ArcBest taps CH Robinson veteran to fix asset-light business

Mac Pinkerton will join company at beginning of next year

Steven Leonard is retiring from ArcBest in June after 24 years with the company. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Transportation and logistics provider ArcBest announced Thursday that it has hired a former C.H. Robinson leader to head operations at its struggling asset-light logistics business.

Mac Pinkerton, former president of C.H. Robinson’s (NASDAQ: CHRW) flagship North American Surface Transportation (NAST) business, will join ArcBest (NASDAQ: ARCB) as chief operating officer of asset-light logistics, effective Jan. 5.

Pinkerton will succeed Steven Leonard, who will retire next month after 24 years with ArcBest. (This is part of a planned succession announced earlier this year.) Leonard served as chief commercial officer and president of asset-light logistics for a two-year period ending in February shortly after his retirement was announced. He has served as the segment’s chief operating officer since.

Pinkerton was with C.H. Robinson for 27 years, serving in various leadership roles, before departing the 3PL in early 2024, six months after the company hired a new CEO.

“We’re excited for Mac to join our team. He brings a depth of experience, a passion for customers and extensive supply chain knowledge,” said ArcBest Chairman and CEO Judy McReynolds in a news release. “We’re confident in his ability to drive increased value for customers and shareholders.”

ArcBest’s asset-light unit, which includes the late-2021 acquisition of truckload brokerage MoLo Solutions, logged a seventh straight operating loss during the 2025 first quarter. Like other 3PLs and freight brokers, the segment has struggled during a prolonged freight recession.

The unit is again expected to book a small operating loss in the second quarter.

Asset-light will report to ArcBest President Seth Runser during the transition period.

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Todd Maiden

Based in Richmond, VA, Todd is the finance editor at FreightWaves. Prior to joining FreightWaves, he covered the TLs, LTLs, railroads and brokers for RBC Capital Markets and BB&T Capital Markets. Todd began his career in banking and finance before moving over to transportation equity research where he provided stock recommendations for publicly traded transportation companies.