Self-driving truck company Kodiak Robotics on Thursday announced it has hired the recent CEO of USA Truck, James Reed, as its chief operating officer.
The move brings a seasoned truck executive to the firm as it looks to bring its technology to the market.
"A trucking industry veteran with experience at tech companies like Intel, EMC and T-Mobile is a unicorn and a perfect fit for Kodiak,” Kodiak CEO and founder Don Burnette said in the news release. “Leaders with James' background don't find themselves on the market very often; we're fortunate to welcome him to the Kodiak team.”
Reed’s nearly six-year career with USA Truck featured the company's acquisition by DB Schenker, which was completed in September. He also served as chief financial officer for Interstate Distributor Co. from 2012 to 2016.
Kodiak was founded in 2018 and has been notching milestones with its technology as it tests it with drivers onboard. In November, it showcased testing of one of its trucks withstanding a tire blowout.
The company noted Reed’s experience in “financial management, strategic planning, controllership, business analytics, supply chain, transportation management and operations.”
In a statement, Reed said his background will mesh with Kodiak’s push to bring its technology to the market: “I couldn't pass up the opportunity to marry my trucking and tech industry experience to help Kodiak as it leads the trucking industry to its next major transformation.”
