Forty Under 40: Riley Shearin

Attending seven schools before graduating from high school wasn’t ideal, but Riley Shearin thinks it provided long-term benefits.

“Looking back, it gave me a look at a lot of different people and places and ways of life,” he said. “I think it helped me become adaptable to a lot of different situations.”

The adaptability he used during his father’s multiple job transfers has served him well at J.B. Hunt. Shearin graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in computer information systems in 1999, and went to work for J.B. Hunt in 2008.

He did “purely technical work” initially, but moved into management after leading several large projects. Shearin now oversees three teams that handle everything from back-office systems to projects like mainframe modernization.

“Finding the balance between the business value and the technologies is the key,” said Shearin, who earned an MBA in 2007 and serves several advisory roles at the UA’s business school.

Shearin spends as much time as possible with his wife and young son, and considers himself an “avid Razorbacks tailgater.”

He credits his parents, and working on his grandfather’s farm, for his drive and determination. Now it’s his turn to help young people, those who work for him.

“I enjoy watching them develop and giving them challenges to find their sweet spot,” he said. “It’s stretching their limits without making them feel overburdened.”