Management Team

Michael Riggs is the CEO of Jack Cooper Investments, Inc. Mr. Riggs acquired the company in 2009. Under his leadership, Jack Cooper has grown to become one of the largest car haul companies in North America with over 3,000 employees. He has over 20 years of experience in the trucking industry, and another 20 years of prior executive experience within manufacturing companies. Mr. Riggs is a member of the Executive Committee of the American Trucking Association, and is Chairman of the Auto Carriers Conference. In 2013, Ernst & Young awarded Mr. Riggs the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Midwest Region. He was also awarded the Global Outstanding Achievement Award by Automotive Supply Chain Magazine. He received a BS in Business from the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He and his wife of 40 years have three daughters and six grandchildren.

Greg R. May is Chief Financial Officer of Jack Cooper Investments, Inc. Mr. May rejoined the Company in February 2017 after spending five years as CEO of Car Delivery Network, a technology services firm serving the automotive logistics market. Prior to that, he spent 17 years with Jack Cooper Transport serving as President from 2005-2011 and CFO from 1998-2005.

Mr. May has more than 30 years of experience in the trucking industry in executive roles and as a consultant and CPA to trucking industry clients. As a trucking industry executive, he served a leadership role in the movement to improve interaction and awareness between shippers and carriers in the automotive transport segment. He served as the founding Chairman of the Automobile Carriers Conference of the American Trucking Association. He has been a frequent speaker at industry events, addressing varied topics affecting auto transporters and advancement of technology to improve supply chain management. His writings and commentaries on auto transport and logistics have appeared in a number of business publications.

Prior to joining Jack Cooper Transport in 1994, he spent ten years with KPMG working with public company clients in the transportation, banking and manufacturing practice areas. He also served as CFO of ABC Laboratories, an environmental services company, from 1990 to 1994. Greg is a CPA and a member of the national and state CPA societies. He is a 1980 graduate of the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Accountancy.

Katie Helton joined Jack Cooper in 2009 as Associate General Counsel. Her work for the Company has primarily focused on employment and labor law. In April 2019, Katie accepted the role of Chief Human Resources Officer, taking on additional leadership responsibilities in Human Resources and Labor. Katie graduated from Washington University School of Law in Saint Louis, Missouri and St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional. She was recognized in 2018 by Acquisition International as the ‘Most Influential Woman in Employment Law- Southeast USA’ and in 2017 by Transport News’ Women in Transport Awards as ‘Most Trusted In-House Legal Counsel.’

Prior to joining Jack Cooper, Katie started her career in public interest law with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. She strives in her work with Jack Cooper to bring the same compassion for people and concern for justice that led her into public interest earlier in her career.

Kirk Hay is the Company’s Chief Information Officer and is responsible for Jack Cooper’s Information Technology function. Kirk has over three decades of experience leading IT departments of public companies in a variety of industries. His industry experience includes technology services, financial services, quick service restaurant, transportation logistics and insurance. During his career he has led both small, startup and large, established IT shops determining and fulfilling strategy in support of corporate objectives, regulatory compliance and aggressive M&A activities.

Prior to joining Jack Cooper in September of 2014, Kirk was a Director with Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. a leading provider of computer systems, cloud services and payment solutions for more than 11,000 financial services organizations across the U.S. Kirk was part of the leadership during rapid company and departmental growth both organically and via more than twenty company acquisitions. Kirk was part of the IT leadership at J.B. Hunt, one of the largest transportation logistics companies in North America, when they initiated their Intermodal, Logistics and Dedicated Contract Services offerings and transitioned the fleet to containers. He was also was part of the American Trucking Association’s then named Management Systems Council, EDI and Automated U.S. Customs taskforces. While with Papa John’s Kirk led the effort for their initial online ordering service which evolved into digital offerings which now account for more than half their sales. Kirk was part of the IT leadership also with National Processing Company, one of the world’s largest processors of credit card transactions and division of National City Bank, then the country’s 8th largest bank. Kirk started his career at American Community Mutual, then the 2nd largest health insurance provider in Michigan.

During his career Kirk has been active with several volunteer organizations, seated on the board of directors of charitable organizations, industry advisory councils of public and private universities as well as technology organizations and vendors. Kirk has a degree in Business Administration from Evangel University as well as industry specific certifications.

Theo A. Ciupitu has been our Executive Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel since July 2010. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ciupitu was a corporate attorney in private practice, representing public and private companies and private equity and venture capital firms in, among other things, mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, divestitures, tax free reorganizations, private and public offerings, debt and equity financing transactions, and outsourcing, licensing, and general commercial transactions. From July 2006 to June 2010, Mr. Ciupitu was an attorney in the Corporate and Securities Department of Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC. Prior to July 2006, Mr. Ciupitu was an attorney in the Corporate Services Department of McGuireWoods LLP. Mr. Ciupitu graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University in 1998 and earned his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2001.

Alex Meza is the President of Jack Cooper Transport. Alex is responsible for overall operations and for managing top line growth initiatives. He has been in the international Finished Vehicle Logistics industry for over 18 years. Prior to joining Jack Cooper, Alex was the Managing Director for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Mexico and prior to that he held the Managing Director role at Amports Mexico. In May 2014, Alex received the “Global Vehicle Logistics Leader of the Year” award from the Global SCM Auto leaders On Demand Forum. Alex has an MBA from Loyola University, Maryland and a bachelors in administration from Anahuac University in Mexico and lives in Atlanta, GA.