In this episode of Semi-Related, Chris Torrence welcomes longtime logistics veteran Michael Campese, now Chief Business Officer at DDC Group. With a career spanning over three decades—most of it spent rising through the ranks at Estes—Michael shares stories of getting his start in a warehouse, pursuing a career in LTL sales (yes, on purpose), and eventually pitching a business plan directly to Rob Estes that launched his corporate career.

Chris and Michael dive into what’s changed—and what hasn’t—in transportation, why the industry remains behind in tech adoption, and how leaders can close the gap between legacy systems and modern solutions without losing sight of people and process. They talk domain knowledge, the myth of the all-knowing AI, and how the best tech implementations always start with a full-body diagnostic—metaphorically speaking.

Plus, Michael shares how DDC Group approaches transformation projects, why bringing the right people into the room matters more than ever, and why he’s optimistic about the next generation in freight.