Derek J. Leathers
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
2016 – Present
10 years (current)
Key Decisions & Impact
Leathers, an economics graduate of Princeton University, spent 17 years at Werner Enterprises, including as chief operating officer and president, before founder Clarence 'C.L.' Werner handed him the CEO role in May 2016. He added the chairman title in May 2021 as Werner completed its founder's transition out of day-to-day leadership.
Legacy
Leads Werner's freight-cycle discipline, dedicated capacity, logistics brokerage, safety, and technology strategy, including the 2023 ReedTMS Logistics and pending FirstFleet acquisitions that pushed Werner further into technology-enabled freight brokerage and regional Southeast expansion. His 17 years of internal experience before becoming CEO, spanning operations and the COO role, gave him direct knowledge of Werner's driver-recruitment and retention challenges -- a persistent industry-wide issue -- that an external hire would have needed years to fully understand. He has overseen Werner's continued investment in driver-facing technology and in-cab safety systems, part of an industry-wide push to address a persistent driver shortage by making the job more attractive and reducing accident rates, both of which directly affect insurance costs and recruiting outcomes.