, but great opportunities for us to leverage our proprietary parcel technology and class-leading expertise to help our customers realize savings and meet increasing consumer demands for delivery service and shopping experience.

Is there a particular part of the world where you see great potential?

We see a lot of growth in the e-commerce world as the number of online orders continues to grow exponentially, causing retailers to seek qualified third-party logistics providers to help them meet not only last-mile deliveries but their international shipments as well. These companies also benefit from streamlined supply chain processes with right-sized inventories strategically located, optimal supply chain networks with distribution centers closer to customers, and choice of transportation mode to best meet customer delivery schedules while reducing costs.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

WAYNE SPAIN, AVERITT PRESIDENT AND COO

What is your elevator pitch — about 60 seconds– to potential customers? What do you do better than just about anyone else?

Averitt believes each customer has its own unique story and goals, which results in a need for unique supply chain and logistics solutions. Our customers get access to an entire range of logistics and transportation services, all under a single, highly respected roof. From more flexibility and a broader range of options, to a consistent experience, complete accountability, and the peace of mind that comes from working with a resource you trust—customers find everything they need in one powerful place. That’s what we call “The Power of One.”

Over the past couple of years, what do you consider your company’s proudest achievement, accomplishment or innovation, etc?

2017 marks the 30^th anniversary of Averitt Cares for Kids, which is a non-profit charitable giving organization funded solely by our associates. Since the program’s inception, Averitt associates have donated nearly $8 million to children-related charities. With approximately 90 percent of our workforce participating, Averitt associates have helped organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to continue their work that betters our society. In 2016, Averitt associates donated $500,000 to St. Jude.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

RICH BOLTE, BDP CHAIRMAN AND CEO

Over the past couple of years, what do you consider your company’s proudest achievement?

In August of 2016, we were truly honored to celebrate our 50th year in business. In 2016 and 2017, we were named the Responsible Care Partner of the Year by the American Chemistry Council. We were also honored to be named a World’s Most Ethical Company by the Ethisphere Institute in 2016 and 2017.

What do you see as your company’s greatest challenge(s) in the year(s) ahead?

We recently completed our new strategic plan, BDP 2020, to specifically address the world ahead. The pace of change is driving innovation and disruption. Companies all over the globe will have to evaluate those specific factors that are likely to disrupt their current business model and develop the appropriate strategies. Those plans will involve investments in Information Technology, but it must be coupled with an organizational commitment to doing things differently. It is easy to say that one must move faster, deliver services quicker, be more innovative and have an organizational agility to flex with the world, but it takes something quite different to lead the cultural transformation that is required to make these goals a reality. Leadership will have to change as well. Leaders will be measured by their ability to innovate and create potential disruptions. The old paradigm of measuring only performance and execution has changed. Today, we are blessed with high growth and the challenges created by the talent wars will continue to be front and center for all high growth enterprises. Attracting, inspiring and retaining talent will be at the forefront of our strategy going forward. Great people, great technology solving modern problems, and doing great things that make a difference in the world will be our goal.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

JODI NAVATA, COYOTE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

When you look to the year ahead for your company, what excites you most?

Undoubtedly, expanding our services on a larger global scale is something that’s going to have a major impact on Coyote in the next year. This past January, UPS acquired Freightex, a European 3PL specializing in road freight brokerage that will operate under the Coyote business unit. With Freightex’s three locations—Dover, Amsterdam, and Wroclaw—and Coyote’s international office in Guadalajara, Mexico, our global expansion efforts are definitely headed in the right direction.

Is there a particular part of the world where you see great potential?

There’s no question that this is an incredible and unique time to be in the logistics industry. We are on the cusp of a new era of automation that will bring rapid change from the warehouse and loading dock to the road, in every part of the world. These will be big changes, and we all need to be ready for them, thinking about how things will work for our customers’ supply chains but also about the challenges we will face as automation continues to take over some of the more mundane, repetitive tasks currently handled by human beings.  Instead of looking at these disruptors as negative, we need to continue to embrace what’s to come and think about new and unique ways we can innovate as a company and as an industry.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

JIM GATTONI, LANDSTAR PRESIDENT AND CEO

Is there a particular part of the world where you see great potential?

Landstar believes there is great potential in North America with a specific emphasis on the Mexico market. This year, we expanded our cross-border solutions by opening a new C-TPAT compliant service center in Laredo, Texas. The logistics center is one of the largest transportation facilities in Laredo with a 20,000 square foot, 30-door cross dock, and a 120-ton stand-alone bridge crane. Landstar is able to provide numerous options for cross-border transportation. An improving manufacturing environment in North America, potential regulatory upheaval on the horizon, combined with our diverse agent and customer base provide emerging opportunities in the domestic market.

What do you look to the year ahead for your company, what excites you most?

Transportation management challenges that bring a level of complexity, along with customers willing to collaborate on solutions, is exciting for Landstar. One example of an industry change is the steady growth in hazmat freight opportunities due to the insurance and regulatory challenges that have led many general commodity carriers to move away from the complexities of hauling hazardous materials. This has opened an opportunity for Landstar, whose hazmat expertise and access to leased owner-operators that are 100 percent hazmat certified allows the company to provide an unparalleled level of truck capacity and professional service that meets or exceeds safety compliance standards. Similar excitement is common among our platform and heavy-specialized services, cross-border services, as well as air and ocean offerings.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

WENDY BUXTON, LYNNCO PRESIDENT

What is your elevator pitch — about 60 seconds– to potential customers? What do you do better than just about anyone else?

LynnCo Supply Chain Solutions is a firm that enhances performance of complex supply chains. What is truly unique about LynnCo is that we combine our consultative approach with our ability to operationalize tailor-designed solutions. We have proven success applying consulting, process engineering, and operational rigor to portfolio companies whose supply chains are disrupted by the aftermath of an acquisition, reorganization or consolidation as well as companies whose supply chains are challenged to scale with rapid growth.

What do you see as your company’s greatest challenge(s) in the year(s) ahead?

Supply chains are becoming increasingly more disruptive due to the necessary shifts to e-commerce and omni channel distribution, ultimately driven by velocity of acceleration in consumer demands. This is no longer a retail channel issue, specific to parcel-based supply chains, but is expanding into every other market regardless of product type. There is now even greater demand in getting larger commodities that require truck and air freight to also conform to demand velocity. This is where tighter supply chain planning and visibility up and down the supply chain is becoming a necessity! Since disruptive supply chains are becoming the norm, it is increasingly more important for premium visibility and forensic analytics.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

JEFF TUCKER, CEO TUCKER WORLDWIDE

What do you see as your company’s greatest challenge(s)?

We have a few important things coming to play that will affect the back half of 2017, and 2018. The industry will have to grapple with a combustible combination of factors coming into play simultaneously: 1) Government mandates – namely ELDs and the Food Safety Modernization Act; 2) the Drug, Medicine, and Toilet Preparations industry preemptively utilizing temp-control equipment to move their freight; 3) retailers rewriting compliance fees for on-time deliveries and 4) the Amazon effect, i.e. “I want it now!” All of these factors combined with the fact that the US is still in a period of economic recovery, could make for an unprecedented capacity crisis. At Tucker, we are doing our part to prepare our organization, strengthen relationships with our carriers, and inform our clients, so that we can mitigate any effect on our customer’s supply chains, and continue to provide unparalleled service.

What’s your proudest achievement?

What sets us apart is that we are constantly evolving our services to meet the needs of our clients. With them in mind, we’ve advanced beyond what a traditional broker or 3PL provides, and have developed programs that help our customers maintain supply chain integrity, and recognize opportunities for savings. We don’t just arrange freight – we take the time to get to know our customers, their vendors and distribution channels, and their lanes. We collect data to help drive meaningful organizational change so that they can seize cost-saving opportunities and better leverage their freight spend.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR …

MARK HOGAN, UTXL CEO

What is your elevator pitch—about 60 seconds—to potential customers? What do you do better than just about anyone else?

UTXL specializes in Expedited Truckload Logistics and has a 20-year history of near perfect service and an unmatched safety record. How safe? There has never been a single charge to any of our many high rated insurance policies or to any of our bonds.

Over the past couple of years, what do you consider your company’s proudest achievement, accomplishment or innovation, etc.?

UTXL specializes in Surge Capacity Solutions and last year, we set new personal best records for sourcing lean surge capacity (team service) for our shippers using our proprietary “surge capacity app.” It is a game changer.