Dive Brief:
- AAA Cooper Transportation promoted longtime President and COO Charlie Prickett to CEO, the Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings subsidiary announced on LinkedIn last week.
- Prickett replaces Reid Dove, who will become AAA Cooper’s board chairman after serving as CEO for 24 of his 30 years at the company. Dove will also continue to serve on the parent company’s board of directors.
- Prickett has worked at the carrier for more than 20 years and takes the reins as Knight-Swift builds out a nationwide LTL network, part of which includes more than a dozen former Yellow Corp. terminals.
Dive Insight:
AAA Cooper Transportation is executing its succession plan three years after the carrier’s $1.35 billion acquisition by Knight-Swift. Prickett will help lead an LTL expansion that the parent company hopes will be complete within two years.
In the announcement, Dove credited Prickett with enhancing the Alabama-based carrier’s culture, safety, service offerings, systems and operations. Prickett is also a member of the SMC³ board of directors.
“Charlie is exceptionally prepared for his new role as CEO of AAA Cooper,” Dove said.
AAA Cooper has 5,500 employees, 3,000 tractors and 7,500 trailers, according to its website. The carrier enjoys a culture of trust, collaboration and innovation that is widely known and respected in the industry, Prickett said in the announcement.
“These attributes inspire our vision of growth, innovation, and geographic expansion,” the incoming CEO said. “I am humbled and incredibly grateful to everyone in this company for their support and commitment and to those who have influenced my path throughout my career.”
Prickett’s promotion is well-deserved, Knight-Swift CEO Adam Miller wrote in a LinkedIn comment.
“Looking forward to your continued success,” Miller wrote.
