VP Darius Cooper Retires After 25 Years (05/27/08)

Contact: David Glavin

Maverick Transportation recently announced that Darius Cooper, Vice President of Operations, has retired after 25 years with the company.

Cooper’s journey with the Arkansas based carrier began when he first met Maverick Chairman and CEO, Steve Williams in the late 70’s. Several years later, after Williams co-founded Maverick, he approached Cooper about becoming Maverick’s first company driver in 1983. The rest is history. “I never dreamed that when I started on this journey it would take me this far (becoming VP of Operations),” said Darius. “There is not much that I would change.”

Cooper held various office positions throughout the years after coming off the road in 1987. He was instrumental in developing Maverick’s strict load securement policies, long before they were the industry standard. He also wrote Maverick’s Driver Policy Handbook, developed their first fuel network and was focused on fuel efficiency long before it became a matter of ‘sink or swim’ in the industry. “Darius has always been committed to doing things the very best,” said Williams. “And as a result of his work ethic and his passion for trucking he forever defined, in my opinion, what it means to be a Maverick.”

In conjunction with Cooper’s retirement, Maverick Transportation has named John Coppens as their new Director of Operations. He will be assuming Coopers prior responsibilities for Maverick’s Flatbed fleet. Coppens graduated from St. John’s University in 1993 with a B.A. Degree in Management and joined Schneider Specialized Carriers in 1995, where he held various positions including acquisition management and customer account management over the past 12 years. After Maverick’s purchase of Schneider Specialized in 2006, he served as an Account Service Manager for Maverick Specialized in Green Bay, WI where he managed one of their largest corporate accounts in addition to various other responsibilities.

Operating over 1,500 units, Maverick Transportation LLC, a division of Maverick USA, has over 25 years of experience providing flatbed and specialized services to the steel, glass, machinery and building material industries coast-to-coast, in Canada and Mexico. To learn more, please visit their website at www.maverickusa.com.