Fikes Truck Line on Thursday, May 1, announced a transition in its leadership team. Gary Salisbury has been promoted to president and chief executive officer, and Jerry Davis has been promoted to executive vice president. Jim Smith, owner and former president, will continue in his position as chairman of the board. These changes took effect on April 7.
“Both Gary and Jerry have been here since the beginning,” Smith says. “Their promotions are well-deserved and allow us to capitalize on our strengths. These changes will create more opportunities for everyone and solidify the future of Fikes.”
Smith bought Fikes Truck Line in 1981. At that time, Fikes was an intrastate carrier with nine owner-operators. Within two years, he expanded operations, acquiring 48-state authority by 1983. The first two contractors he signed on were Salisbury and Davis. After several years of hauling goods for Fikes, the two became members of the staff, heading up dispatch and safety departments for the growing company. Salisbury joined the executive team in 1995, and Davis became a vice president in 2001.
In his tenure at Fikes, Salisbury has worked in almost every aspect of the company, including dispatch, sales and recruiting, and his leadership skills have been instrumental in growing the business into the $70 million operation. Most recently, he was senior vice president and chief operating officer, a position he held since 2003.
Davis spent his first five years hauling for Fikes until Smith asked him to found a safety department in 1986. Davis set out to build their award-winning safety and insurance program from the ground up, with a dual focus on the interests of contractors and company.
Fikes Truck Line is headquartered in Hope, Ark., and operates terminals in Alabama, Kentucky and Texas.
