Amanda Schuier Installed as TMC Chairman
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NEW ORLEANS — Amanda Schuier became the newest general chairman and treasurer of American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council. She is the first female chairman of TMC since Peggy Fisher in 1988.
Schuier was installed during the annual reception and banquet ceremony that served as a changing of the guard and symbolic closing to the 2024 TMC Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition on March 6. Schuier is the strategic maintenance director at Houston-based Jetco Delivery and has served as vice chairman of council as well as chairing the S.5 Fleet Maintenance Management Study Group.
Before passing the torch to Schuier, outgoing chairman Todd Cotier of Bison Transport thanked his family as well as the Hartt family from Hartt Transportation for his 40-plus years with the company. Bison acquired Hartt Transportation in January 2022.
“I want to thank them for sharing their knowledge of the transportation industry and the business ethics that were bestowed upon me,” he said. “Lesson No. 1: Look somebody in the eye when you shake their hand, and a handshake was a binding contract. All the years I worked for them; I have never signed a sales order when I ordered equipment. It was all done by a handshake. In my opinion, [the Hartt family’s] values are second to none.”
Newly installed TMC Chairman Amanda Schuier enjoys a light moment with outgoing Chairman Todd Cotier at the TMC banquiet March 6. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
Flanked by her family during her acceptance speech, Schuier said her term as general chairman will be defined by engagement with members. She also wasted no time addressing current industry issues.
FAMILY TRADITION: Amanda Schuier is a fourth-generation trucker
“These are tough years. There’s no point in sugarcoating that things in the industry are really funky. We’re all struggling with a lot of challenges,” she said. “How many of you, like me, are struggling to hire diesel techs like we talked about in Shop Talk … or struggling to get the next generation interested in this type of career? This stuff isn’t easy. And the best place to maintain and build our resilience is right here in TMC.”
Newly installed TMC Chairman Amanda Schuier shares a dance with her father, Dan Shaw, at the TMC banquet March 6. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
Schuier noted her growth at the council, from associate to leading the TMC Leaders of Tomorrow group, and how she has found value as a council member.
“So belonging to TMC is like belonging to a power grid,” she described. “We all put energy into it, and we all get energy from it. I know this because I grew up here.”
During her speech, Schuier introduced a session titled, “Chats with the Chairman,” where she will host a forum every other month for the duration of her tenure. The online sessions will discuss transportation issues, TMC membership and other ways to get involved with the council’s recommended practices and forums.
She also celebrated the collaboration of TMC members and the cultivation of leadership and education in the industry.
What an incredible night it was at the #TMCAnnual24 Reception & Banquet! We're thrilled to congratulate Amanda Schuier on her well-deserved election to TMC 2024-2025 General Chairman, following Todd Cotier's exceptional leadership. Here's to the bright future ahead for TMC! pic.twitter.com/7cZiZzjirp — Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of ATA (@TMC4Trucks) March 7, 2024
“Our task forces and our study groups … they really are our special sauce. It’s so great that we can work with our competitors here to build our industry’s best recommended practices,” Schuier said. “Our membership value skyrockets, and we also make things happen for our own careers. When we’re engaged, we gain more contacts and more knowledge.”
Schuier closed by encouraging the attendees to think of TMC as “a buffet of opportunities,” where members can share information.
“If had a catchphrase as chairman, I would want it to be, ‘I met you at TMC. Can we talk?’ ” she concluded. “I will always say yes. I hope that we all continue to say yes to each other more often, because the volunteerism setting is where we will thrive.”
The ceremony ended with a performance from recording artist Gavin DeGraw, known for his chart-topping singles, “I Don’t Want to Be” and “Chariot.”
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