Ascend adds Heisterkamp to leadership team

Atlanta-based Ascend LLC (Ascend), announced today the addition of Brad Heisterkamp as President of Asset Operations. Heisterkamp’s newly created role will optimize Ascends networks, create driver-friendly jobs, and deliver high levels of service to customers.  

“We have great people in our regional businesses,” said Michael McLary, Chief Executive Officer of Ascend. “Adding someone of Brad’s experience and skill to our leadership team helps us further develop our people and positions us for continued growth into additional geographic areas.” 

“I am excited to join Ascend to be a part of its growing transportation carrier,” said Heisterkamp. “As shippers continue to place large warehouses close to urban locations, it increases the need for regional service to connect supply-chain nodes and utilize its assets more efficiently and effectively.”

Heisterkamp brings a long history of truckload operations. He has experience in developing relay networks, optimizing synergies across regional businesses, driver retention, growing independent contractor programs and delivering profitable business growth.  

Before joining Ascend, he was the regional vice president for NFI, a third-party logistics company, based in New Jersey. He spent six years at Transco Lines, Inc., where he rose to senior vice president of operations. He also spent seven years at CRST, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as an operations manager. He began his career as a pre-load supervisor at UPS in Iowa City. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Iowa.