CPC President Butch Wallis Retires

President Butch Wallis, a true CPC Logistics legend, will be heading into a richly deserved retirement at the end of 2023.

The team at CPC’s headquarters in St. Louis, along with several division managers and retirees from across the United States, celebrated Butch’s 42-year career with the company on December 14. Since his first day as an operations supervisor on January 18, 1982, Butch has made invaluable contributions that have helped make CPC the proud company it is today.

“Butch’s contributions cannot truly be evaluated or enumerated,” said Dan LeGear, former Corporate Counsel of CPC. “I thank him for his many years at CPC and his recent years leading the ship.”

In his early years, Butch hired many of CPC’s best truck drivers until his role changed in August 1995. Some of those employees are still with the company today. Butch also cultivated and managed the growth and success of several of CPC’s largest private fleet customers.

“His relationships with Walgreens definitely impacted the CPC business in an extremely positive way, as is evidenced by the growth of that account,” said Dan Moroski, former Executive Vice President at CPC.

He also guided CPC through the many mazes of employment law, pension law, and labor negotiations.

“Butch forged a path through numerous legislative and economic challenges, ensuring well-paying and safe jobs for our drivers and support staff while also showcasing the benefit of the private fleet model to our customers,” said Dan Most, current Chief Operating Officer and Vice President at CPC.

 

Butch is the embodiment of CPC’s core values: Do what’s right, respect others, and perform with excellence.

“Butch’s steadfast commitment to these principles set in place 50 years ago when we started CPC has helped the company continue to grow,” said John Bickel Sr., one of CPC’s founders and former President. “Celebrating five decades in business in 2023 is a testament to the success we have enjoyed under Butch’s leadership.”

During his retirement celebration, employees recalled when Butch and other company leaders sent generators to CPC drivers in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. They also discussed Butch’s open-door policy and the extra time he took to listen to and engage with all employees.

“Butch is a quality individual morally and ethically,” Dan Moroski said. “I’m certain that these attributes have rubbed off on the current group of CPC managers and that they will have fond memories of working with him, as I do.”

As president, Butch developed and executed CPC’s strategies while managing every aspect of the business with excellence.

“I have been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to watch, learn from, and look up to a person that truly respects and cares for every single person that he works with,” Dan Most said. “His knowledge and experience cannot be replaced, and he will always be remembered for his kind and strong leadership that propelled the company forward.”

CPC deeply appreciates all the contributions Butch has made and wishes him a happy and healthy retirement.

“Thank you, Butch, for being my business partner, but most of all, a true and lifelong friend,” said Bob Boyich, former Executive Vice President at CPC. “You have a lot of great things in front of you with your wife Traci and a growing family. I hope your days are filled with as much joy as life can muster.”

As part of the leadership transition, Managing Director Duane Trower will become CEO, and Vice President of Risk Management John Bickel Jr. will assume the role of president effective January 1, 2024.

“Working alongside Butch for 23 years has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” said John Bickel Jr. “His leadership, vision, and the personal interest he takes in each employee and customer has helped make CPC the leading provider of transportation logistics services that it is today. I, along with Duane and the rest of CPC’s leadership and management team, are proud to carry on Butch’s legacy and wish him all the best as he enters this next phase of life.”