(FORT SMITH, Ark., October 16, 2009) — Donald N. Reynolds, vice president of national sales for ABF Freight System, Inc.^®, will retire November 30, 2009, after 39 years of service with the company. Mr. Reynolds has served in his current position for the past 20 years.

“Don’s consummate professionalism and warm and charismatic demeanor are well known throughout the industry,” said ABF Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing Roy Slagle. “He has been a valuable asset to the company for many years. We congratulate Don on a great career and wish him and his wife Becky the very best in the years ahead.”

Mr. Reynolds joined ABF^® as a management trainee in 1970. Upon completion of training, he became an operations supervisor in Chicago, Ill.  Mr. Reynolds was promoted to sales representative in Atlanta, Ga., in 1972, branch manager in Oklahoma City, Okla., in 1976 and director of national accounts in 1979.  In 1981, he was promoted to regional vice president of sales based in Dayton, Ohio where he served until he was promoted to his current position in 1989.

Kirk R. May, who has 19 years’ experience with ABF, will assume the position vacated by Mr. Reynolds.  Previously, Mr. May served as regional vice president of sales in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Established in 1923, ABF is best-in-class for safety, security, technology and freight-handling. InformationWeek, CIO, InfoWorld, and BtoB magazines have cited ABF’s strategic use of information technology as exemplary. ABF is the only five-time winner of the American Trucking Associations President’s Trophy for Safety, the only five-time winner of the Excellence in Security Award, and the only four-time winner of the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award. ABF also is the only carrier to earn both the Excellence in Claims/Loss Prevention Award and the Excellence in Security Award in the same year, which ABF accomplished twice.

ABF provides guaranteed service for expedited or time-definite shipments via its TimeKeeper^® service. Regional shipments are handled via the carrier’s RPM^® Network, providing next-day and second-day shipping. The ABF system stretches throughout North America, with local service centers serving all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Globally, the carrier serves 250 ports in more than 130 countries.

ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corporation (Nasdaq: ABFS).

Source: ABF Freight System, Inc.

Contact: Mr. Danny Loe, director of marketing & public relations
Telephone: (479) 785-8803

Websites: abf.com
              TimeKeeper.com 
              FreightValue.com 
              upack.com