Our Company History

JHT Holdings Background

JHT and its predecessor companies have been engaged in the automotive and truck transportation industries since their founding as Kenosha Auto Transport (“KAT”) in 1933. The Company is headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, with a significant operating presence in Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri, Washington, West Virginia, and Oregon. In addition, JHT has a presence in both Canada and Mexico. In 1994, the predecessor company was purchased in a management led buyout resulting in four companies that were ultimately joined under JHT Holdings, Inc.: Active Transportation, Automotive Carrier Services, Dallas & Mavis Specialized Commodities Company, and ATC Leasing. From 1994 through 2008 the Company went through a number of transactions and ownership groups. Certain ancillary divisions, such as the specialized commodities division, were divested to better focus on the truck transport market where the company continues to enjoy its market leadership position.

Historical Truck Transport (Circa 1933)

JHT Holdings Leaders

OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Scott Vallier
President - JHT Holdings, Inc.
Scott Vallier was appointed President of JHT Holdings, Inc. on June 1, 2026. Mr. Vallier has been managing different aspects within the trucking industry since 2002. Mr. Vallier has been with the JHT Holdings family of companies since 2005 in various roles of increasing responsibility. Those roles have included: President of Pleasant Prairie Logistics, Vice President of Operations at Auto Truck Transport, Director of Process Engineering at ATC Transportation, and Operations Analyst at Active Truck Transport. Prior to JHT Holdings, Mr. Vallier served as an Account Manager with National Freight where he managed numerous facilities across the country and began his trucking career at Roadway Express holding supervisory responsibilities in dock and dispatch roles. Mr. Vallier is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business.
Rich Levandowski, CPA
Senior Vice President – Accounting & Finance – JHT Holdings, Inc
Rich Levandowski currently serves as Senior Vice President - Accounting & Finance at JHT Holdings, responsible for the company’s accounting, finance, tax and treasury functions. He joined JHT Holdings in 2012 as Vice President, Controller and was promoted to Senior Vice President – Accounting & Finance in 2025. Rich began his career at PwC in 2003, advancing to Audit Manager before joining JHT Holdings, and he has more than 20 years of in-depth experience in the transportation and logistics industry. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Norbert College.
James B. Jones, MBA
Chief Information Officer - ATC Transportation
James Jones serves as Vice President and Chief Information Officer of ATC Transportation. In this role, Mr. Jones has responsibility for the Information Technology strategy and delivery for each of the JHT Holdings family of companies. Mr. Jones has over 30 years of experience in IT in various roles and industries, with over 10 years in logistics and transportation. Throughout his career, he has built on his expertise in business systems, industrial systems, and mobile data collection. Mr. Jones earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from California State University and an MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University with a specialization in Information Technology and Operations Management.
Brian Varano
Vice President of Strategy - JHT Holdings, Inc.
Brian Varano joined JHT in 2017 and serves as the Vice President of Strategy. He brings over 40 years of experience in transportation, logistics, operations, distribution, manufacturing, and financial planning & analysis. Prior to joining JHT he held the roles of Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of Operations Planning at a major car haul company where he led numerous administrative and operational areas for the corporation. Brian has held multiple executive leadership roles in distribution and manufacturing companies in both the public and private markets. He earned his Bachelors of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering from Western Michigan University with additional graduate studies in Industrial Engineering from the University of Tennessee. He is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers and former board member of the Missouri Trucking Association and Prime Advantage Buying Group.
Justin Burghoff
President - Active Truck Transport
Justin Burghoff was appointed President of Active Truck Transport in June 2026. He joined the Company as Vice President of Operations for ATC Transportation in 2021 and transitioned to Active USA in 2022. Prior to joining the Company, Justin spent over a decade in finished vehicle logistics, beginning with a summer internship with Active Carhaul in 2007. He went on to hold progressive leadership roles with both Jack Cooper Transport (JCT) and US AutoLogistics (USAL) with assignments in Kentucky, Indiana, Texas, and Missouri. His finished vehicle logistics experience spans both field and corporate operations, including positions such as Operations Manager, Assistant Yard Superintendent, Corporate Operations Manager, Terminal Manager, and Executive Vice President of Operations. Justin graduated from the University of Missouri in 2008 with a BSBA in International Business, after which he spent a year teaching English in Japan and traveling extensively throughout Asia and Europe.
Keith Rentzel
President - Auto Truck Transport & Unimark Truck Transport
Keith Rentzel joined the Company in 2012 and currently serves as the President of both Auto Truck Transport (ATT) and Unimark Truck Transport (UTT). He is a seasoned executive with 45 years of experience in vehicle transportation and logistics services. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Rentzel was an Executive Vice President at Allied Holdings, where he was responsible for customer relations and business development. He also served as Terminal Manager, Region Operations Manager, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and Senior Vice President of North American Operations at Allied Holdings. Mr. Rentzel also managed Fleet Carrier / Ryder’s U.S. specialized operations for more than 15 years. He began his career with Janesville Auto Transport Company in 1976.
Mitch Myster
VP Operations - Pleasant Prairie Logistics
Mitch Myster joined Pleasant Prairie Logistics (PPL) in August 2026 after building a diverse career spanning 18+ years in asset-based transportation (Schneider National), transportation fuel management (BTF), and transportation brokerage (XPO/RXO). Most recently Mr. Myster was responsible for leading multiple locations as the Branch President (IA, IL, OH) through change management to drive operational standards, efficiencies, and profitability at the 3rd largest freight broker in North America. This broad experience has given him a deep understanding of the operational complexities and financial challenges facing the transportation industry, as well as the ability to navigate, and implement solutions for growth and improved performance. In his role as VP of PPL, Mr. Myster will lean on his leadership approach which combines strategic thinking with a hands-on understanding of the transportation business, allowing him to identify opportunities, build high-performing teams, and deliver meaningful results.

OUR CUSTOMERS