Minnesota Trucking Titan John Wren Passes Away at 80

John E. Wren, a towering figure in Minnesota’s trucking industry and a former chairman of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), died on June 16 at the age of 80. Wren led Lakeville Motor Express from 1979 until its sale in 2009, transforming the regional less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier from a 10-employee operation into a fleet of more than 500 trucks. His career included serving as chairman of the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) from 1990 to 1992 and becoming the first Minnesotan to chair the ATA from 1998 to 1999. Industry leaders praised Wren for his policy influence, including his role in developing the ATA’s membership dues structure through the “Wren Plan.” Wren’s legacy also extended to his military service, having served as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam from 1966 to 1967. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Mary, four children, multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and siblings. Wren graduated from Lakeville High School and attended St. Cloud State University before joining the Army in 1964. He took over Lakeville Motor Express in 1979, a company founded by his father in 1921, and expanded it into one of the region’s top LTL carriers before selling the business in 2009. Wren was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and served as commander of Lakeville Post 210 for two years. His leadership was remembered by John Hausladen, president and CEO of the MTA, who credited Wren with shaping the industry and supporting the association through critical periods. Hausladen also noted Wren’s role in his own career, having served on the search committee that led to Hausladen’s long tenure at the MTA’s helm.