Chattanooga-based Trident Transport opens Minneapolis office as freight broker doubles in size this year

Trident Transport Logistics Coordinator Hannah Feldhacker, center, chats during the Chattanooga Area Chamber's 2019 Expo Chattanooga at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Trident Transport was a finalist for the 51-300 employees category of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards.
Trident Transport Logistics Coordinator Hannah Feldhacker, center, chats during the Chattanooga Area Chamber's 2019 Expo Chattanooga at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Trident Transport was a finalist for the 51-300 employees category of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards.

The fastest growing Chattanooga company on Inc. magazine's list of growing firms last year is planning to double its staff again this year as it prepares to open a new office in Minneapolis.

Trident Transport, a 5-year-old freight brokerage firm with nearly 100 employees, is planning to add a third office and hire 50 employees there as part of the ongoing growth of the Chattanooga-based company. The announcement of the new office comes just nine months after Trident Transport added its second office in Tampa, which now has about 12 employees and is expanding to 20 workers by the end of the year.

Trident has nearly 80 employees at its Chattanooga facilities, which expanded into the former Freightwaves office on the Southside in May.

"We have plans to exceed 100 employees in Chattanooga by the end of the year," said Katelyn Clark, Trident's marketing brand manager. "We are on track to double our staff by the end of the year and we hope to keep growing next year. Our goal is to open two new offices a year as we grow."

photo Ryan Johnson

Clark said the company expects to grow to $70 million in revenues in 2019. In the Inc. list in 2018, Trident reported 2017 revenues of $11.4 million.

"Having the right people has been key to our great growth" Clark said.

Trident was started in 2014 by co-owners Heath Haley, who is chief executive officer, and Mark Harrell, who is the chief operating officer. Trident is among a half dozen freight brokerage firms that have been started in Chattanooga using former employees of Access America and Coyote Logistics, which continues to operate another freight brokerage business in downtown Chattanooga.

Trident's new Minneapolis branch will be headed by Ryan Johnson, the vice president of sales at Trident Transport who has 25 years of experience in the freight industry. Johnson will spearhead Trident's expansion efforts to the upper Midwest at the Minneapolis hub which Clark said is near a number of colleges with logistics programs.

"When presented the opportunity to lead this expansion, I jumped at the chance," Johnson said. "Trident has done an excellent job building a stellar reputation within our market, as well as a tremendous culture, which is a privilege to be a part of."

Minneapolis-St. Paul was ranked No. 18 on the Best Places for Businesses and Careers list by Forbes, coming in at No. 97 for job growth.

More information about the new jobs is available on Trident Transport's website at www.tridenttransport.com/careers.

Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 757-6340.

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