Insights

Josh Smith | SVP of OTR Operations

Josh Smith has spent 15 years with U.S. Xpress, growing from dispatcher to his current role as Senior Vice President of OTR Operations, where he leads our over-the-road division and terminal network. Along the way, he’s gained valuable experience and a strong understanding of both our business and the people who drive it.

Outside of the office, Josh enjoys time with his wife, Kristin, and their two boys, Mason and Weston. You’ll often find him at the ballfield cheering on his sons, catching a Braves game, or traveling with his family.

Shaun Sadler | SVP of Equipment & Maintenance

Shaun Sadler, Senior Vice President of Equipment and Maintenance, joined U.S. Xpress in 2016 upon retirement from the United States Marine Corps at the rank of colonel. He attended the University of South Carolina where he played football. Upon graduation, Shaun joined the Marines where he served for almost 30 years, filling multiple distinguished positions as a staff officer and combat aviator. A highlight of his military career included serving as the as the commander of the largest Marine aircraft group, consisting of over 5,000 personnel and 300 aircraft.

Shaun has deployed to many foreign countries, both in combat service and as a senior representative of the United States. He joined U.S. Xpress as the Director of Equipment and was promoted to Senior Vice President of Equipment and Maintenance in 2017. Shaun lives in Chattanooga, and he and his wife, Sandra, have two sons.

Jose Perez | SVP of Logistics

Jose began his career with Knight Transportation in the summer of 2015 and now serves as Senior Vice President of Logistics at U.S Xpress. Jose started his tenure as a Market Manager in our Portland, Oregon terminal and later relocated to Phoenix in 2016, where he held various customer facing roles on the asset account management team until 2019. Jose then transitioned to the Logistics team, taking on multiple leadership positions across account management and operations, culminating in his role as Vice President of Logistics for Knight-Swift. In 2023 following the news of U.S Xpress joining the KNX family of brands, Jose joined the Chattanooga-based team and relocated to Tennessee.

Jose earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Linfield College in 2014. Outside of work, he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and two corgis. He also enjoys exploring Chattanooga, watching sports, and playing golf.

Daniel Pemberton | SVP of Safety & Driver Development

Daniel Pemberton has been with U.S. Xpress for nearly 20 years, building a career focused on driver safety, development, and operational excellence. Over the years, he’s worked in Driver Onboarding, Driver Development, and Account Management, giving him a unique industry perspective. Today, as Senior Vice President of Safety & Development, Daniel leads the programs and initiatives that help drivers succeed and strengthen our safety culture.

Daniel is known for his people-first leadership style and passion for making a lasting impact in transportation. He’s dedicated to creating better systems, smarter strategies, and meaningful opportunities that benefit both drivers and the industry as a whole.

Clayton Kibler | SVP of Dedicated Operations

Clayton Kibler brings more than 25 years of transportation industry experience to his role as Senior Vice President of Dedicated Operations, including over a decade with our Dedicated team here at U.S. Xpress. Clayton’s career path has given him the chance to experience nearly every part of the business, from over-the-road operations and planning to customer service and terminal management.

That experience has shaped his leadership style and given him a deep appreciation for the people who keep everything moving.

Jessica Hamadeh | SVP & General Counsel

Jessica Hamadeh, Senior Vice President and General Counsel has more than 13 years of experience in the transportation industry as in-house counsel for U.S. Xpress. She previously served as Vice President of Legal Affairs and Associate General Counsel for the company. Jessica manages a team of attorneys and support staff focused on corporate litigation, labor and employment, regulatory and licensing compliance, independent contractor programs and equipment leasing, and transportation and logistics contracting. She also advises the company on enterprise policymaking, intellectual property matters, corporate governance, risk management, and major corporate transactions.

Jessica received her Bachelor of Arts from Millsaps College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and she is licensed in both Mississippi and Tennessee. Jessica serves on the leadership team of the Chattanooga chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and is a member of the Southeast Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women.  She also enjoys participating in the transportation lawyers’ conference circuits and has presented on several occasions on topics including data management, corporate structuring, cargo liability, trailer risk management, and EVs and AVs.

Outside of work, Jessica stays busy raising two kids who want to join all the extracurricular activities. She met her husband while attending law school, and they love traveling, Ole Miss tailgating, and hiking local trails in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Frankie Clement | SVP of IT

Frankie Clement, Senior Vice President of IT for U.S. Xpress, has more than two decades of experience in information technology. He joined U.S. Xpress in 2019 as director of applications, managing the company’s enterprise resource planning system, data warehouse and analytics, and customer-facing platforms. In 2022, his work expanded to include driver data and interface programs. He stepped into his current role leading the IT organization in 2023.

Frankie has a master’s degree in computer science and previously worked at Shaw Industries, building applications for their supply chain, for nearly 15 years before coming to U.S. Xpress.

Paul Bowman | SVP of Enterprise Sales

Senior Vice President of Enterprise Sales Paul Bowman is responsible for business development across U.S. Xpress. He has more than a decade of experience with the company, previously leading Dedicated Sales with responsibility for business development, client retention, logistics design, and pricing activity within the Dedicated division.

Paul has more than 30 years of transportation experience. Prior to joining U.S. Xpress, he was Vice President of Sales for Hogan Dedicated Services and Director of Client Development for Ryder Integrated Logistics.

He’s an active member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology.  Paul and his wife, Ryan, live in Chattanooga with their three boys, Joshua, Connor, and Luke.

Lori Bonneau | SVP of Accounting & Finance

With more than 30 years at U.S. Xpress. Lori has built a career rooted in financial expertise, leadership, and a deep understanding of the business. Since joining the company as a Staff Accountant, she has held roles of increasing responsibility, including Financial Reporting Manager, Director of Accounting, Vice President/Corporate Controller, and now Senior Vice President of Accounting & Finance.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Lori provides strategic financial leadership that supports the company’s growth while ensuring accuracy, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.

In her free time, you can find Lori spending time with her family and four legged friends.

Justin Harness | Chief Operating Officer

In his role as Chief Operating Officer, Justin is responsible for Operations across U.S. Xpress. This includes oversight of the company’s Dedicated fleet, which services some of the nation’s largest shippers, its driver-first OTR division, and its Logistics operations, as well as Safety and Driver Retention. Justin previously served as Executive Vice President of Operations. He has spent more than two decades in key roles throughout U.S. Xpress, starting his career as a management trainee in 2002. Since then, he has served in various leadership positions, including President of Dedicated, Chief Revenue Officer, Vice President of Customer Service, and Vice President and General Manager of Southwest Operations. When he has time away from work, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife, Karrie, and their children Olivia and Owen. The family enjoys traveling together, fishing and playing golf.

Josh Smith | Chief Financial Officer

Prior to joining U.S. Xpress in 2023 as Chief Financial Officer, Joshua Smith served as the Senior Vice President of Finance for five years at Swift Transportation. Over his 18-year career at Swift, he held positions within several departments including Financial Planning and Analysis, Investor Relations, Business Intelligence, Data Science, Business Transformation, Billing, Credit, Detention, and Accounts Receivable. Joshua is a Certified Public Accountant, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Southern Utah University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Utah. Outside of work, Joshua enjoys spending time with his wife and their two teenage children at various sporting activities, boating at the lake, or generally just enjoying the outdoors.

Tim Harrington | President

Tim Harrington became President of U.S. Xpress in 2023, when the company was acquired by Knight-Swift. He first joined Swift Transportation in February 1997 through the company’s acquisition of Direct Transit. In May 2018, following the Knight-Swift merger, Tim was appointed to the role of Executive Vice President of Sales for Swift. Tim also served as Regional Vice President of Sales from 2006 to 2011 and from 2016 to 2018. From 2011 to 2016, Tim was Vice President of Network Operations and in various sales and operations roles at Swift prior to that. Tim earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota. When he has a break from work, Tim and his wife, Ann, enjoy traveling and spending time with their three adult children.