Joe Pye, Operations Manager for Trucking at Knight’s Companies, is using local knowledge and an extensive background in the trucking industry to succeed in his new role.
Starting at Knight’s on Sept. 2, 2025, the 51-year-old has a long history in trucking, having worked his way up through various roles at LMR Trucking, Inc., in Charleston. These included driver, dispatch, operations manager and finally vice president.
Unlike a concrete company, however, Joe’s work at LMR Trucking involved the delivery of vehicles across the East Coast.
“We transported vehicles from the Greer Plant to dealerships and the ports. We also transported service members vehicles cross-country” he said.
He became familiar with Knight’s after they installed his new septic tank. After learning of Knight’s purchase of Murray Mines, Joe did some research and learned of the open Operations Manager position.
Shortly after, and following several weeks of careful thinking and prayer, Joe applied for the position and started in September.
“I went from hauling cars to hauling materials,” he laughed.
Originally from Raeford, North Carolina, Joe moved to Charleston in 1989 and worked as a volunteer firefighter through high school before starting his career in trucking.
At Knight’s, Joe oversees the company’s fleet of trucks, their upkeep, maintenance and driver management. One of the most common challenges his department faces is mechanical upkeep, since trucks – like any other machine – do have issues occasionally. Despite this, he says that he’s seen a marked improvement in company-wide maintenance since he started.
Another everyday mountain to climb is that of trucking efficiency, with traffic being a constant threat to delivery times and speed. As Operations Manager, Joe not only oversees the Lowcountry, but also Columbia and Savannah, Georgia, markets.
“It definitely keeps you on your toes,” he said.
Joe is well-known around the company, with his coworker Sheby Sweet describing him as a genuine, dedicated employee who is always a pleasure to work with.
“Joe really gives back, whether it’s through his work here or volunteering in the community,” Sweet added.
For Joe, the keys to succeeding at Knight’s and all other jobs are patience, humility, understanding, being organized and the ability to multi-task, as you’re often asked to juggle multiple tasks at once.
“I’m very blessed that my wife can handle pretty much everything at the house, so I don’t need to rush home often and can stay focused on my job when I’m working,” he said. “I also see that the leadership team here at Knight’s, they truly care about their employees and try to make them feel appreciated.”
When he’s not at work, Joe enjoys woodworking, spending time with his family and even started beekeeping with his first hive.
Learn more about Knight’s Trucking at knightscompanies.com/trucking.