Schneider Names New Truckload, Intermodal Chiefs as Filter Takes CEO Role
Green Bay carrier promotes from within as Mark Rourke moves to executive chairman. Steve Wells, who ran Cowan Systems, now leads the $2.5B truckload unit.
Who is taking over Schneider's truckload and intermodal divisions?
Schneider National named Steve Wells executive vice president of its truckload unit and Michael Baumgardt executive vice president of intermodal and logistics, effective Wednesday, as part of a leadership transition that puts Jim Filter in the CEO seat.
Wells has run Schneider subsidiary Cowan Systems since November 2024, when Schneider announced it would acquire the carrier. He spent 27 years at Cowan and served as chief operating officer from 2019 to 2024. Schneider's truckload business generated $2.5 billion in revenue during the last 12 months.
Baumgardt has been with Schneider in various leadership roles since 2001, most recently as senior vice president and general manager of intermodal. Schneider's intermodal and logistics segments generated $2.4 billion in combined revenue over the last 12 months.
Filter, who has been with the Green Bay, Wisconsin-based carrier for 27 years, moves up from executive vice president and president of transportation and logistics. He succeeds Mark Rourke, who becomes executive chairman of the board. Filter is expected to be appointed to Schneider's board at a later date.
What the structure change means for Schneider's business units
The Monday announcement consolidates Schneider's operating segments under two executives, each responsible for roughly $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Wells takes the truckload unit. Baumgardt takes intermodal and logistics.
"As we look ahead to a new chapter, I am confident the tightly aligned structure we are announcing today will help us remain nimble, maintain close relationships with our customers and continue building a stronger, more agile Schneider for the future," Filter said. "Our strategy empowers accountable leaders and engaged teams to accelerate growth and drive efficiency."
Angela Prill was promoted to senior vice president of intermodal operations. She has been with Schneider for 16 years, most recently as vice president of intermodal network management and operations.
Board changes and succession timeline
Schneider previously announced that Chairman James Welch will become lead independent director of the board. Last week, the company appointed Austin Ramirez to its board. Ramirez is CEO of Wisconsin-based manufacturing company Husco.
The leadership transition takes effect Wednesday. Schneider trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SNDR.
Why this matters for small fleets
Schneider is a publicly traded carrier with nearly $5 billion in annual revenue across truckload, intermodal, and logistics. Leadership changes at carriers this size signal strategic shifts that ripple through the market. Wells' promotion from Cowan, a carrier Schneider acquired 18 months ago, suggests the company is integrating acquisitions and may be positioning for more. For small fleets, that means watching whether Schneider's truckload unit becomes more aggressive on contract pricing or capacity deployment in lanes where owner-operators compete.
