Lane Kidd is leaving his position as president of the Arkansas Trucking Association after 22 years.
Kidd will turn his attention to The Kidd Group LLC, a public-affairs and business investment firm he opened in 2013. Kidd will continue to work on transportation-related issues but will have more of a national focus than he had in his role with the Arkansas Trucking Association.
After conversations with state association board members, Kidd said, he came to the conclusion it was time fora change. The past year saw Kidd, 60, working for both the state association and a national transportation lobbying group and begin taking on contracts as part of The Kidd Group.
“You reach crossroads in your career, and it became a little more clear to me the Arkansas Trucking Association deserved a person who was 100 percent focused on the issues in Arkansas,” Kidd said.“I felt the urge to follow what I’ve wanted to do and own a business. I’ve never done it. Frankly, I’ve been too scared to try it. If I don’t do it now, I never will. It just seemed like a good time.
“I’m not ready at 60 to drift off into the golf-course life. I wanted to stay actively engaged in what I really have a passion about.”
Kidd will continue to represent the Trucking Alliance, a coalition of national carriers with a focus on safety concerns. Alliance members, including Maverick Transportation Inc. of North Little Rock, J.B. Hunt of Lowell and Fikes Truck Line of Hope, were instrumental in two significant coming changes to the transportation industry - electronic onboard recording devices for trucks and a national drug and alcohol clearinghouse.
Steve Williams, Maverick founder and chief executive officer, was on the association board when Kidd was hired 22 years ago, and the two have developed a strong relationship. Williams said the association and the industry benefited from Kidd’s leadership and focus on improving public perception of trucking and transportation in the state and nation.
“I remember what the association was like before Lane, and I know what’s happened since he was hired,” Williams said. “… I feel really good about the state of the Arkansas Trucking Association.
There’s only one Lane Kidd, but life goes on. This is an attractive position.”
Kidd’s departure is expected to have little effect on day-today operations in the short term. Association Vice President Shannon Samples Newton has been with the organization for 11 years, the past five in her current role. Sarah Newman Sheets has served as director of operations since 2002.
A search committee will be appointed by the association’s board chairman, Gary Salisbury of of Fikes Truck Line. Like the Arkansas Trucking Association board of directors, the committee is likely to be from a cross section of carriers in the state with companies of various sizes represented. Salisbury could not be reached for comment.
Previous experience in the trucking industry is not a must, but the ideal candidate for the position will have experience as a lobbyist and be what Williams described as a “big thinker.”
Board member Al Herringer IV of Star Transportation in Jonesboro said he appreciated what Kidd had done for the state association. Kidd’s juggling of multiple pursuits was challenging, and Herringer said having a president focused on the industry in Arkansas would be a plus.
“I wish the best for Lane, I really do,” Herringer said. “He’s got a lot of opportunities and connections, and he’s got some bigger things in mind. He just had too many things going on. At some point you have a to pick. There’s no more four-sport athletes out there anymore.”
Business, Pages 21 on 02/25/2014