UNF alumnus turned CEO: How Tom Piatak grew a global logistics empire

Tom Piatak first discovered logistics while serving in the Gulf War as a U.S. Army captain. A West Point graduate with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, he initially envisioned a career building infrastructure.

But while deployed, his engineering unit shifted from construction projects to coordinating truck convoys into Kuwait - a pivot that introduced him to logistics and played to his family roots in military transportation.

After five years in the Army, Piatak moved to Jacksonville to join CSX, a Fortune 500 railroad company. While working in CSX's marketing office, he pursued his MBA at the University of North Florida, while his wife, Patty, earned her master's degree at Webster University.

"We're big believers in education," Piatak said. "Nobody can ever take that from you."

Armed with an engineering degree, military leadership and new business training, Piatak was ready to lean into his entrepreneurial instincts. After several years at CSX and a role as a minority shareholder at Vexure Inc., he and Patty decided to strike out on their own.

Building Magellan

In 2006, the couple launched Magellan Transport Logistics. "We started with three people, three desks and three phones," Piatak recalled.

A Pittsburgh private equity firm initially took a stake, but after the financial crisis the Piataks bought it back. At the time, Magellan was doing $25 million in gross revenue but wasn't profitable. They made the tough call to restructure the company, cutting revenue nearly in half to $12 million. Painful as it was, the move made Magellan profitable and positioned it for long-term growth.

Today, Magellan Transport Logistics is the nation's largest Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned logistics business. Its sister company, Magellan Transport Inc., was launched in 2022. Together, they generate about $320 million in annual revenue, serving roughly 60% of Fortune 500 companies alongside clients of all sizes. During the pandemic, revenue peaked at $420 million as logistics became essential.

Piatak credits Magellan's success to an ownership mindset among employees.

"We ask three questions: Can we do the job? Can we meet the customer's expectations? Can we make money? If it's yes, yes, yes, we go for it."

Growth at Home and Abroad

The Piataks now operate six businesses, employing nearly 500 people. Beyond their transportation companies, they own a technology firm, two real estate holding companies, and in 2023 they acquired Carlisle United Football Club in the UK.

Though he divides time between Jacksonville and the UK, Piatak is deeply connected to his hometown. Magellan is the official logistics partner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he's proud of the city's role as "America's Logistics Center."

"It has everything you need from a big city without the big city nuances you don't want," he said.

UNF and talent pipeline

Piatak is quick to point out the role of UNF in fueling Jacksonville's logistics ecosystem.

Faculty from UNF, including the Crowley Center for Transportation and Logistics, work with industry leaders to prepare students for careers across all modes of transportation.

"The critical piece is being able to secure talent," he said. "UNF is producing very good talent for the logistics community."

Magellan hires six interns annually - most from UNF - and roughly a quarter of its workforce are UNF graduates, including the Piataks' daughter, son and daughter-in-law, all of whom hold MBAs from the University.

"I think UNF is absolutely critical to the success of Jacksonville as a logistics hub," Piatak said.

From the Gulf War to leading a global logistics enterprise, Piatak's career underscores his belief in resilience, education and building teams that think like owners - a philosophy he continues to apply on both sides of the Atlantic.