Executive Team

Since the start, Gary Salisbury and Jerry Davis have helped Jim Smith build Fikes Truck Line. Together since 1981, the executive team is getting ready to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a company in 2011.

Jim Smith, Chairman of the Board

Jim Smith purchased Fikes Truck Line in 1981, understanding that the Motor Carrier Act of 1980 would create ample opportunity for a company that was poised for expansion. In less than 30 years, he grew the small intrastate carrier into one of the nation's most-respected flat-bed specialists with 48-state operating and brokering authority; an accomplishment achieved through vision, tenacity, and a talent for inspiring others.

Born in Arkansas and raised in Kansas City when jazz was king, Jim studied guitar at the Kansas City Conservatory before entering the Navy. Trained as a meteorologist, he met his wife Hannah while on duty in London. In 1963, he embarked on a career in trucking, where a mentor at Gordon's Transport taught him to solicit freight. He became the Director of Sales for ABF Freight Systems in 1979, hiring and training a highly successful team.

By the time Jim purchased Fikes, he was adept at finding business and fostering people's abilities. ""Not giving up and learning from our mistakes, that was the hard part,"" says Jim who was a novice in the flat bed business, operations, regulations and compliance.

It was Jim's goal to expand Fikes from the start. He began by gaining operating authority in the states adjacent to Arkansas and by the Spring of 1982, Fikes was running in 48-states. He was able to take several existing customers national, while forging new relationships with shippers in the right areas. Company lore from the early days has Jim driving through the towns of Arkansas and introducing himself to potential owner operators. When his contractors wanted to come in off the road, he encouraged them, eventually cultivating his own management team.

Jim is well-known in the trucking industry and has served on numerous Boards and Committees for the Arkansas Trucking Associations and the American Trucking Associations.

Gary Salisbury, President and CEO

Gary Salisbury is among the select group of trucking executives who can claim to know the industry from behind the wheel and behind the desk. He began his multi-faceted career as an owner-operator operating under his own authority prior to leasing to Fikes, and in the 30 years since then, has worked in almost every aspect of the industry including sales, dispatch, and management.

In 1995, Gary accepted a position on Fikes' executive team where his leadership skills have been instrumental in growing the business from an 11-truck company operating in Arkansas to a $70+ million transportation firm servicing well-known manufacturers across the United States. Today, Gary is President and CEO of one of the nation's premier flatbed specialists, contracting with a sizable fleet of Owner Operators and utilizing terminals in Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, and Texas.

His first-hand experience with the driver-side of the transportation equation makes Gary a sought after expert on recruitment and retention issues. At Fikes, he has instituted cutting-edge programs to attract and retain owner-operators, and the company has enjoyed a retention rate significantly higher than industry averages. He is also a leading proponent of shipper relations and serves on the Carrier-Shipper Committee for the Truckload Carriers Association where he advocates open dialogue and long-term partnerships.

Gary is a member of the American Trucking Associations, the Arkansas Trucking Association and the Texas Motor Transport Association. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) where he also co-chairs the Membership Committee. In 2011, he will represent the TCA as Chairman.

Jerry Davis, Executive Vice President

Responding to an advertisement for owner operators in the Hope Star, Jerry Davis was one of the first contractors to lease on with Fikes Truck Line when Jim Smith bought the company in 1981. He spent his first five years hauling for Fikes, transporting shipments across new lanes as the company quickly expanded its operating authority from coast-to-coast.

Accelerated growth meant more equipment on the road and more regulations to comply with on the federal and state levels. When Jim approached Jerry about taking a stake in the liability of the company and the welfare of its contractors, Jerry welcomed the opportunity. In 1986, he founded the Safety Department for Fikes and set out to build their award-winning safety and insurance program from the ground up.

From a rigorous 3-day Fikes' Orientation Program with drug testing, equipment inspections, and compliance training to periodic physicals and equipment inspections, contractors interested in leasing to Fikes will become well acquainted with the Fikes safety team. Innovations in safety and changes in regulations are also tracked by the Safety staff and introduced as required. In 1988, Jerry's efforts earned him recognition as "Safety Director of the Year" from the Arkansas Trucking Association.

Jerry's safety philosophy is based on the belief that company and contractor concerns can be equally represented through an effective program and need not conflict. "Key to the program's success," says Jerry, "is communication from both sides that clearly outlines expectations and responsibilities from the start."