ABF Freight System CEO Kemp to Retire

ABF Freight System President and CEO Wesley Kemp will retire at the end of the year and be succeeded by Roy Slagle, ABF’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, the company said Wednesday.

Kemp, 65, has served in the roles since January 2010, ABF’s parent company, Arkansas Best Corp. said in a statement.

Throughout his nearly 43-year career with ABF, beginning as a management trainee in 1969, he continually advanced in leadership positions with increasing responsibility, the company said.

Slagle, 57, has been in his position since February 2006 and has been with ABF for 35 years, serving in a variety of management and financial roles, including treasurer.

Less-than-truckload carrier ABF Freight System is the largest unit of Arkansas Best Corp., which is ranked No. 14 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.