Russell Gerdin, Founder of Heartland Express, Dies at 70

Russell Gerdin, the founder and former chairman and CEO of Heartland Express Inc., died Friday at the age of 70.

In a release announcing Gerdin’s death, Heartland Express described its founder as “a visionary and a respected leader in the trucking industry” and “a tireless worker who led by example.”

Gerdin founded the truckload carrier in 1978 and took the company public in 1986.

Gerdin recently retired from Heartland due to health reasons and passed the chairman and CEO positions to his son, Michael Gerdin.

“He was driven at making Heartland Express the best company he could and doing the best at anything he tried,” Michael Gerdin said of his father in a statement. “He was always focusing on giving it his 100 percent. We will miss his leadership and industry foresight.”

The leadership of American Trucking Associations expressed its condolences Monday at the group’s Management Conference and Exhibition in Grapevine, Texas.

“Russ was a true visionary and pioneer in our industry. A giant,” ATA President Bill Graves said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Ann and the entire Gerdin family.

Heartland Express is ranked No. 45 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire trucking companies.