Jeff Fleming was named chairman of the Arkansas Trucking Association 40 under 40 Council at its annual conference held at the Marriot Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Fleming is a senior manager of transportation for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and had been vice chairman. He replaced Al Heringer IV, the vice president of Star Transportation LLC of Jonesboro, AR.
Fleming is a 1994 graduate of McAdams High School, and holds a Bachelors Degree from Alcorn State University and Masters Degree from Jackson State University. He is the son of Jesse and Juanita Fleming of Sallis. He is married to the former Dominica Lewis of Lexington, and they have four children.
Fleming said he hopes his role with the council will lead to more minorities taking advantages of job opportunities in the trucking industry in Arkansas. He said he would like to have guest speakers such as Chief Marketing Officer Shelley Simpson of J. B. Hunt Transport Services, who has been an ardent supporter of programs designed to increase participation of women and minorities in the industry.
“For me to have been elected by a group of my peers and been the only African-American on the council, it shows the industry is open to have diversity representation in key leadership position,” Fleming said. “This may be an opportunity for others who look like me to realize there are opportunities in the industry.”
Fleming went on to say he had not envisioned a career in the transportation industry until a Wal-Mart executive gave a speech at Alcorn State University. The chance meeting led to an internship and a career at Wal-Mart.
Fleming said such intentional outreach is important to increase diversity in the industry, and he hopes other members of the Arkansas Trucking Association will have increase awareness of the possibilities of diversity through his actions with the council. “You have to be intentional to get diversity candidates in the candidate pool.” Fleming Said. “If they’re not in the pool, they have no shot.”
