U.S. Xpress Enterprises on Tuesday announced the death of Patrick E. Quinn, the company’s Co-Chairman and President. Mr. Quinn died following a battle with brain cancer.
Entering the transportation industry as an attorney, Mr. Quinn enjoyed a 40-year career in trucking that was highlighted by numerous leadership roles, including a term as chairman of the American Trucking Associations.
Mr. Quinn co-founded U.S. Xpress in 1985 with business partner Max Fuller, who is the company’s co-chairman and CEO. Under the leadership of Mr. Quinn and Mr. Fuller, U.S. Xpress grew from a 48-truck start-up operation to become the nation’s second largest privately owned truckload carrier, with 8,500 trucks and employing more than 10,000 people nationwide. Their shared vision and their guidance propelled U.S. Xpress to be recognized as a leader within the trucking industry for service, safety and the ground-breaking use technology – all of which has earned the company numerous awards.
“Pat was a tremendous business partner and he had a real passion for working to make a difference in our industry,” said Mr. Fuller, who assumed the majority of Mr. Quinn’s duties at U.S. Xpress following his diagnosis earlier this year. “One of the most lasting accomplishments of my career was the business partnership that Pat and I established. We could count on each other to divide up the leadership responsibilities. Both of us knew our strengths, and Pat was a real people person. He excelled in sales and his legal background was very valuable, especially during the first days of the company as deregulation was helping to revolutionize the transportation industry.”
During his career, Mr. Quinn was a leading advocate for the trucking industry, serving as chairman of the American Trucking Associations (2005-07) and chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association (2001-02). As an initial member of the American Trucking Associations’ Image & Communications Committee, Mr. Quinn helped to develop the plan for National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, which has become a successful annual event celebrating the work of truck drivers throughout the country.
In his term as chairman of ATA, Mr. Quinn received an appointment in 2006 from then Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which held meetings and hearings for two years discussing the future of our nation’s infrastructure.
“U.S. Xpress is very proud of all the work that Pat did on behalf of our industry. Pat became a respected voice on a variety of transportation-related issues,” observed Mr. Fuller. “Pat made an endless number of friends over his years in the transportation. To me, Pat was more than a friend. He was a true partner and, most importantly to me, Pat was family. Pat left an indelible mark on U.S. Xpress and our industry. He will be missed.”
Mr. Quinn is survived by his wife of 43 years, Anna Marie, three children and seven grandchildren. Mr. Quinn’s oldest daughter, Lisa Pate, currently serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for U.S. Xpress Enterprises, while his son, Brian, is the vice president and general manager of the company’s International Business Unit.