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engaging. I’ve made a lot of contacts
there with people in the industry I can tiM thorne
call and ask what they think about some-
thing. I have been so impressed at how
involved and engaged [ATA president] at-a-Glance
Shannon [Newton] is with things that
really impact our industry. And it’s not What’s your ideal suPPer? “what I like the most of all,
an easy job, because she has members and we did this a lot when we were stationed in Germany for the U.S. army, was
that sometimes have opposing views.” mcdonald’s. I like big macs. That’s kind of the way I roll. a close second now is
With more than 25 years in the Subway, which is right next door (to the office). my birthday dinner happened
industry, it’s easy to imagine that the recently, and I picked Golden Corral; you can tell I grew up that way. I didn’t grow
highlight of Thorne’s career would be up going to doe’s or one of those other places.”
his promotion to his current position.
And he’s humbled by the job, which he What are your hobbies? Trail running and mountain biking.
called a life-changing experience. But He’s done five 50K races. when they bought their house in fort Smith, he didn’t
when asked what his biggest profes- realize it was next to the ben Geren Trail. Now he can ride his bike there and run.
sional accomplishment was, he actually
looks back to a much earlier point along Who are your children naMed for? Son matthew,
his timeline with ABF Freight. who is in the air force, is named after the disciple and my little brother’s middle
“Really, I think the biggest profes- name. daughter mallory, a senior studying operations management at the University
sional accomplishment was getting to of alabama, was given what was “a pretty popular name back in 1994,” said Thorne,
Florence, Ala., and running my first “and now she looks like one.”
small terminal,” he said. “Working
with a bunch of guys who all had a interestinG fact PeoPle don’t knoW about
stake in what we did there, knowing my you? “I never use the elevator (in the office). back in 2006 when he was a
task was to get out and grow business. regional vp, he attended a meeting that didn’t go well, and as he and his partner in
Because everybody counted on me. sales were taking the elevator down he said, ‘This elevator has bad karma, I’m never
“Becoming a very profitable ter- using it again.’ and he doesn’t, even though his office is on the same fifth floor as
minal by doing that, by understanding that conference room.”
what it took was getting enough rev-
enue to cover fixed costs and exceeding favorite books? The Bible. His most recent read is The 4 Disciplines of
that,” said Thorne. “That, for me, was Execution by Chris mcChesney and Sean Covey.
just huge.”
And while his responsibilities have Who Would Play you in the Movie of your
increased dramatically since becoming life? Not one to memorize movie star names, he calls his wife diane for
the guy in charge, basic lessons like that guidance. “make sure it’s, like, a pretty good-looking guy,” he tells her, “or a guy that’s
one — that other people will always count smart.” Then he thinks of one. “Harrison ford?” he asks; too old, she says. “Kevin
on you being fully involved — have never Costner?” That’s a good one, she says, and why are you asking me this? “I’ll explain it
been forgotten. And sometimes they all later,” he tells her.
manifest themselves in unexpected ways.
“We used to do our quarterly video
shoots in a studio, and now we do them
at terminals all across the country,”
said Thorne. “The first one I did was in
Fargo, N.D., last February.”
There’s a photo of him from that
event. He’s wearing a parka. Over a
jacket. With ear muffs. And he’s got a
huge grin on his face.
“The wind chill was 25 below,” he
said, smiling again at the memory. “But
if I’ve got guys working in Fargo, why
can’t the president be there, right?” ATR

arkansas trucking rePort | issue 1 2016 33