Executive Management Team

DEREK J. LEATHERS, 53, is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Werner Enterprises. Leathers has over 30 years of experience in the transportation and logistics industry and more than 20 years of experience with Werner. Throughout his tenure at Werner, he has held integral executive management roles leading multiple organizational service offerings, including the establishment and development of Werner’s Mexico cross-border operations, oversight for the asset operating groups and leading the launch of Werner Global Logistics, which encompassed transportation management and freight movement within intermodal, ocean, air and brokerage. In May of 2021, Werner’s Board of Directors appointed Leathers to Chairman, along with his current titles of President and CEO. He also serves on the board of the American Transportation Research Institute, American Trucking Associations and is on the Executive Board of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, among others. Leathers is the Founder and National Director of PlaySmart, a non-profit organization that helps underserved 5th through 8th-grade students realize their academic and life potential through sports. Prior to joining Werner in 1999, Leathers was one of the first foreign members of Mexico's trucking association and was based out of Mexico City for several years. Leathers holds an economics degree from Princeton University.

Craig Callahan, 50, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Werner Enterprises. Callahan has more than 25 years of experience with Werner, currently overseeing the Company’s Sales and Marketing departments. His primary responsibilities include leading sales and business development efforts across Werner’s entire suite of transportation and logistics service offerings. Additionally, he manages the Marketing and Communications team who focuses on creating and executing enterprise-wide strategic marketing campaigns to support the company’s overarching strategy, while ensuring brand consistency. With Werner’s increased focus on sustainability efforts, Callahan's team facilitates the implementation and progress of these initiatives. Together with his corporate responsibilities, Callahan serves on the Board of Directors for College World Series of Omaha, Inc., a nonprofit organization formed in 1967 to organize and enlist community support for the success and growth of each year’s event. In this current role, he sits on the Finance, Marketing and Ticketing committees. Callahan graduated from Creighton University in 1995 with a degree in finance and business management, joining the Werner team upon graduation. Craig and his wife, Tara, and his two daughters reside in Omaha.

Eric J. Downing, 50, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Werner Enterprises. Downing has nearly 25 years of experience with Werner, working in multiple departments since joining the Company in 1998 as a fleet coordinator, including time in Operations, Marketing, Logistics and Dedicated. During his tenure as Senior Vice President of Dedicated, he was instrumental in fostering relationships and growing strategic customer accounts resulting in the Company’s 50 percent Dedicated fleet growth while nearly doubling Dedicated revenue. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Downing serves on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Trucking Association where he is also an Executive Committee member. He’s also involved with St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Preschool, Ashland Youth Sports and Werner’s WEVets associate resource group for veterans at the Company. Downing served in the United States Air Force from 1991 to 1998 and then graduated from the University of Nebraska – Omaha in 2000 with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Eric and his wife, Megan, along with their four children reside in Ashland.

James L. Johnson, 59, is the Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Secretary at Werner Enterprises. He joined the Company in 1991 as Manager of Financial Reporting and has been appointed to the following positions throughout his tenure: (i) Assistant Controller in 1992; (ii) Director of Accounting in 1994; (iii) Corporate Secretary and Controller in 1996; (iv) Vice President, Controller and Corporate Secretary in 2000; and (v) Senior Vice President, Controller and Corporate Secretary in 2005. He was named to his current position in 2010. Johnson was employed by the independent public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. as a certified public accountant from 1985 until his employment with the Company in 1991. He graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting.

DARAGH P. MAHON, 54, is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Information Officer at Werner Enterprises. Mahon joined Werner in 2020 and has more than 20 years of IT and strategic leadership experience, previously serving as the Senior Vice President of Global IT and Business Applications for Vonage. In his role at Werner, Mahon is responsible for the Company’s technology and information systems strategy, innovation and IT operations. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Mahon is an official member of the Forbes Technology Council, a member of the Information Science and Technology College Advisory Council for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Customer Success Advisory Board Member for Salesforce, amongst others. He is also a member of the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association in Omaha. He and his wife, Christine, have one daughter, Emily.

Nathan J. Meisgeier, 49, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Werner Enterprises. Meisgeier has more than 17 years of experience with Werner, currently overseeing the Company’s Legal, Risk, Human Resources and Government Affairs departments. In his role with the Company, Meisgeier handles high-exposure claims and lawsuits and provides valuable legal counsel to the company’s various business units. Outside of Werner Enterprises, Meisgeier is the Chairman of the American Trucking Associations’ Legal Reform Advisory Council and sits on the Board of Directors for the American Trucking Associations Litigation Center, among other positions within the transportation industry. He is also a member of the Werner Institute Advisory Board at Creighton Law School. Meisgeier graduated from Harvard Law School in 1998 and was a litigator at the Kansas City law firm of Stinson, Mag and Fizzell for seven years before joining Werner.

H. MARTY NORDLUND, 60, joined us in 1994 as an account executive. He then received the following promotions with the Company: (i) Director of Dedicated Fleet Services in 1995; (ii) Senior Director of Dedicated Fleet Services in 1997; (iii) Vice President—Dedicated Fleet Services in 1998; (iv) Vice President—Specialized Services in 2001; (v) Senior Vice President—Specialized Services in 2003; (vi) Executive Vice President—Specialized Services in 2005; (vii) Senior Executive Vice President—Specialized Services in 2006: and (viii) Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2016. In January 2023, Mr. Nordlund became Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Nordlund held various management positions with Crete Carrier Corporation, a large privately held truckload carrier.

Jim S. Schelble, 62, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Werner Enterprises. He joined the company in 1998 as Manager of New Business Development and has been appointed to the following positions throughout his tenure: (i) Director of National Accounts in 1999; (ii) Senior Director of Dedicated Services in 2000; (iii) Associate Vice President of Corporate and Dedicated Sales in 2002; (iv) Vice President—Sales in 2003; (v) Senior Vice President—Sales in 2004; and (vi) Executive Vice President—Sales and Marketing in 2005. He was named to his current position in May of 2016 with responsibility for Driver Recruiting, the Roadmaster School Network, Safety & Compliance, the Terminal Network, and Pricing. Before joining the Company, Mr. Schelble spent twelve years with Roadway Express, a less-than-truckload carrier, in various management positions within operations, sales, and marketing. In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Schelble serves on the state and executive board of C.H.A.D. (Community Health Agencies Drive), which supports 23 local, Nebraska-based health agencies that focus on improving the health and quality of life of those living in Nebraska. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Professional Truck Drivers Institute (P.T.D.I). Schelble graduated from St. John’s University with a degree in business administration and then from Drake University with an MBA in business. He and his wife, Claire, have two children: Alex and Emma, and one grandchild, Quinn.

Chris Wikoff, 48, is the Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Werner Enterprises. Mr. Wikoff has over 20 years of financial leadership and business transformation experience with Fortune 1000 public and private multinational companies. Prior to joining Werner, Mr. Wikoff served as Executive Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of West Technology Group, formerly Intrado Corporation, a global technology provider, since 2016 where he was responsible for strategic finance, accounting, treasury, tax, investor and lender relations and multiple finance shared service centers in the US, Europe and Asia. Chris is involved in the community through faith-based ministries and outreach, including affiliation with a clothing Care Center providing new clothing to foster and under-resourced children and refugee families. Mr. Wikoff graduated with honors, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business in 1998, where he earned a business administration degree, with concentration in international business. Mr. Wikoff has been a Certified Treasury Professional (“CTP”) through the Association of Finance Professionals (“AFP”) in the US, as well as being certified in International Cash Management (“Cert ICM”) by the UK-based Association of Corporate Treasurers. Chris and his wife Jody, both natives to Omaha, Nebraska, have been married for over 25 years. Together they have two sons, Tyler (25) and Blaine (22).

JOHN J. STEELE, 65, joined the Company in 1989 as Controller. During his time with us, he was appointed to the following positions: (i) Corporate Secretary in 1992; (ii) Vice President—Controller and Corporate Secretary in 1994; (iii) Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer in 1996; and (iv) Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer in 2004. He was named Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer in 2005. The Company announced Mr. Steele’s plans to retire in August 2022, following the hiring of a new Chief Financial Officer and a planned transition period. Mr. Wikoff joined Werner as Chief Financial Officer in April 2023 and Mr. Steele became Executive Vice President, Finance at that time. Mr. Steele was employed by the independent public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen & Co. as a certified public accountant from 1979 until his employment with the Company in 1989.