• Knight announces first CEO transition

    David A. Jackson to succeed Kevin P. Knight as chief executive
    Nov. 6, 2014
    2 min read
    Volvo Trucks
    Kevin P Knight pictured will remain chairman of the board and a fulltime executive officer once David A Jackson becomes CEO of Knight Transportation effective January 1st

    Phoenix-based Knight Transportation, Inc. has announced that, effective January 1st, David A. Jackson will become CEO and join the board of directors while retaining his current title of president.

    In addition, the company said that Kevin P. Knight will remain chairman of the board and a full-time executive officer “with primary focus in the areas of strategic growth, capital allocation, and leadership development.”

    Knight has served as chairman since 1999 and CEO since 1993. Jackson has served as president since February 2011. Prior to that, he served as CFO from 2004 until 2012 and in various other capacities since joining the company in 2000.

    ''Dave Jackson is the right person at the right time for the first CEO transition in our company's history,” said Kevin Knight.

    “This move has been long-planned and marks the culmination of a multi-year development program managed by our board of directors and intended to secure Knight's leadership for years to come,” he continued.

    “For the past few years as President, Dave has led the development of our next generation leadership team, our diversified services platform, and our information systems as Knight has grown to a billion dollar revenue company with multiple business units and industry leading profitability,” Knight pointed out.

    He added that as “our people already look to Dave for leadership, it was time to make it official. Coming off several highly successful quarters and with favorable industry dynamics, now is the time for the next generation of leaders to drive Knight's growth, while retaining active support from myself and the other members of the Knight family.''

    Jackson remarked that he is “honored to have this opportunity to lead our fellow Knight teammates, who collectively make this one of the most outstanding organizations in our industry. I am surrounded by talented leaders and convinced that the depth of our team, the strength of our market position, and the breadth of opportunity for Knight have never been greater.”

    Knight Transportation, Inc. is a provider of multiple truckload transportation and logistics services.

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from Operations

    4126654 | Phartisan | Dreamstime.com
    driver retention
    Turnover and its causes are expenses we like to ignore or accept as the cost of running a trucking company. In a market like today’s, investing in retention doesn’t mean spending...
    Brakebush Transportation
    Brakebush Transportation was awarded the 2025 FleetOwner Private Fleet of the Year Award, sponsored by Descartes, for midsize operations.
    Members Only
    Leaders of Brakebush Transportation, a century-old family business, share some of their innovative strategies and deep commitments to drivers that earned their operation FleetOwner...
    Schneider
    schneider 90th anniversary
    Schneider hosted an anniversary event, honoring a legacy that began in 1935 and grew to 12,500 trucks today.