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Knight Transportation Inc. said Kevin Knight, its first CEO, will step aside after 21 years, with President David Jackson succeeding him on Jan. 1.����

Knight will remain as chairman in an active executive role. He has chaired the board since 1999. Jackson, who has been president for nearly four years, also is becoming a member of the board at Knight, which ranks No. 31 on Transport Topics Top 100 list of for-hire carriers in the U.S. and Canada.

“'Dave Jackson is the right person at the right time for the first CEO transition in our company's history,” Kevin Knight said. ”This move has been long planned and marks the culmination of a multi-year development program.”

The statement from the Phoenix, Arizona-based company said that Knight will focus on growth, capital allocation and leadership development.

“Because he worked his way up from procurement, to managing our independent contractors, to chief financial officer, to president over a nearly 15-year period, Dave is steeped in Knight's culture,” the outgoing CEO added in a statement.

Jackson said he was “honored to have this opportunity to lead our fellow Knight teammates.”