The freight brokerage industry in Wichita underwent a significant transformation in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, and few companies reflected that change more clearly than King of Freight. The downtown Wichita-based brokerage, led by partners Michael Ricklefs and Greg Bolain, entered a period of rapid expansion driven by unprecedented sales growth, strategic hiring plans, and shifting conditions across the national freight market.
Multiple factors had prompted the leadership team to pursue growth, but a major turning point came when news broke that Minnesota-based logistics giant C.H. Robinson Worldwide had laid off roughly 650 employees. The layoffs sent ripples through the freight brokerage industry and signaled instability among some of the largest players in the sector.
Michael Ricklefs said at the time that the layoffs reinforced King of Freight’s belief that the moment was right to expand. He explained that when major competitors reduced staff, it created opportunities to attract experienced brokers seeking new roles. Rather than slowing down, Ricklefs and Bolain viewed the industry contraction as motivation to grow their own operation.
Expansion Plans and Workforce Growth
At the time of the expansion push, King of Freight employed approximately 560 people, including 274 freight brokers. Ricklefs said the company planned to hire an additional 200 to 300 employees within a six-month period, marking one of the most aggressive hiring efforts in the company’s history.
The expansion plans represented a shift from earlier years, when projected hiring targets had not always been fully realized. Ricklefs acknowledged that past efforts to scale quickly had not always produced the desired results. Over time, company leadership discovered that higher-quality brokers consistently generated stronger performance than a larger workforce with less experience.
According to Ricklefs, the difference during this expansion period was the scale of business growth King of Freight had already achieved, combined with improved internal systems and increased referrals. The layoffs elsewhere in the industry also contributed to a growing pool of skilled candidates interested in joining the Wichita-based firm.
Post-Pandemic Sales Performance
King of Freight’s financial performance played a central role in shaping its expansion strategy. During 2020, the first year of the pandemic, the company recorded relatively modest growth of approximately 3 percent. That figure reflected widespread uncertainty as supply chains stalled and many businesses slowed operations.
Conditions changed dramatically in the following year. In 2021, King of Freight reported sales growth of 62 percent as supply chain disruptions intensified and demand for freight brokerage services surged. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers increasingly relied on brokers to secure capacity in an unpredictable market.
Chief Financial Officer Whitney McFall said the growth resulted from extreme volatility in supply and demand. Freight rates fluctuated rapidly, and shippers sought brokers capable of responding quickly. King of Freight benefited from its ability to match loads efficiently and maintain strong relationships with carriers.
By the early part of the following year, McFall said the company had already recorded an additional 36 percent increase in sales. Although Ricklefs declined to disclose specific revenue figures, McFall confirmed that the company was moving roughly 5,000 truckloads per week at that time.
Broker Earnings and Internal Compensation
One of the most notable aspects of King of Freight’s growth was the earning potential available to its brokers. Ricklefs stated that brokers at the company earned an average of approximately $260,000 annually, a figure that far exceeded industry averages.
He described the income levels as extraordinary, noting that brokers were benefiting directly from the heightened demand and rate volatility in the freight market. Ricklefs also said that several brokers who held management roles earned more than $1 million per year, reflecting both sales performance and leadership responsibilities.
As revenues increased, McFall said compensation improvements extended beyond brokers. Support staff across the organization received raises as well, ensuring that growth benefits were shared more broadly throughout the company.
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Business Model and Freight Operations
King of Freight operated as a freight brokerage rather than a trucking company. The firm did not own trucks or trailers. Instead, it connected shippers who needed to move goods with trucking companies and independent drivers who had available capacity.
This asset-light model allowed the company to scale rapidly without the capital investment required to purchase equipment. Ricklefs explained that flexibility was one of the company’s strengths, especially during periods of rapid market change.
At peak operations, King of Freight coordinated thousands of shipments weekly across the United States, serving clients in a wide range of industries. The brokerage’s success depended on its ability to secure reliable carriers and provide timely solutions to shippers facing tight delivery windows.
Development of Load-Matching Technology
Technology also played a key role in King of Freight’s expansion strategy. Ricklefs said he spent more than a year developing proprietary load-matching software designed to improve efficiency for truck drivers.
The software allowed drivers to drop off a load and quickly receive offers for additional loads in the same geographic area. For example, a driver delivering freight to Houston could immediately be presented with reload opportunities nearby, reducing empty miles and increasing earnings.
Ricklefs explained that the system was designed to encourage long-term relationships between drivers and King of Freight. By consistently providing reload opportunities, the company aimed to become a primary brokerage partner for carriers rather than one of many options.
Industry Referrals and Competitive Positioning
As layoffs occurred elsewhere in the industry, Ricklefs said King of Freight experienced a surge in referrals. Brokers and logistics professionals displaced by downsizing reached out to learn more about opportunities at the Wichita firm.
Ricklefs emphasized that the company was more selective than in previous years, focusing on candidates with strong performance histories. He said the strategy aligned with lessons learned from earlier expansion attempts, when rapid hiring had not always translated into sustained growth.
The combination of strong sales performance, proprietary technology, and favorable labor market conditions positioned King of Freight as a standout success story within the Wichita freight company.
Impact on Wichita’s Business Landscape
King of Freight’s expansion added momentum to Wichita’s growing reputation as a logistics and business services hub. The company’s downtown presence contributed to employment growth and reinforced the city’s role in the national freight brokerage industry.
With hundreds of employees and plans for continued hiring, King of Freight became one of the region’s most prominent freight employers. Its success highlighted how mid-sized firms could thrive by adapting quickly to market disruption and investing in both people and technology.
Conclusion
King of Freight’s rapid expansion reflected broader changes within the freight brokerage industry during the post-pandemic period. Led by Michael Ricklefs and Greg Bolain, the Wichita-based company leveraged market volatility, industry layoffs, and internal innovation to drive record growth.
Strong sales performance, high broker earnings, strategic hiring, and the development of load-matching software all contributed to the company’s rise. While challenges remained across the logistics sector, King of Freight’s experience demonstrated how opportunity emerged even amid uncertainty, positioning the company as a major force in Wichita’s freight economy.
