Leslie Westervelt brings more than 25 years of extensive experience across the construction and transportation industries, with a career defined by leadership in administration, accounting, and operational excellence. Beginning as an Assistant Purchasing Agent for a mid-sized commercial construction firm, Leslie played a critical role in coordinating complex supply chains—working closely with vendors, logistics providers, and field teams to ensure the efficient movement of materials to job sites and storage facilities.

After over a decade in procurement and administrative leadership, Leslie transitioned into the ownership side of construction, where she assumed responsibility for overseeing financial operations on large-scale, ground-up retail developments and major renovation projects. Through advanced cost analysis and strategic financial oversight, she identified significant savings opportunities, ultimately reducing construction expenditures by hundreds of thousands of dollars and improving project profitability.

Following the acquisition of the retailer by a private equity firm, Leslie expanded her expertise into tax and asset analysis, spending two years specializing in depreciation strategies and personal property tax assessments. Seeking to return to a more construction-focused role, she joined a general contracting firm where she managed owner and subcontractor agreements, administered change orders, and led the implementation of new operational software systems to improve efficiency and scalability.

Her reputation for operational leadership led to her recruitment by a rapidly growing startup hospitality brand with plans to develop over 200 extended-stay hotels nationwide. As the head of construction accounting, Leslie built the department from the ground up—designing processes, establishing internal controls, and hiring and managing a full accounting team. She worked in close partnership with procurement and operations to ensure timely delivery of materials and accurate financial execution across multiple large-scale developments.

After her tenure in hospitality, Leslie returned to the construction sector as the sole accountant for a satellite office of a Connecticut-based general contractor. In this role, she was instrumental in transitioning accounting systems and strengthening internal processes, ensuring both financial accuracy and team cohesion during a critical period of growth.

Today, Leslie serves as a driving force behind Blackout Transport LLC. As a co-founder alongside Morgan Thornton, she has been integral in developing the systems, processes, and financial infrastructure necessary to successfully launch and scale a modern transportation operation. In addition to her executive and financial leadership, Leslie has expanded her capabilities into field operations—gaining hands-on experience in trailer operations, load securement, and transport logistics. While her expertise is rooted in strategy and financial management, she brings a well-rounded, practical understanding of the industry that strengthens every aspect of the business.