Today, American Trucking Associations (ATA) honored two individuals, a state trucking association and an allied company with the eighth annual Mike Russell Trucking Industry Image Award. The ATA also honored seven association executives at its annual Management Conference & Exhibition going on in San Diego.
“Every day we think about the image of the trucking industry and work to improve it from a company standpoint and personally,” said ATA Vice Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., Dayton, Ohio. “The awards we presented today celebrate a company, organization or individual who over the past year has worked tirelessly to generate positive awareness of the trucking industry.”
This year’s first three winners were:
- Great West Casualty Co. for their tremendous support, particularly from Steve Ponder, vice president, during the development and launch of the Trucking Moves America Forward image movement and sustaining it today;
- The Texas Trucking Association for their organization’s tireless work in the Lone Star State to spread the message of safety, essentiality and leadership and;
- Mike Card, past ATA chairman and president of Combined Transport, who has served as national fundraising chairman for Trucking Moves America Forward and used his platform as ATA chairman get the movement off the ground.
In addition, ATA Chairman Phil Byrd announced that Kevin Burch was also being honored with a Mike Russell Trucking Industry Image Award for his passion for the industry, his commitment to improving its image and his tireless work with Trucking Moves America Forward.
The Mike Russell Trucking Image Awards are named in honor of the late Mike Russell, a trucking industry supporter and former ATA vice president of public affairs, and are sponsored by TMW Systems.
The ATA also honored seven executives with a combined 115 years of experience at today’s Advocacy and Government Affairs Luncheon:
- Bob Farrell, executive director of the Automobile Carriers Conference, 30 years;
- Bob Sculley, president of the New Hampshire Motor Transport Association, 25 years;
- Dale Bennett, president and CEO of the Virginia Trucking Association, 25 years;
- Dave Huneryager, president and CEO of the Tennessee Trucking Association, 10 years;
- Larry Johnson, president of the Nebraska Trucking Association, 10 years;
- Curtis Whalen, executive director of the Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference, 10 years, and
- Louis Campion, president and CEO of the Maryland Motor Truck Association, 5 years.
In addition, Sculley was honored for 10 years of service as executive director of the Vermont Truck & Bus Association.
