Retirement didn’t last long for the former CEO of one of the country’s leading regional less-than-truckload (LTL) motor carriers. Gerry Detter has resurfaced in the role of chairman, president and CEO of Quality Distribution. Quality operates the largest network of tank trucks in North America along with intermodal services, transportation management and various other related businesses.
Detter faces some of the same challenges he highlighted in an interview with Logistics Today in 2004, including tight capacity, high fuel costs and high insurance rates, but Quality also offers Detter some new challenges. The carrier draws its capacity from owner operators where Con-Way used company drivers.
Quality had 2004 gross revenues of $622 million; after operating expenses are subtracted, Quality was left with $31.5 million.
As Quality announced Detter’s appointment, Con-Way said David S. McClimon would take the position of senior vice president of CNF (parent of Con-Way) and the role of president of Con-Way Transportation. McClimon was previously president of Con-Way Central, one of the Con-Way transportation regional carriers.
In its annual report for 2004, CNF chairman W. Keith Kennedy Jr. described 2004 as a “year of successful transitions in management.” “In January,” said Kennedy, “our Board chairman Don Moffitt retired. In July, Greg Quesnel retired as CEO and a member of the Board. Later in the year Gerald Detter retired as head of our Con-Way group after 40 years with the company and Eberhard Schmoller retired as general counsel after 28 years. Chutta Ratnathicam also announced his plans to retire as chief financial officer as of March 31, 2005. While I am acting as interim CEO, the other officers have been replaced by able, seasoned executives with years of CNF experience.”
CNF appears to have completed its organizational realignment. On June 6th, CNF President Douglas W. Stotlar, who announced McClimon’s appointment, also named David L. Miller as McClimon’s successor as president of Con-Way Central Express. James P. Worthington moves into the role of president of Con-Way Southern Express, filling Miller’s former position. Bryan Millican becomes senior vice president of sales and marketing for CNF, and Robert Bianco has been named vice president at CNF and president of Menlo Worldwide. John Labrie, who also becomes a CNF vice president, will be president of Con-Way Supply Chain Solutions. And Julia P. “Pat” Jannausch becomes the vice president of culture and training for CNF.
