Michael Gerdin has been the CEO of Heartland Express Inc since 2011, stepping into the role after his father, Russell Gerdin, retired for health reasons. With a long history at the company, Michael took on various roles starting from 1992,...

Michael Gerdin has been the CEO of Heartland Express Inc since 2011, stepping into the role after his father, Russell Gerdin, retired for health reasons. With a long history at the company, Michael took on various roles starting from 1992, leading up to President before becoming CEO. He has focused on operations within the trucking industry, which is a massive part of the U.S. economy. He owns a significant portion of the company—over 42% of the stock—giving him a strong incentive to succeed. His salary in 2022 was $839,665, but he does not receive bonuses or stock options, reflecting a conservative compensation strategy that aligns with shareholder interests. Interestingly, Michael has not received any stock awards or options in recent years, suggesting a belief in investing his wealth into the company's future. Under his leadership, Heartland Express has navigated challenges and maintained a focus on operational efficiency and growth in revenue and net income.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Heartland Express CEOs

H

Michael Gerdin

CEO of Heartland Express

Education

Not specified

Field of Expertise

Business & Management

Sector of Economy

Industrials

Born

January 1, 1970 - 55 years ago

CEO of Heartland Express for

13 years 9 months (Sep 2011 - Present)

Previous Experience

President since May 2006, Vice President of Regional Operations, President of A & M Express, Inc.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Michael Gerdin

W

Derek J. Leathers

CEO of Werner Enterprises

2022 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$875.00K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$133.74K

Total Holdings

$13.66M

M

Timothy M. Kohl

CEO of Marten Transport

2023 Compensation

Stock

$169.29K

Salary

$744.65K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$8.84K

Total Holdings

$3.85M

S

Mark Rourke

CEO of Schneider National

2023 Compensation

Stock

$1.57M

Salary

$941.67K

Bonus

$1.30M

Other

$149.06K

Total Holdings

$7.63M

H

Phillip D. Yeager

CEO of HUB Group

2023 Compensation

Stock

$703.05K

Salary

$750.00K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$64.64K

Total Holdings

$25.31M

Holdings

See how much did Michael Gerdin make over time.

Michael Gerdin holds a substantial 42.5% of Heartland Express' shares, equating to about 34.6 million shares. His holdings demonstrate his strong belief in the company's future. Over the years, his ownership has remained stable, showing little fluctuation. This concentration reflects...

Michael Gerdin holds a substantial 42.5% of Heartland Express' shares, equating to about 34.6 million shares. His holdings demonstrate his strong belief in the company's future. Over the years, his ownership has remained stable, showing little fluctuation. This concentration reflects his long-term commitment to the company, having served various roles since 1992 before becoming CEO. Notably, he has refrained from participating in stock awards or options since becoming CEO, maintaining a conservative approach to compensation. Michael's wealth is tied to the performance of Heartland Express, aligning his incentives with those of the company and its shareholders.

Total Stock Sold

$166.09M

HTLD

$166.03M

7,487,500 HTLD shares

WTBA

$57.63K

2,500 WTBA shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Michael Gerdin didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra HTLD7,487,500 shares worth $159.78M and WTBA2,500 shares worth $46.13K.
This is -3.77% and $6.26M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

HTLD

86,094,792 shares

HTLD

Recent Charitable Transactions

HTLD

429,094 shares

HTLD

Dec 2, 2024

Charity

HTLD

1,418,011 shares

HTLD

Jul 12, 2024

Charity

HTLD

10,000,000 shares

HTLD

May 14, 2024

Charity

HTLD

1,139,309 shares

HTLD

Dec 1, 2023

Charity

HTLD

3,031,683 shares

HTLD

Jul 24, 2023

Charity

HTLD

4,254,346 shares

HTLD

Dec 31, 2022

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Michael Gerdin.

HTLD

429,094 shares

HTLD

Dec 2, 2024

Charity

HTLD

429,094 shares

HTLD

Dec 2, 2024

Charity

HTLD

$20.18K

HTLD at $11.99/share

Nov 12, 2024

Purchase

HTLD

$562.08K

HTLD at $11.98/share

Nov 7, 2024

Purchase

HTLD

$766.00K

HTLD at $11.22/share

Nov 4, 2024

Purchase

HTLD

$583.68K

HTLD at $11.67/share

Sep 11, 2024

Purchase

HTLD

1,418,011 shares

HTLD

Jul 12, 2024

Charity

HTLD

1,418,011 shares

HTLD

Jul 12, 2024

Charity

HTLD

10,000,000 shares

HTLD

May 14, 2024

Charity

HTLD

10,000,000 shares

HTLD

May 14, 2024

Charity

Compensation History

See how much did Michael Gerdin make over time.

For the year 2022, Michael Gerdin earned a total compensation of $839,665, predominantly from his salary of $860,000. He did not receive any bonuses, stock grants, or options, which aligns with the company's conservative pay approach that prioritizes shareholder interests. This compensation model is designed so that leaders like Michael have meaningful stakes in the company, fostering a focus on long-term performance rather than short-term gains. Over the years, his pay has increased modestly, reflecting steady growth in responsibilities and company performance while adhering to a philosophy that values significant stock ownership. This structure is a strong reflection of his commitment to the operational success of Heartland Express.

Year

2022

Total Compensation

$868.90K

Salary

$860.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy emphasizes alignment with stockholder interests through significant stock ownership and conservative pay practices.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was awarded in 2022.

Other

$8.90K

Board Justification

Payments made under the Tuition Plan for the children of employees.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 N/A)

Board Justification

Mr. Gerdin did not receive any stock awards in 2022.

Performance Metrics

Mr. Gerdin's compensation is linked to the company's operating performance, revenue, and net income growth.

Other Heartland Express CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Heartland Express

Russell Gerdin

Founder and Ex-CEO of Heartland Express

January 1980 - September 2011