A few years after launching PadenCold Inc. to provide frozen and refrigerated warehousing services, we recognized a growing need among our customers for dependable, efficient drayage and refrigerated transportation. That need led to the creation of Paden Logistics.
What began as a freight brokerage has grown into a full-service trucking company operating both company-owned equipment and a trusted network of owner-operators. Today, we provide flexible transportation solutions designed to support the demands of temperature-sensitive supply chains.
What sets Paden Logistics apart is our commitment to putting our customers’ needs first. We work hard to remain affordable, efficient, and responsive, while delivering the reliability and flexibility our customers depend on.
Our Story
Steve Paden President/CEO, MBA
Steve Paden, President and CEO, is a seasoned logistics and supply chain executive with more than 40 years of leadership experience across food distribution, cold storage, transportation, and international sourcing. Following his service in the United States Marine Corps, he began his career with Sysco Corporation, where he advanced to Director of Seafood Merchandising at the company’s corporate headquarters in Houston.
After 11 years with Sysco, Steve led a seafood importing start-up specializing in freshwater fish sourced from the Amazon region, expanding his expertise in product sourcing, market development, and international trade. He later spent six years with Ford Motor Company as a cost analyst at a major production facility, where he developed strong expertise in cost control, operational analysis, and manufacturing systems, before earning his MBA in Business Management and returning to the food industry.
After relocating to Virginia in 2003, Steve served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a shrimp importing company before founding Tidewater Foods in 2005 and PadenCold in 2007. Under his leadership, PadenCold has grown from a start-up operation handling a single pallet to a major regional cold storage provider managing more than 6 million pounds of product each month.
In 2012, Steve expanded the company’s capabilities by launching Paden Logistics, creating an integrated refrigerated drayage and trucking platform designed to meet the evolving needs of customers across the cold chain.
Steve’s leadership is defined by a long-term commitment to operational excellence, customer relationships, and building businesses with enduring value. Outside of work, he enjoys farming and fishing and takes pride in seeing the next generation of his family actively involved in the businesses he has built.
April Boicourt Vice President
April Boicourt, Vice President, leads operations for Paden Logistics, overseeing all aspects of the company’s trucking and refrigerated drayage services.
April began her career with McDonald's, where she advanced quickly through leadership roles over a 20-year career, ultimately serving as a Regional Trainer and Project Manager. That experience built a strong foundation in operations management, team leadership, and process execution.
She later joined Paden Logistics, initially managing dispatching and accounting, and steadily advanced into senior leadership through her operational knowledge and hands-on management style. As Vice President, she plays a central role in coordinating transportation services and supporting the company’s continued growth. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia College in 2007.
April lives on a farm in Missouri with her husband and their three sons, where family life centers around breeding Labrador Retrievers and youth sports. She also serves her local community as a member of the school board.