MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Kodiak Robotics has announced the appointment of former USA Truck CEO James Reed to the role of chief operating officer. Reed has had roles in executive and financial leadership for companies in trucking, technology and finance over the past 25 years.
“As the former CEO of USA Truck, James’s broad experience gives Kodiak an incredible advantage as we focus on accelerating growth,” Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics, said. “A trucking industry veteran with experience at tech companies like Intel, EMC and T-Mobile is a unicorn and a perfect fit for Kodiak. Leaders with James’ background don’t find themselves on the market very often; we’re fortunate to welcome him to the Kodiak team.”
Reed joins Kodiak from USA Truck, where he spent nearly six years as chief executive officer. During his tenure, Reed led a turnaround of the company, culminating in the company’s acquisition by German transportation firm DB Schenker in September 2022.
“Working within the trucking and logistics industry has been both professionally and personally rewarding, especially as the supply chain became a headline topic for the critical role it plays in the economy,” Reed said. “Kodiak has a well-established reputation as the leader in developing and rolling out autonomous trucks that deliver safely and effectively. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to marry my trucking and tech industry experience to help Kodiak as it leads the trucking industry to its next major transformation.”
Prior to his role with USA Truck, Reed was chief financial officer of Interstate Distributor Company, which was acquired by Heartland Express. Earlier, he held senior finance positions for tech companies including Intel, EMC, and T-Mobile and was Division CFO for Chase’s wamu.com business. Reed holds an MBA in Finance from Brigham Young University.
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