Werner Enterprises Inc. announced that the board of directors has approved several planned management changes that will become effective following the company’s annual stockholder meeting that is scheduled for May 10. Clarence L. “C.L.” Werner, 73, will step down from his role as chairman and will become chairman emeritus. He will continue to serve on the board.
Gary Werner, 53, will become chairman, moving from his current role as vice chairman. He intends to continue to serve on the board, and he has more than 30 years of experience with the company.
Gregory Werner, 51, will become vice chairman and will retain his current leadership role as chief executive officer, a position he assumed in February 2007. He also intends to continue to serve on the board, and he has more than 30 years of experience with the company.
Derek Leathers, 41, will become president and chief operating officer. Leathers, who currently serves as COO and president of Werner Global Logistics, has more than 20 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry and 12 years of experience with Werner Enterprises in various executive positions throughout the company.
The company says the breadth and depth of its entire executive management team enable C.L. Werner to reduce his role in the company he started in 1956 as a sole proprietor. He was the company’s first driver and built Werner Enterprises from a one-man one-truck operation into a nearly $2 billion public company. C.L. Werner, who is the company’s largest shareholder with more than 30 percent ownership of the company’s outstanding shares, will remain involved in managing the company as a member of the board.
“Gary, Greg, Derek and I have worked closely together in successfully growing Werner Enterprises for many years,” C.L. Werner says. “I am extremely confident in their abilities and the abilities of our entire Werner team. Our company and management team is very well positioned with a rock-solid foundation, and they are prepared to take Werner Enterprises to much higher levels and improved performance in the years to come. My health is excellent, and I intend to stay involved as a member of the company’s board of directors.”
