Page 29 - ATR 4 2021 digital

Runser said he was drawn to ABF
from the first interview. “You could
tell just the culture was different. You
know, it was like, this is something that
I could be interested in.”
He has a lot to say about the cul-
ture. ABF Freight, an ArcBest company, “YOU COULD TELL JUST THE CULTURE
has one of the longest histories of any WAS DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE,
transportation and logistics company
in the country. For nearly 100 years, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT
ArcBest has helped keep the global sup- I COULD BE INTERESTED IN.”
ply chain moving. Despite recessions,
economic rebounds, administrations
coming and going, deregulation and
pandemic, this LTL carrier, headquar-
tered in Fort Smith, Ark., has contin-
ued to deliver on its promises. Runser
sensed that trust when he started over allow new hires to transition from the end, ‘Hey, you’re probably going to
13 years ago. college environment, where they’ve go into operations or sales and you’re
He described meeting his inter- spent four years in a classroom, to the going to have to relocate.’ Everybody’s
viewer and being converted. “I just met corporate world where they can study upfront. Some people stay where they do
them, and I believed everything they how complex the logistics industry is. their training, but most of the time, if
told me. It just comes off like second “We don’t want anybody to have you look at our company, a lot of people
nature because they’re living it. They’re tunnel-vision thinking, ‘I only do bill- have been here a long time, so there’s
not just giving an elevator speech,” he ing,’ or ‘I only do this.’ To actually be just not an open position. You know
said. “It’s not something they just made able to see the whole operation of how you’re going to relocate, but you really
up; they’re living that value. You could and what decision you make impacts don’t know which way you’re going to
just tell it wasn’t fake.” someone down the line, I mean, that go. But throughout the program, you’re
was just crucial for me to see.” doing evaluations with your supervisor,
THE PATH TO PRESIDENT Moving to Pittsburgh was just your manager and considering, ‘Okay,
That first job he accepted was in Runser’s first stop. Trainees can move which way you’re leaning and what are
ABF’s management trainee program. For up the career ladder, but first they your interests? Where’re your strengths,
over 30 years, the company has been might have to move across the coun- weaknesses?’”
investing in young talent, immersing try. Before arriving at company head- Runser had liked operations best,
them in the business through a five- quarters in 2019, he had moved ten but he has also enjoyed sales positions
month program. A lot of the leadership times in 13 years as he rose through later in his career. “It’s really exciting to
team started their careers as trainees, the ABF organization chart. Every 12 solve a customer’s issue.”
shadowing different positions. to 18 months, he’d relocate to a new While he seems driven and ambi-
Trainees have the opportunity to city. He did two stints in Youngstown, tious, learning new skills and develop-
see different parts of the company and Ohio, first as a supervisor before mov- ing new relationships as he traveled
learn billing, office, operations and ing to Dallas. He met his wife, Brooke, around the field, becoming president of
sales before they are given their first when he came back to Youngstown as a ABF Freight was not on his radar.
assignment. Runser’s first role was in manager. She was in college, getting her “I never thought I’d get to this role
Pittsburgh on an outbound supervisor master’s degree. Five months after they to be honest with you,” he said. “When
shift. started dating, he was asked to take the you’re first starting out at college, you’re
“It’s an investment in our people next position in Akron. “She took the like, if I can manage one of the distri-
when you think about it, because we’re leap of faith and actually moved with bution centers, that would be big time,
spending five months where they’re not me. She started her career, and I moved because there’re hundreds of employees.
really doing anything except learning, into my new role.” It’s a big deal to be a DC manager.”
so that’s the impressive thing.” That He always knew that moving up Work hard, keep your head down
time is for trainees to focus on each and moving around was part of the and good things will happen. That was
shift, each sales call, each task right in job. He said his supervisors were always his mentality, he said, especially if you
front of them without further respon- transparent about the opportunities. do the right thing. That work ethic
sibility, he explained. The lower stakes “They kind of tell you on the front- 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2021 29