10 Knight-Swift operations leaders
Jim Fitzsimmons, Chief Operating Officer, heads this list of Knight-Swift operations leaders, whose current titles include senior vice presidents of operations and vice presidents of refrigerated, grocery dedicated and Mexico operations. A reader can learn how operations leaders work at Knight-Swift from people who have held the role.
Professionals to explore
Brad Herrold
LinkedInExperience: Sr Vice President of NE Operations · Knight Transportation
Brad Herrold has been Sr Vice President of NE Operations at Knight Transportation since December 2014, a role the profile describes as overseeing five operation centers, 600 trucks and P&L for service centers of $120 million a year. Brad Herrold also lists Service Center Manager (since 2007) and Driver Manager/Driver Recruiter/Operations Manager (2005 to 2007) roles at Knight Transportation.
Brett Stabler
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations · Knight Transportation
Brett Stabler has been Vice President Operations at Knight Transportation since 2024, based in Buckeye, Arizona. At Knight Transportation, Brett Stabler was also Regional Vice President of Sales (2022 to 2023), Sr. Vice President Employee Development (2020 to 2022) and Vice President Operations (2016 to 2020), and was a Senior Biopharmaceutical Representative at Amgen (2011 to 2016).
Christopher Makaila
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations Swift Refrigerated · Knight Transportation
Christopher Makaila has been Vice President Operations Swift Refrigerated at Knight Transportation since 2019, with the headline Vice President Operations Knight Refrigerated, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. At Knight Transportation, Christopher Makaila was also President Knight Refrigerated (2017 to 2019), Vice President Port Services (2014 to 2017) and Division Manager (2010 to 2014).
Doug Sutherland
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Refrigerated Operations · Swift Transportation
Doug Sutherland has been Vice President of Refrigerated Operations at Swift Transportation since 2024, based in the Salt Lake City area. At Swift Transportation, Doug Sutherland was also Regional Director Of Operations (2020 to 2024), Account Leader (2017 to 2020) and ECT Manager (2014 to 2017), and was a Planner at Central Refrigerated Service (2009 to 2014).
Dr. Vernard Jenkins II
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Operations - Enterprise Fulfillment & Strategy · Knight-Swift Supply Chain
Dr. Vernard Jenkins II has been Vice President Operations - Enterprise Fulfillment & Strategy at Knight-Swift Supply Chain since 2024, based in Allen, Texas, and was Executive Director of Operations Strategic Projects & Integration there (2023 to 2024). Dr. Vernard Jenkins II held operations roles at H-E-B (2020 to 2023) and was Director of Fulfillment Operations Business Turnaround at Stitch Fix (2017 to 2020).
Jim Fitzsimmons
LinkedInExperience: Chief Operating Officer · Swift Transportation
Jim Fitzsimmons has been Chief Operating Officer at Swift Transportation since 2023, based in Phoenix, Arizona. At Swift Transportation, Jim Fitzsimmons was also Executive Vice President of Operations (2018 to 2023), Senior Vice President in 2018 and Regional Vice President from 1993 to 2018, all with the same carrier.
Joaquin Martinez Gutierrez
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Operations - TransMex Division, Mexico. · Swift Transportation
Joaquin Martinez Gutierrez has been Vice President of Operations - TransMex Division, Mexico. at Swift Transportation since 2025, based in Chihuahua, Mexico. At Swift Transportation, Joaquin Martinez Gutierrez was also Vice President of Sales, Pricing, Marketing, & Customer Service - Transmex Division, Mexico (2024 to 2025) and Vice President of Sales - Transmex Division, Mexico (2023 to 2024).
Joel Norton
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Grocery Dedicated Operations · Swift Transportation
Joel Norton has been Vice President Grocery Dedicated Operations at Swift Transportation since 2022, based in McDonough, Georgia. At Swift Transportation, Joel Norton was also Director Of Operations - Southeast Region (2018 to 2022), Regional Director Refrigerated Operations (2016 to 2017) and Terminal Leader/VP in two stints, from 2011 to 2016 and from 2017 to 2018.
Jonathon Stitzinger
LinkedInExperience: Senior Vice President Operations · Knight Transportation
Jonathon Stitzinger has been Senior Vice President Operations at Knight Transportation since 2021, based in Phoenix, Arizona. At Knight Transportation, Jonathon Stitzinger was also Senior Vice President Port Services (2020 to 2021), Vice President Refrigerated (2019 to 2020), Vice President Dry Van West Port (2018 to 2019) and Vice President Port Services (2017 to 2018).
Mark McNally
LinkedInExperience: Vice President of Operations, Service Center Mgr for Knight Trans and Knight Refrigerated Florida · Knight Transportation
Mark McNally has been Vice President of Operations, Service Center Mgr for Knight Trans and Knight Refrigerated Florida at Knight Transportation since January 2007, based in Lakeland, Florida. Mark McNally was also Service Center Manager (2004 to 2007) and Operations Manager (2000 to 2004) at Knight Transportation, and Vice President, Sales and Operations at John Fayard/Fastway Systems (1987 to 2000).
Choose the right perspective
Match the person's role, scope and dates to the decision you face, and favor someone whose past role is closest to the one you are weighing. Check whether each role is current and when it started or ended to judge how recent the person's view is.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01What did you change first when you took on your operations role at Knight-Swift, and why?
- 02Which measures did you rely on most to judge whether an operation you led was on track?
- 03What is one decision from your own role that you would make differently today, and why?
Reaching Knight-Swift operations leaders
How can I contact one of these Knight-Swift operations leaders?
Pick one of the 10 people on this page and choose "Book a paid call", or describe your project to find others. You offer a fee for a 15-minute call or a written answer, Instant Expert finds the person's work email and sends the invitation, and they decide whether to accept. The list covers 3 companies: Knight Transportation, Swift Transportation and Knight-Swift Supply Chain, based on profile data retrieved on October 24, 2026. Being listed here doesn't mean someone has agreed to take calls.
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Yes. An agent with a USDC wallet on Base can ask one question without an Instant Expert account. It names the person, for example by the LinkedIn URL on this page, and pays per ask over x402 (HTTP 402). The person answers in writing or by voice note, and if nobody answers within 7 days, the payment goes back to the wallet automatically. Claude and ChatGPT can do the same through the Instant Expert connector: setup is at /docs/mcp for Claude and /docs/chatgpt for ChatGPT. x402 docs
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.
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