“Service above self” is a leadership motto Jay Matthews adopted from Martha Berry, the founder of Berry College near Rome, Georgia, after he moved to the city in 1997.
“Leadership is simple if you follow that motto,” said Matthews. “Hire good people, empower them, care for them, provide guidance and opportunities along their career path and — above all — serve them.”
After staying near Rome throughout his early career to help his wife raise their three children, Matthews signed on for a four-hour round-trip commute to Atlanta in 2020 to become CFO at Prosponsive Logistics, an award-winning leader in supply chain solutions and third-party logistics services.
Originally launched in 1997 by co-founders Jeff Lantz and Russ Caudell as C.L. Services, the company was rebranded and renamed in 2022. That same year, Matthews was promoted to the role of company president.
In this position, he actively promotes what he calls the “Prosponsive Approach” — the company’s signature blend of proactive adaptability and responsiveness when working with clients and transportation supply chain partners alike.
“Using the strengths of our knowledgeable staff, proven processes and state-of-the-art technology, we help our customers move their freight more efficiently than ever before,” Matthews said. “Prosponsive Logistics helps our customers realize the full potential of the North American supply chain to drive a new era of development, growth and productivity.”
Under Matthew’s leadership, the company has experienced exponential growth, increasing its revenue by more than $73 million between 2020 and 2021. In 2022, Prosponsive Logistics was named one of Georgia’s 40 fastest-growing private companies by ACG Atlanta. In both 2021 and 2022, the company was included among the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. Since 2020, the company has also received numerous trade and industry awards as a top supply chain and food logistics provider.
“By over-communicating, innovating and staying transparent with partners, Jay has ushered a new era to our organization,” said Matthews’ team. “Jay’s steadfast leadership and strategic reorganization of the company in the past three years has helped us thrive, despite the market’s recent supply chain challenges.”
As the logistics industry continues to evolve, Matthews plans to have his team prepped and ready to adapt. “As the future of our industry remains fluid — as evidenced with the evolution of technology, self-driving trucks, driver shortages and more — it is our primary goal to remain as agile as possible, while keeping the goals and needs of our customers at the forefront of our minds,” he said.
Outside of work, Matthews is a self-described “foodie” who also loves to fish and garden.
