See what you're missing from this year's ATA Management Conference and Exhibition

Ccj Logo White Headshot

ATA welcomes new LEAD class

The American Trucking Associations welcomed 13 executives into the association’s LEAD ATA leadership training program during the annual ATA Management Conference and Exhibition in Nashville.

LEAD ATA, sponsored by DriverReach, offers exclusive educational opportunities for trucking industry executives, incorporating real-world problem solving and advanced industry insights. Throughout the course of the yearlong program, "LEADers" are educated about the regulatory and legislative processes, and ATA's efforts to shape those processes, including advocacy, image and outreach, research and leadership training.

This year’s class includes Lindsey Anderson, Ruan Transportation Management Systems; Lucas Connell, TCW, Inc.; Alicia Echols, Bennett Heavy & Specialized, LLC; Lance Fausett, FedEx Freight; Christopher Gulker, TrueNorth Companies; James Herzog, PSI Tire Inflation; Bruna Kramer, FedEx Ground; Robert Lester, USA Truck; Stephen Sanders, Cummins Inc.; Rachel Singleton, Ken Stabler Trucking, LCC; Joseph Skomorucha, U.S. Xpress Enterprises Inc.; Tyler Tigges, Great West Casualty Company; and Angela Tillery, FedEx Freight

In addition to naming the ninth class, ATA recognized the 2020 and 2021 LEAD ATA graduates. They are (2020) Fausto Bizzarri, FedEx Ground; Lina Dejongh, Trimac Transportation; Matt Erim, Amazon.com Inc.; Andrew Erin, PGT Trucking Inc.; Brian Falter, Yellow; Nate Graglia, Wallport Transit Xpress Inc.; James Jaggers, UPS; Jake Newman, Newman Carriers LLC; Michael Shipman, Vertical Alliance Group; Kailey Spangenberg, Conversion Interactive Agency; (2021) Jenny Abernathy, CRST The Transportation Solution Inc.; Brandon Bibbs, U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc.; Adam Blanchard, Double Diamond Transport, Inc.; Wynne Breeden Jr., K.L. Breeden and Sons; Nick Card, Combined Transport Inc.; Frank Ems, FedEx Freight; Ryan Frederiksen, Ruan Transportation Management Systems; Justin Hill, Hill Transportation Services, Inc.; Glen Lyles, FedEx Ground; Alexandra Mangino, Katz, Sapper & Miller; and Shawn McCloud, Coyote - A UPS Company.

Nevada Trucking Association’s Enos honored with President’s TAEC Leadership Award

Paul Enos, CEO of the Nevada Trucking Association, was honored with the ATA President’s Trucking Association Executives Council Leadership Award Sunday. The President's TAEC Leadership Award was created in 2002 by ATA to honor a state trucking association leader and to create an enduring legacy for that leader and for the industry. The award comes with a $10,000 grant for trucking education or research cause chosen by Enos.

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear applauded Enos as "a dynamic, engaging representative of our industry. He has done remarkable work in not just building up NTA as a force for the industry in Nevada, but has been a leader across the country on a host of issues – none more critical today than fighting back against lawsuit abuse. Paul’s work bringing members of Nevada’s Defense Lawyers Association to ATA’s Litigation Center Forum is a tremendous example of the kind of leadership on a key issue that has made him an obvious choice for this award.”

A two-time winner of the Mike Russell Trucking Image Award, Enos has been active in a number of industry groups including the American Transportation Research Institute’s Research Advisory Committee, Nevada’s Transportation Network Self-Insured Group, the Keystone Corporation and he currently chairs the TAEC Emergency Response Task Force, an effort within the ATA Federation to bring about temporary preemption and uniformity in state truck size and weight laws when a disaster has been declared to enhance trucking’s ability to respond to affected areas. He is also currently the national chairman for TAEC.

In addition to his trucking work, Enos is regular co-host of Nevada Newsmakers, a statewide public affairs television and radio show. 

UPS Named 2021 TAT Champion Award winner

UPS was named the winner of the 2021 TAT Champion Award in the Organization Category. Kendis Paris, executive director of Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), presented the award to Lou Rivieccio, UPS Corporate Transportation president, and Nikki Clifton, president of UPS Social Impact and The UPS Foundation, at a luncheon Sunday.

UPS began its partnership with TAT in 2016. But, in addition to its work with TAT, which includes being a TAT sponsor at the highest – North Star -- level, training more than 100,000 of their drivers, donating over 40 hauls for TAT’s mobile museum to events across the nation, allowing employees to be involved in numerous capacities with TAT on company time to spread awareness of human trafficking and the fight against it and serving on TAT’s Board of Directors since 2012, UPS also uses its influence through the trucking industry to encourage other companies to become TAT trained.

UPS has adopted an enterprise-wide anti-trafficking-in-persons policy, which strictly prohibits the use of any UPS assets or resources for any purpose that would enable the trafficking of persons. They partner with the DHS Blue Campaign and teamed up with Wellspring, a Georgia-based survivor’s advocacy program, to provide employment opportunities to survivors of human trafficking.

UPS is also leveraging the power of corporate philanthropy to invest in organizations like the United Way Worldwide’s Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Additionally, UPS employees have donated more than $5 million toward the Anti-Human Traffick Impact Fund through United Way Center on Human Trafficking & Slavery. 

State trucking execs recognized for service

The American Trucking Associations on Monday recognized 10 state trucking executives (with a combined 135 years of experience) for their service to the industry.

Honorees include Sheri Call, president and CEO of the Washington Trucking Association, was recognized for five years of service; Gary Langston, president and CEO of the Indiana Motor Truck Association, Matt Hart, executive director of the Illinois Trucking Association, Chris Maxwell, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Trucking Association and Jon Samson, ATA vice president of conferences, honored for 10 years of service; Paul Enos, CEO of the Nevada Trucking Association, John Esparza, president and CEO of the Texas Trucking Association and Tom Crawford, president and CEO of the Missouri Trucking Association, celebrated for 15 years of service; Myron Rau, president of the South Dakota Trucking Association, was recognized for 20 years of service; and Minnesota Trucking Association President and CEO John Hausladen was honored for 25 years of service.

Dave Parker receives S. Earl Dove Highway Award

ATA presented Dave Parker with the S. Earl Dove Highway Award Monday. ATA's highest honor, the S. Earl Dove Highway Award recognizes individuals whose contributions of time, energy and intelligence have advanced the interests of the trucking industry and the ATA federation. The award is named for former ATA Chairman and former owner of AAA Cooper Transportation.

“Dave Parker had a tremendous presence in our industry. He had a passion for trucking, a dedication to the ATA Federation and a willingness to share his knowledge and experiences with many, many others,” said Nathan Meisgeier, Werner Enterprises Inc. executive vice president and chief legal officer, who presented the award here. “He was a Marine officer and an esteemed attorney and spent virtually his entire professional career helping truckers in one capacity or another.”

Parker served in the Marines, earning the rank of captain, before attending law school and establishing a career both for trucking companies and in private practice, most recently as senior legal counsel for Great West Casualty Co. and Great West Risk Management.An industry leader, he was chairman of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and an active member of ATA, notably with the Insurance Task Force, tirelessly spearheading state-by-state efforts to enact anti-indemnification laws across the country.Parker passed away last year from cancer at the age of 80. Steve Ponder, executive vice president of Great West Casualty, accepted the award on behalf of Dave’s wife Nancy, at the ATA Management Conference and Exhibition.