Matt Duncan Award

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Matthew Duncan, Vice President of Enterprise Driver Recruiting and Talent Acquisition for Covenant Logistics, has been named the 2023 Transport Topics Recruiting Professional of the Year. The prestigious accolade was presented to Duncan on February 22 at the Recruitment and Retention Conference, a testament to his industry leadership and remarkable contributions to the field of talent acquisition.

Duncan, an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience, is known for his innovative strategies that prioritize driver retention. Under his leadership, Matt has led the charge with Covenant’s driver recruiting team to meet (and exceed) hiring goals, partnering with operations to improve driver retention, and been instrumental in integrating new acquisitions into our recruiting process. His approach emphasizes nurturing talent from within, reducing recruitment costs, and fostering a stable, engaged workforce.

"I am incredibly grateful for this recognition. It's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team," said Duncan. "At Covenant, we believe in investing in our people. Our success in 2023 was marked by our ability to pivot, trust our team, and focus on retaining our existing drivers."

Duncan highlighted the importance of partnerships with schools to educate about trucking opportunities, reaching out to young individuals, underserved communities, international drivers, and military members transitioning to civilian life.

"Matt has played a significant role in leading our driver recruitment team to surpass hiring targets. He has worked closely with our operations team to improve driver retention and has been highly instrumental in integrating new acquisitions into our recruitment process," said Joey Ballard, EVP of People and Safety at Covenant Logistics. "But Matt hasn't stopped at exceeding hiring goals. He continues to search for and implement innovative ways to improve the recruitment department's hiring numbers, cost, and processes. In addition, he serves on multiple client advisory boards and actively participates in various industry associations to improve the transportation industry as a whole. Above all, Matt remains committed to our team members' career growth, both drivers and non-drivers, by providing them with career opportunities and the necessary training to succeed in their roles. We cannot think of a more deserving person to be recognized as the 2023 Recruiting Professional of the Year."