Karen Jones is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Ryder System, Inc., a FORTUNE 500® commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation, and supply chain solutions company, and a member of Ryder’s Executive Leadership Team. She is responsible for leading the company’s Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), Dedicated Transportation Solutions (DTS), and Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) Marketing efforts, as well as integrating the management of all marketing and brand-related activities across Ryder to drive growth and enhance brand value.
Prior to this position, Karen was CMO for the FORTUNE 300 Company NRG/Reliant Energy, Inc., where she was responsible for launching the company’s new corporate brand. Prior to that, she served as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications for DHL Express U.S., and was a member of its U.S. Management Board. Her marketing efforts at DHL resulted in the largest awareness increases in the company’s history and within the logistics category, which were considered a major contributor to the advancement of DHL’s recognition in the “Top 100 Most Valuable Brands” by BrandZ.
Prior to DHL, Karen served in positions responsible for worldwide brand advertising, sponsorship, strategic alliances, and marketing for Hewlett Packard and Compaq Computer Corporation. She was named “Marketer of the Year” by BtoB magazine in 2005, and was ranked in the publication’s annual “Best Issue” from 2006-2008. In 2014, she was recognized as one of the Most Powerful and Influential Women in Business by the National Diversity Council. She has also served as a panel speaker for the Sports Business Journal’s Sports Symposium and made appearances on television, such as the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America, and Fox Networks. Karen serves on the executive boards for the Broward Public Library Foundation and the Jackson Health Foundation.
Karen holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Houston.