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Strategic Advisor·Freight & 3PL

Andrew Leto

Founder and CEO / Strategic Board Member at Emerge Market

Scottsdale, Arizona

AL
Why they matter

Two-time freight-tech founder who built GlobalTranz into a top-10 U.S. broker, sold 10-4 Systems to Trimble, and now runs Emerge's freight procurement marketplace.

Background

Andrew Leto is a two-time freight-tech founder who has spent over two decades building logistics and freight-procurement companies in Arizona. He co-founded GlobalTranz in 2003, growing it into a top-10 U.S. truckload and LTL broker before it sold to The Jordan Company for roughly $400 million in 2018, and separately built 10-4 Systems, a shipment-visibility platform acquired by Trimble. In 2017 he co-founded Emerge, a digital freight-procurement marketplace where he serves as Founder and Co-CEO alongside his brother Michael Leto.

Notable deals

  • 2003
    Co-founded GlobalTranz, which grew into a top-10 U.S. truckload/LTL freight broker before selling to The Jordan Company for ~$400M
  • 2018
    Co-founded 10-4 Systems, a truckload visibility/tracking platform later acquired by Trimble
  • 2017
    Founded Emerge, a digital freight procurement marketplace, serving as Founder and CEO
  • 2021
    Led Emerge's $130M Series B round from 9Yards Capital, Tiger Global, and Spruce House Partnership as Founder and Co-CEO

Call-prep brief

Background

  • U.S. Navy veteran who entered freight brokerage in 2003, co-founding GlobalTranz with brother Michael Leto; grew it into a top-10 U.S. truckload/LTL broker generating $1B+ in sales before its 2018 sale to The Jordan Company (~$400M).
  • Also co-founded 10-4 Systems, a shipment-visibility/tracking platform, later acquired by Trimble.
  • Co-founded Emerge in 2017, a digital freight procurement marketplace (45,000+ carrier network, $6B+ freight procured); currently Founder and Co-CEO alongside Michael Leto.

Current Focus

  • Scaling Emerge's Dynamic RFP and Spot procurement platform for shippers of all sizes.
  • Frequent industry speaker/podcast guest on freight-tech, digital procurement, and brokerage economics (FreightWaves, The Freight Pod, Logistics of Logistics).

What He Cares About

  • Freight procurement efficiency, carrier network depth, and technology-driven displacement of legacy manual brokerage processes.
  • Building and exiting founder-led logistics companies (repeat playbook across GlobalTranz, 10-4 Systems, Emerge).

Recent Moves

  • Emerge raised a $130M Series B in September 2021 (9Yards Capital, Tiger Global, Spruce House Partnership), bringing total funding to $150M+.

Potential Sensitivities

  • May be guarded discussing GlobalTranz post-sale trajectory (it later changed hands multiple times) or comparing Emerge's model to competitors he could see as disintermediation threats.

Questions to Ask

  1. How has shipper/carrier behavior around digital RFP and spot procurement shifted since Emerge's 2021 raise?
  2. What lessons from scaling and exiting GlobalTranz and 10-4 Systems are most relevant to evaluating a freight brokerage or 3PL target today?
  3. Where does he see consolidation or technology disruption hitting freight brokerage margins hardest over the next 2-3 years?

Outreach draft

Subject
Freight brokerage diligence, quick call?
Hi Andrew, I'm working with a private equity team evaluating opportunities in freight brokerage and digital procurement. Given your track record building GlobalTranz, 10-4 Systems, and Emerge, your perspective on where brokerage economics and technology adoption are heading would be invaluable. We're not looking for confidential information, just your view on industry dynamics, carrier network trends, and what separates durable brokerage models from ones facing margin pressure. Would you have 20-30 minutes in the next couple of weeks for a call? Happy to work around your schedule. Best, [Placeholder Name]

Linked companies

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