Management Team

Shawn Stewart has served as Forward Air’s Chief Executive Officer since April 2024 and President since July 2025. Mr. Stewart is a seasoned executive with nearly three decades of experience in logistics and transportation. He previously served as President and Managing Director, North America at CEVA Logistics, where he led a network spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean and oversaw a team of more than 15,000 employees and over $5 billion in top-line turnover. Mr. Stewart is a veteran of the United States Navy and was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for his exemplary service aboard the USS Inchon and USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Jamie Pierson has served as Forward Air’s Chief Financial Officer since May 2024. He is an accomplished finance leader with extensive experience supporting business and financial transformations across both public and private companies. Prior to Forward Air, he served as CFO at MV Transportation, Ecobat Technologies, Yellow Corporation (f/k/a YRC Worldwide), and Interim CFO of Horizon Global and PrimeSource Building Products. Mr. Pierson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance and Accounting as well as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and Entrepreneurship from The University of Texas.

Michael Hance has served as Forward Air’s Chief Legal Officer and Secretary since May 2014, overseeing the Company’s legal affairs. Mr. Hance joined Forward Air in 2006 and previously held roles as Staff Counsel, General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Before joining Forward Air, Mr. Hance practiced law with the law firms of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz, P.C. and Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC. He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from Emory University School of Law, a Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, and a Bachelor of the Arts (BS) in Political Science and Religion from Carson-Newman College.

Doug Smith has served as Forward Air’s Chief People Officer since December 2024 and leads Forward Air’s Human Resources function, including initiatives supporting capacity growth and retention. Mr. Smith is a seasoned Human Resources leader with more than 25 years of experience across multiple industries; he brings more than 25 years of human resources leadership experience aligning functional teams to business strategy domestically and internationally. Prior to joining Forward Air, he served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at CEVA Logistics. Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Justin Lindsay has served as Forward Air’s President of North America since June 2026, overseeing all company operations ground, air, and ocean operations across the US and Canada. Mr. Lindsay has been with the company for more than 20 years and has supported the business in sales, facility management, regional operations leadership, and product ownership. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Truckload Brokerage from 2022-2026. Mr. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Finance and Marketing from Tulane University.

Lance Sons has served as Chief Information Officer since February 2026, overseeing the enterprise Information Technology (IT) function and cybersecurity. He is an accomplished IT executive with more than 25 years of global leadership experience across logistics, technology, and automotive sectors. Throughout his career, Mr. Sons has driven large scale modernization initiatives, strengthened cybersecurity and governance, delivered cloud native platforms that generated significant operational savings, and built high performing global teams. Prior to joining Forward Air, he served as Global Chief Information Officer at PSA BDP and held leadership roles at Dell and General Motors. Mr. Sons holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Management Information Systems from the University of Texas at Austin.

Eric Brandt has served as Forward Air’s Chief Commercial Officer since November 2024, leading the development and execution of Forward Air’s commercial strategy. He is a seasoned leader with deep understanding of global logistics and supply chain management with demonstrated expertise in end-to-end logistics solutions, freight management, and supply chain innovations across various industries. Prior to joining Forward Air, Mr. Brandt was Executive Vice President of Business Development at CEVA Logistics and held leadership roles at Esprit, Panalpina, Crane Worldwide Logistics and Agility. Mr. Brandt holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in International Business from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Karl Khambatta has served as Forward Air’s Chief Transformation Officer since May 2026, supporting the leadership team in its development of the Company’s strategic initiatives. He brings deep logistics, strategy and business transformation experience to the Company. Prior to joining Forward Air in 2025, Karl served as Chief of Staff to the CEO and Vice President of Transformation and Strategy at CEVA Logistics, North America, and has also held global leadership roles at REEF, Agility, and The Home Depot. Mr. Khambatta holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Mumbai.

Joanna Zhu joined Omni Logistics in January 2026 as President of Asia-Pacific, responsible for APAC operations, growth execution, and operational efficiency. A seasoned logistics and transportation executive, Joanna brings deep expertise in regional expansion, operational transformation, and cross-border supply chain leadership across Asia-Pacific markets. Prior to Omni Logistics, Ms. Zhu held multiple senior leadership roles at CEVA Logistics, ultimately serving as Managing Director for North Asia, and earlier in her career, she specialized in air freight at Kuehne+Nagel. She holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics.

Fábio Mendunekas has served as Omni Logistics’ President of Latin America Operations since August 2025 and oversees all operations in Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Brazil. He has extensive experience in business development and operations throughout Latin America and North America, having also served as Chief Operating Officer of Contract Logistics for CEVA Logistics and holding executive positions at DHL Express, Syncreon, NCR and Ryder Logistics. Mr. Mendunekas holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from FIA/USP in São Paulo and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics from Universidade Federal do ABC.

Jonathan Van Altena has served as Forward Air’s President of Europe since May 2026, overseeing all European operations as well as leading and executing business development and growth strategy within the region. Prior to joining Forward Air, he cultivated more than 30 years of leadership experience in global logistics across EGL, CEVA, Crane Worldwide, and AIT. Mr. Van Altena holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management from Inholland University of Applied Sciences.