Industry Veteran Ron Buford to Retire from CORE X PREMIER After 46-Year Cold Storage Career

David Charles Named President of CORE X PREMIER, Continuing Legacy of Customer-First Leadership

BURLESON, Texas, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CORE X PARTNERS announced today that Ron Buford will retire from his role as leader of CORE X PREMIER, effective December 12, 2025, concluding a distinguished 46-year career in cold storage. David Charles, currently Regional Partner at CORE X Performance in Salt Lake City, will succeed Buford as President of CORE X PREMIER effective December 13, 2025.

Buford first entered the cold storage industry in 1971 when he joined United States Cold Storage in Fort Worth. His relationships as a Swift & Company customer, buying frozen raw materials for production, opened the door to a cold storage career that would span nearly five decades.

Buford often told his teams throughout his career. "Customer service is the key."

That philosophy guided Buford through 19 years at U.S. Cold Storage, nearly nine years building Texas Cold Storage, and ultimately to founding his own cold storage operation in 2011, which later became CORE X PREMIER. In a testament to the deep roots of his career, Buford spent more than 30 years working in and out of the same Fort Worth facility where he started in 1971—first as an employee, then as a manager, and finally as an owner.

Under Buford's leadership, CORE X PREMIER established itself as a customer-focused operation in the competitive Dallas-Fort Worth market. He built a team known for their "can-do" attitude and willingness to take on challenging customer situations, from handling 130 truckloads on short notice to accommodating rejected deliveries after hours.

Buford's influence extended beyond his facilities. He served on the board of directors for the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), the industry's leading trade association, including a historic tenure as the longest-serving chairman during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"My journey has given me the opportunity to meet and touch so many great people at each of the stops I made over these years," Buford reflected. "There is nothing that gives me a bigger sense of pride than to look at our team here at CORE X PREMIER and know that we will continue to be a top service provider for our customers."

David Charles brings a proven track record of building customer-centric cold storage operations to his new role. As Regional Partner at CORE X Performance, Charles and his team have established themselves as trusted 3PL partners throughout Salt Lake City and the Front Range, known for delivering personalized, out-of-the-box cold chain solutions that scale with customer needs.

"I'm both humbled and energized to follow in Ron's footsteps," said Charles. "He didn't just build a warehouse, he built a culture where the answer is always, 'Yes, we'll figure it out,' for our customers. My commitment is to honor that legacy by keeping our customer-first spirit at the heart of everything we do, while growing CORE X PREMIER into the most trusted cold storage partner in Texas and beyond."

About CORE X PARTNERS

CORE X PARTNERS is a network of regional cold storage operators (PROs) who combine local expertise with national scale. The CORE X model preserves the legacy of family-owned cold storage businesses while providing enterprise-grade solutions and growth capital. The network includes 15 facilities across the United States, offering more than 52 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled storage capacity and 194,000+ pallet positions. Learn more at corexpartners.com.

SOURCE CORE X Partners