From snow cone purveyor at 18 to VP of a publicly traded trucking company at 34, Craig Shelly has come a long way.
Shelly began working at USA Truck as assistant treasurer in 2000, becoming treasurer in 2002 and assuming his current post in 2007.
One of his greatest achievements at USA Truck, Shelly says, was his work on the company's freight network. Previously, "we did not have a design for our freight network. Our trucks just went to wherever we could find freight. Through engineering modeling and so forth, we were able to design a freight network where we wanted our trucks to operate. Through that we've been able to add a lot of discipline to our operations and how we utilize our assets." The redesign led to increased efficiency and better customer service.
Shelly also has served on the board of Arkansas Best Federal Credit Union and on the Keep Van Buren Beautiful Commission.
He was 18 when he bought a snow cone trailer to help him finance his college education. "That taught me the value of capitalism at a young age," Shelly says. "Although capitalism is somewhat out of favor right now, I believe that is the best way to leverage the collective economic wisdom of a society and the best way for driven individuals to prosper financially."
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