People News: J.B. Hunt, AllTranstek, Odyssey Logistics
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Pictured, from left to right: Patrick J. Ottensmeyer, J.B. Hunt Transport Services; Chec Morrow, AllTranstek LLC; and Omar Shamsie, Odyssey Logistics.
Former Kansas City Southern (KCS) President and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer joins the Board of Directors at J.B. Hunt Transport Services. Also, Chec Morrow has been elevated to Director of Field Services at AllTranstek LLC, a rail transport management and consulting firm; and Odyssey Logistics has appointed Omar Shamsie as Chief Commercial Officer.
J.B. Hunt
Transportation and Logistics company J.B. Hunt has elected Patrick J. Ottensmeyer as the newest member of its Board of Directors, expanding the Board to 10 total seats. He is the third new board member since 2021, following Calpine Corporation CEO Thad Hill; he will serve on the Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee.
With more than 17 years of rail industry experience, Ottensmeyer was previously President and CEO of KCS, from 2015 to 2023. From 2008 to 2015, he was Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at KCS, and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at the railroad from 2006 to 2008.
On April 14, 2023, KCS merged with Canadian Pacific (CP) to form CPKC, becoming the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Ottensmeyer served as an advisor to CPKC President and CEO Keith Creel (formerly CP President and CEO) through 2023. Both men are former Railway Age Railroaders of the Year, sharing the honor in 2022 and independently honored in 2020 (Ottensmeyer) and 2021 (Creel).
Ottensmeyer served as the U.S. Chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Mexico Economic Council (USMXECO) from 2019 to 2023. In this role as leader of the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue, he was instrumental in representing business interests during the formation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) from 2017-2020. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; for The Greenbrier Companies; and for Watco Companies. Additionally, Ottensmeyer is Co-Chair of the Brookings Institute USMCA Initiative and Chair of the Truman Library Institute.
In 2023, Ottensmeyer received the North American Rail Shippers Association Edward R. Hamberger Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2022 he was the recipient of Ingram’s Executive of the Year Award.
The J.B. Hunt Board is composed of “individuals with a variety of business and financial experience and backgrounds who represent the balanced interest of stockholders,” according to the company. Nominees for Directors are selected on the basis of, among other criteria, “relevant business and financial expertise and experience, including the highest character and integrity, and freedom from conflicts of interest that would interfere with performance as a Director,” J.B. Hunt reported. “The Board maintains diversity in both gender and ethnic representation by selecting Directors whose backgrounds, attributes and experiences will contribute to the high standards of board service to the company.”
In a related development, J.B. Hunt and BNSF on Nov. 7 announced the launch of Quantum, an intermodal service that accommodates the “service-sensitive” highway freight needs of customer supply chains.
AllTranstek
Downers Grove, Ill.-based AllTranstek has promoted Chec Morrow to Director of Field Services. He will lead the Inspection Services department, a role held previously by Jerry Charaska, who has retired but will continue to work as a consultant to AllTranstek.
Morrow has more than 25 years of work experience in repair shops, managing plants and business operations, and serving as a rail service business owner. He joined AllTranstek in 2013, transitioning to the Fleet Management group in 2018, where he was elevated to Account Manager in 2021.
“I am excited to have Chec join the group and look forward to utilizing his knowledge and experience to grow the Inspection Services department,” said Steve McCullough, Vice President of Technical Services for AllTranstek, which manages more than 300,000 railcars of all types in North America.
Odyssey Logistics
Omar Shamsie has taken on the role of Chief Commercial Officer at Danbury, Conn.-based Odyssey Logistics. He will focus on driving strategic sales growth, vertical market development, and cross-sell initiatives “to deepen customer relationships and drive new business,” according to the company, which offers consulting services, carrier qualification, procurement, TMS technology, shipment operations, freight audit and payment, rail services, and analytics and reporting.
Prior to joining Odyssey, Shamsie worked at Maersk, where he rose through the ranks over three decades, holding several senior international leadership positions in 10 countries. He was most recently Area Managing Director of Maersk in Canada, and before that, President of Maersk Line’s North America region, based in New Jersey.
“Bringing Omar on board is a significant step for us,” said Odyssey Logistics CEO Hans Stig Moller, who took over company leadership in early 2023. “His expertise aligns perfectly with our mission to elevate our enterprise clients’ operations and serve them more strategically. Omar’s approach is not just about technology; it’s about understanding and solving the real-world complexities our clients face. With his leadership, we’re poised to deliver more holistic solutions and proactive support, helping our clients navigate market challenges with confidence.”
