U.S. Xpress (NYSE: USX) announced leadership changes in sales and dedicated on Monday.
Jake Lawson has been appointed chief commercial officer and Justin Harness will be the president of the company’s dedicated division. Lawson will lead the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based truckload carrier’s sales, pricing and customer engagement functions, duties previously handled by Harness.
The appointments are effective this week, a news release stated.
“I’m excited to welcome Jake to the organization and look forward to working with him to cultivate existing customer relationships, tap new markets, and engage with shippers about our innovative solutions,” said President and CEO Eric Fuller.
Lawson has held customer-facing leadership roles with appliance manufacturer Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR), focusing on sales, merchandising, product development and e-commerce. Most recently, he led the sales and marketing effort for Whirlpool’s largest customer, home improvement retailer Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW).
“Partnering with our customers and defining the appropriate value propositions are critical for success, and it’s exciting for me to really dig in and elevate what sets U.S. Xpress apart,” Lawson said. “I also want to focus on our team development to help our people feel supported and mentored, understand their connection to the company vision, and feel empowered to deliver great results.”
Harness has been with U.S. Xpress for 20 years, mostly focused on operations. “This experience combined with his deep understanding of customer needs and challenges will help the company grow its valuable dedicated division,” the release continued.
The company remains focused on its digital transportation offering, including the expansion of its recently unveiled driver-focused fleet, Variant, which has seen early success. Even with those initiatives in place, the dedicated segment still accounts for 35% to 40% of the carrier’s revenue and remains integral to its efforts to grow market share.
