Kemp named ABF president and COO

Wesley Kemp, 62, has held a variety of positions during his 39-year career with ABF and currently serves as senior vice president of operations.

The Trucker News Services

7/25/2008

FORT SMITH — Wesley B. Kemp will become president and chief operating officer of ABF Freight System Inc., the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corp., effective August 1. Kemp will assume the duties from Robert A. Davidson, who will continue as president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Best and as CEO of ABF, the company said.

Kemp, 62, has held a variety of positions during his 39-year career with ABF and currently serves as senior vice president of operations. He joined ABF as a management trainee in 1969 after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in management. From 1985 until 2006, Kemp was ABF’s vice president of terminal operations.

Kemp has completed the Executive Program at Northwestern University in Advanced Transportation/Logistics Management.  He currently serves on the boards of the Mack-Blackwell Transportation Center and the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas.

“Beginning in the early-eighties, Wes was one of the first proponents of ABF’s Quality Process,” said Davidson. “Throughout the years, Wes has been a consistent advocate of the quality principles of doing things right the first time and working to identify and correct the root causes of errors in order to benefit our customers and our company.

Arkansas Best Corp., headquartered in Fort Smith, is a transportation holding company.  ABF Freight System Inc provides transportation of less-than-truckload general commodities throughout North America. The ABF system stretches throughout North America, with local service centers serving all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.