DALLAS — Technology may change the way freight moves, but J.B. Hunt Transport Services president and CEO Shelley Simpson believes the foundation of successful leadership will remain the same: Take care of your people, build relationships and do what you say you’re going to do.
Speaking Monday (Oct. 26) during the opening keynote at the Women In Trucking Association’s 2026 Accelerate! Conference & Expo in Dallas, Simpson drew on more than three decades with J.B. Hunt to share lessons about navigating change, overcoming setbacks and preparing the next generation of industry leaders.
Her message? Being ready for the future doesn’t mean having every step planned out. Sometimes, the biggest opportunities come from the greatest disappointments.
From $7.25 an hour to the CEO’s office
When Simpson joined J.B. Hunt in 1994, fresh out of the University of Arkansas, she was making $7.25 an hour as a customer service representative. She had no intention of making trucking her lifelong career.
In fact, she was preparing to leave the company for another opportunity when her father encouraged her to think bigger. He pointed out that she was working in northwest Arkansas, home to several major corporations, and suggested she might someday become a company president.
At 22, Simpson wasn’t convinced. But she stayed.
That decision launched a career filled with unexpected turns, including a promised promotion that went to someone else and a sales position that was put on hold before she could make the move.
Those disappointments eventually led her into pricing, where she discovered opportunities that would shape her future.
“It’s not about charting your path. It’s about being adaptable when things don’t necessarily go your way,” she told attendees.
Putting people first
Throughout her career, Simpson says, one principle has remained constant: The people who make a business successful must come first.
It’s a philosophy established by J.B. Hunt’s founders, Johnnie Bryan and Johnelle Hunt, and it’s one Simpson is determined to preserve as the company grows.
Today, J.B. Hunt employs approximately 33,000 people.
“We say this: If we take really great care of our people, they’ll take really great care of our customers, and our shareholders will do just fine,” she said.
For Simpson, that commitment to people extends beyond the workplace — and starts with keeping her own priorities in order.
“My faith is first, my family’s second, work is third,” she told attendees. “Try not to get those out of order.”
Simpson experienced the importance of those priorities firsthand in 2001, when the birth of her first child prompted her to consider leaving the company.
Instead of accepting her resignation, her supervisor, Craig Harper, encouraged her to focus on her family while the company worked with her to find a schedule that fit her needs.
“Had it not been for Craig Harper, I wouldn’t be standing here today,” Simpson said.
Two years later, after welcoming twin daughters, she worked part time for two years while continuing her career.
That experience helped shape her belief that leadership includes recognizing when employees need flexibility — and understanding that taking care of themselves allows them to contribute more over the long term.
And it’s a lesson Simpson continues to put into practice, even as CEO.
She shared that she recently canceled a business engagement because she needed time with her family. Just days later, an unexpected family emergency reinforced the importance of that decision.
For Simpson, being prepared to lead others begins with knowing when to take care of yourself — and the people who matter most.
Building a ‘Say-Do’ culture
For Simpson, putting people first goes hand in hand with building trust.
She recalled meeting with an executive from one of J.B. Hunt’s largest customers several years ago. During the conversation, the customer stopped her presentation to discuss a difficult personnel decision the company had made.
Although the situation involved a longtime employee, J.B. Hunt had taken action to address the customer’s concerns.
The executive told Simpson that the decision had fundamentally changed how his company viewed J.B. Hunt.
“You’re what we call a ‘say-do’ company,” he told her.
The explanation was simple: When J.B. Hunt says it will do something, it follows through.
That conversation helped inspire what Simpson now calls the company’s “say-do culture.”
For an industry navigating rapid technological change, she believes that kind of trust is more important than ever.
“Your relationships will still matter,” Simpson said. “You still will drive business through people, because people do business with people.”
Preparing for what’s next
Of course, maintaining strong relationships doesn’t mean standing still.
Simpson pointed to J.B. Hunt’s evolution from a traditional trucking company into a diversified transportation and logistics organization, including the growth of intermodal operations, brokerage services and digital technology.
She also discussed how the company is preparing for the potential impact of autonomous trucking.
Rather than waiting for the technology to reshape the industry, Simpson has challenged J.B. Hunt’s executive leadership to examine what the business might look like if it operated as an autonomous-first company.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the company intends to adopt such a model.
“It doesn’t mean we become autonomous. It means no one should surprise us,” she explained.
The exercise, she said, encourages leaders to evaluate opportunities and potential disruptions from a different perspective, rather than allowing competitors or technology providers to determine the company’s future.
Artificial intelligence will also change the way businesses operate, Simpson acknowledged. But she doesn’t believe technology can replace the relationships and trust that drive business.
Investing in the next generation
Simpson also encouraged attendees to take chances, embrace unexpected opportunities and invest in the people around them.
When she was assigned to build J.B. Hunt’s brokerage business, she found herself leading a team that was uncertain about how to move forward.
Rather than simply issuing instructions, she brought a headset, notepad and pen to an empty desk and began making cold calls alongside employees.
As team members gathered around to listen, they gained a firsthand look at how to approach customers and overcome objections.
The experience reinforced a lesson Simpson has carried throughout her career: Leadership isn’t just about directing people. It’s about helping them develop the confidence and skills to succeed.
She also urged leaders to encourage employees during difficult periods, not just celebrate them when they achieve their goals.
Reflecting on the prolonged freight recession, Simpson said she learned how quiet the cheering section can become when results fall short of expectations.
That experience strengthened her determination to encourage others as they work through challenges.
For those wondering whether they’re ready for the next step in their careers, Simpson offered a reminder drawn from her own journey.
Simpson acknowledged that she wasn’t fully prepared for every promotion she received. Instead, she gained confidence through experience, learning as she went.
And sometimes, she added, the people around us can see potential we haven’t yet recognized in ourselves.
“Whatever you think you’re capable of, there’s at least one more stretch that is possible,” she told attendees. “Never let someone determine your success or your joy in life.”
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
