Forty Under 40: Jose Valdez

Former Razorbacks head coach Houston Nutt recruited Jose Valdez as an offensive lineman. The left tackle blocked for running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones before joining the NFL.

A Milwaukee native, Valdez played for the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He spent more than three years in the NFL.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “A lot of the things I went through with my teammates, I was able to use with the current teams I have here, whether it’s coaching people and things of that nature.”

About nine years ago, college teammates encouraged him to join J.B. Hunt Transport Services. He started in an operational role in the company’s brokerage segment before being promoted to branch leader of the team named 2014 branch of the year. Valdez is a seven-time winner of J.B. Hunt’s ACT Award. ACT stands for accountability, commitment and teamwork.

As senior manager, Valdez led the high-value/expedited team through its most significant year of growth, increasing revenue by 270% from 2020 to 2021 and almost doubling margins in the same period. The group grew from eight to 25 employees under his leadership.

“The hustle and bustle of traditional freight brokerage motivates me,” Valdez said. “We have to be very nimble, and we have to go get it. I try to surround myself with employees that have a similar mentality.”

The success led him to be promoted to his existing role, and his team was named the 2022 branch of the year. In three to five years, he wants to progress to senior director.

He’s a volunteer coach for youth sports teams in Bentonville and Fayetteville and a ministry group leader at Life Church. Valdez enjoys pickleball, deer hunting and fishing.