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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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