Admiral Merchants was Built on a Legacy of Strength, Reliability, and Long-Term Relationships
Since 1962, we have grown through a foundation of experienced people and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Brian Short, CEO
President & CEO – Attorney, banking executive, and logistics leader committed to driver partnership and accessible leadership.
Leadership
President & CEO
As the Chief Executive Officer of Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, Inc., Brian P. Short leads with a genuine passion for the company’s unique culture and the people who drive its success. He is deeply dedicated to supporting Admiral’s network of independent agents and contractors, fostering an environment built on true partnership. For Brian, leadership requires absolute accessibility, and he makes it clear that his phone line is always open, a promise he truly stands behind.
Beyond his hands-on role at Admiral, Brian brings an elite background in logistics, finance, and corporate governance. He serves as the President and CEO of 215 Holding Co., a $1.5-billion bank holding company he established in 1987 that now has 22 branch offices in four states. His deep understanding of the transportation industry is further backed by a twenty-year tenure on the Board of Directors for C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc., the largest publicly held third-party logistics provider in the world.
Brian also possesses a distinguished legal and academic foundation. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he earned both his undergraduate degree in economics and his law degree, he has dedicated forty years of service to the university’s Law School Advisory Council. In his 30s, he served as a United States Magistrate for the District of Minnesota and has occasionally served as a legal mediator. Reflecting Admiral’s commitment to integrity, Brian also actively serves on multiple regional boards across healthcare, education, and other civic organizations.
Bob Short, Founder
Founder & Visionary – A Minneapolis-born business magnate, attorney, and professional sports owner who built Admiral Merchants from the ground up.
Founder’s Family Legacy
The story of Admiral Merchants cannot be told without Bob Short. A Minneapolis-born business magnate, noted fleet attorney, and professional sports owner, Short helped shape the company’s identity from its earliest days through a simple idea: build a company that treats its drivers, agents, and customers fairly, and gains trust through performance.
After serving aboard the USS Intrepid in the Pacific Theater during World War II, Bob Short earned his law degree from Georgetown University. He went on to own the Minneapolis Lakers, Washington Senators, and Texas Rangers. His transportation investments ultimately formed Admiral Merchants Motor Freight, Inc.
His values of integrity, fair dealing, and strong relationships became the cornerstone of Admiral Merchants, a family legacy that continues to define the way we work with every driver, agent, and customer to this day.
Admiral Merchants Offers a Wide Range of Transportation Services
- Flatbeds, Conestogas, Step Decks, RGNs, and Multi-Axle trailing equipment operated by experienced, professional contractors
- Project coordination by skilled professionals
- Brokerage and logistics support for additional, pre-qualified capacity when needed
- Heavy haul and superload permit support with knowledgeable staff
A Trusted Name in North American Freight
Built on a foundation of integrity and operational excellence, Admiral Merchants Motor Freight serves a network of 160 strategically located sales agents. From a focused and specialized emphasis on open deck freight, the business continues to grow by doing what it does every time reliably and with precision.
Our flexible, agent-driven model is designed to support shippers of all sizes while giving freight agents and owner-operators a dependable platform to grow. That tradition of responsiveness and scale is what continues to set Admiral Merchants apart across North America.
The Admiral Journey
A history built on integrity, scale, and growth since the year 1932, backed by a clear commitment to long-term service.
1932
Origins in Minneapolis
The roots of Admiral Merchants trace back to Minneapolis in 1927, when one of the company’s predecessor carriers, Merchants Motor Freight, began operating with a small fleet serving the Upper Midwest. Merchants Motor Freight became incorporated in the year 1932, and over time, multiple regional trucking companies would combine to form the foundation of today’s Admiral Merchants.
1950
Bob Short Enters the Trucking Industry
Minneapolis businessman and World War II Navy veteran Bob Short entered the trucking industry through the purchase of Mueller Transportation Company, a Twin Cities-to-Chicago LTL carrier.
1960
Admiral Merchants is Officially Formed
Formed by the merger of Merchants Motor Freight and Admiral Transit, Bob Short christened the new company Admiral Merchants Motor Freight. At its founding, the company had 25 terminals, 114 tractors, and 485 trailers across eleven states.
1967
Transformational Expansion
Admiral Merchants significantly expanded its operating footprint through the acquisition of Jack Cole/Dixie Highway Express in Birmingham, Alabama, extending service coverage throughout the South and Eastern USA.
1972
Launch of Special Commodities Division
Admiral Merchants launched its Truckload Special Commodities Division, focusing on steel, open deck freight, oversized cargo, and specialized transportation, a strategic direction that continues today.
1980
Deregulation Pivot
Following U.S. trucking deregulation in 1980, Admiral Merchants strategically transitioned away from traditional LTL operations and intensified its focus on specialized truckload freight.
1990s
Agent Network Expansion
During the 1990s, Admiral Merchants expanded its independent agent and owner-operator network, building a flexible, relationship-driven operating structure designed for customer focused freight execution.
2000s
Cross-Border & Specialized Freight Growth
Admiral Merchants continued to expand throughout the U.S. and Canada, growing its capabilities in open deck transportation.
Present Day
A Tradition of Integrity
Today, Admiral Merchants operates as a specialized transportation partner transporting complex industrial freight throughout the United States and Canada, combining nearly a century of transportation heritage.