The Women In Trucking Association (WIT) presented Shelley Simpson, President of J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. with its 2023 Influential Woman in Trucking award. The award is sponsored by Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), the leading manufacturer of Class 6-8 commercial vehicles in North America. This award recognizes the achievements of female role models and trailblazers in the trucking industry. The winner was announced during the WIT Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas. “It’s a privilege for Women In Trucking to recognize Shelley Simpson as our 2023 Influential Woman in Trucking award winner,” said Jennifer Hedrick, WIT President and CEO. “Shelley’s passion and leadership for this field, including her commitment to expanding gender diversity in transportation, have been evident throughout her nearly 30-year career.” Since joining J.B. Hunt as a customer service representative, Simpson has held multiple positions for business segments across the company, including most recently serving as Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President of People and Human Resources. In 2007, Simpson was named President of Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS), a business unit she helped create. While continuing to develop ICS, Simpson assumed sales and marketing executive responsibilities in 2011 and was appointed Chief Marketing Officer. She took on additional leadership in 2014 as President of J.B. Hunt’s Truckload business segment, helping improve the efficiency of the company’s fleet. Simpson was named Chief Commercial Officer in 2017, leading strategic direction of marketing, sales, customer experience, and external product development, including J.B. Hunt 360, the company’s technology platform. In 2020, she was named Executive Vice President of People and Human Resources, leading the company’s efforts to create a more inclusive culture and work environment. Simpson was named President in 2022, and currently provides management and performance oversight for all company business units. Simpson serves on the board of many organizations including the Mercy Health Foundation and the Dean’s Executive Advisory Board for the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, in addition to serving on the DSA Selection Committee for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. In 2016, she received the Distinguished Woman in Logistics award by Women In Trucking and was named 2017 ATHENA Woman of the Year at the NWA Business Women’s Conference. She recently received the 2022 Woman of the Year in Innovation award by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and the Excellence in Free Enterprise Award from Economics Arkansas. Originally from Russellville, Arkansas, Simpson graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She currently lives in Rogers, Arkansas, with her husband David and three children. For more details about WIT, visit www.womenintrucking.org or call 888-464-9482.
