Jim Schnoes, director, has enjoyed a 28-year career serving the transportation industry through financial services and various executive management positions. He is widely sought out for his strategic vision, keen knowledge of transportation finance, and hands-on experience managing carrier and logistics operations. Jim has been active in the financial advisory services arena since 2000, having served as vice president and managing director of another advisory firm. During that assignment, he served with key clients in various corporate officer capacities, including treasurer, president and board member. Prior to 2000, Jim served as the Chief Financial Officer of Clicklogistics, a logistics technology and management services company of Cardinal Logistics, and Charger, Inc., a flatbed motor carrier based in Springdale, Ark. His earlier motor carrier managerial experience was gained as senior vice president, finance and treasurer for J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. from 1988 to 1996. Jim started his financial career in commercial banking with the Transportation Division of The First National Bank of Chicago as a commercial lender and capital markets specialist focused solely in transportation lending. He has contributed to various transportation periodicals, including Transport Topics and the NAFC’s Motor Carrier Trends. Jim earned a B.A. in Financial Administration, graduating with High Honors from Michigan State University in 1981. Since May 2007, Jim has been engaged with two motor carriers building non-asset operations to compliment their existing asset operations. He served as president of Cowan Global Logistics until late 2008 and is now building-out the non-asset operations of RWI Transportation, LLC, an affiliate of The Castellini Group. Castellini is a $1.0 billion distributor of fresh fruits and vegetables whose transportation requirements include carrier operations and logistics solutions. Castellini’s diverse needs include produce ripening and repacking, retail merchandising, category management, fresh-cut processing and private label packaging. Jim is an avid golfer who loves to travel. He lives with his wife, Robin, and his three boys in the Northwest Arkansas community of Rogers.
David Johnston, associate, grew up in the trucking industry from an early age through his family’s involvement in a large truckload carrier. He worked in all facets of the company, from maintenance, safety and recruiting to sales and operations. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in transportation and physical distribution from Auburn University in 1995, David worked in various operations and inside sales positions with KLLM Transport Services. He then joined Boyd Brothers Transportation Company and then BestTransport as senior vice president. In 2002 David began working with Path Truck Lines and was promoted to chief operating officer of the southern division. In 2006 he began working with Transport Capital Partners to assist truckload carriers with operations, sales, infrastructure and overall profit improvement. David has served on the advisory board for the Truckload Profitability Strategies Group at the University of Georgia and at multiple transportation companies.
Conner Burns, associate, a 20-year veteran of the transportation industry, is a “hands-on” consultant, operational strategist, and merger and acquisition advisor to transportation, distribution, and logistics-related companies. He has served as interim CEO and board director of a long-haul van company and has acted as a part-time COO to several other transportation companies. A native of Natchez, Miss., he holds degrees from Louisiana State University (Masters of Science in finance) and Mississippi State University (Bachelor of Business Administration in transportation). Connor previously conducted the Truckload Carriers Association’s Profitability Fundamentals Seminar in Chicago, Ill., and was the featured speaker at the Pacific-Northwest Precast Concrete Association in Seattle. Other speaking engagements include the TCA’s National Audio Seminar, the McLeod Software User’s Conference, and the Gulf Coast Port Symposium. He and his wife Tracy have four children and live in Mccomb, Miss.