USA Truck CEO offers update on medical condition

Simone wrote in a public letter to colleagues and stockholders he is recovering from strokes and cancer, and hopes to return to work in the summer.    USA Truck CEO John Simone said in a public letter to colleagues and stockholders that he is recovering well from strokes suffered in March, but that doctors discovered that he had lung cancer even though he is a non-smoker.
   The company, based in Van Buren, Ark., is ranked by Transport Topics as the 50th largest motor carrier in the United States based on revenue. Last year it reported a $6 million profit on about $500 million in revenues.
   Simone, who took medical leave, said the strokes have not had any lasting effect on his speech and that doctors expect him to make a full recovery. Meanwhile, he is undergoing chemotherapy, and radiation treatments are planned for the next several weeks. A definitive prognosis for the cancer is not possible at this time, he said.
   “Several weeks into the treatments, I am feeling much better. My strength is returning, my speech is improving, and I am looking forward to returning to active involvement in the business. My doctors have not finalized their recommendations on my ability to travel or return to USA Truck in a full time capacity. I intend to return as soon as medically advisable, and I am hoping that will be sometime this summer,” he said.