By Travis Shears
When it comes to logistics, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better accounting firm to support your needs. Why? Because we’ve been in your shoes.
Prior to joining the team at Market Street Partners (a Smith + Howard company), I served as Vice President of Tax at U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc., which was the fifth-largest truckload carrier in the U.S. before it was acquired by Knight-Swift Transportation in July 2023. In that role, I faced unique challenges that now enable me to approach solutions for my trucking and logistics clients with the industry-specific knowledge I gained in the trenches.
And I’m not alone in my logistics-steeped career at MSP. Co-founding partner Kyle Bryant spent 18 months helping steer the Access America Transportation sale to Coyote Logistics, which was one of the largest business transactions in Chattanooga history.
This means our team not only has a great handle on the day-to-day challenges and intricacies of the industry, but we also bring a depth of experience when the hard work pays off and it’s time for an acquisition or merger. Deals like the ones Kyle and I managed at U.S. Xpress and Access America are exciting, but they’re complex. We’ve seen what can go right and, perhaps more importantly, what can go wrong. We know the industry’s nuances and what questions to ask; that knowledge of these little things can truly make all the difference.
As you cast an eye forward, what are your goals for your company for the remainder of 2024? What about next year, or even five years from now? Whatever you’re hoping to accomplish, my team and I would love to help you map out a game plan to get there.
Travis Shears serves as Director of Tax at Market Street Partners, which merged with Smith + Howard in 2023 to expand services and resources.