Eleven Members Named to LEAD ATA's Third Class

Members of LEAD ATA's third class by John Sommers II for Transport Topics

PHILADELPHIA — The third class of American Trucking Associations’ executive leadership program was announced on Oct. 18 during ATA's annual ATA Management Conference & Exhibition here.

Eleven men and women make up LEAD ATA’s Class of 2016. They are Elise Chianelli, PeopleNet; JJ Clemmons, Summerford Truck Line; Jordan Culver, Q Carriers; Jonathan Doss, Celadon Trucking; Melanie Feeley, K-Limited Carrier; Shawn Goad, Ruan Transportation; Mack "Dutch" Guest, LAD Truck Lines; Megan Melichar, FedEx Ground Package Systems; Dan Olivier, USF Holland; Thomas Putnam, FedEx Freight; and Jeff Reed, Skyline Transportation.

“One common theme we saw from this ambitious group of individuals was a determination to do more than just enhance their professional profiles. These individuals truly want to learn how trucking can impact communities, and each of them wants to help position trucking as a safety-first industry with a strong public image,” ATA President Bill Graves said.

LEAD ATA provides its participants with educational opportunities that highlight how the regulatory and legislative process affects the trucking industry and the important role ATA plays in influencing those processes. LEAD ATA also informs the rising trucking industry leaders about the tools available to industry executives through ATA.

“When we announced LEAD ATA in 2013, we set out to attract the best and brightest in trucking and provide them with the tools to direct our industry and ATA into the future," said Kevin Burch, ATA second vice chairman and president of Jet Express, which is based in Dayton, Ohio. “The first two classes have been a roaring success, and I am anxious to see what this next group has to offer ATA and the trucking industry as a whole.”

LEAD ATA is sponsored by PeopleNet.

“Leadership is very difficult to come by, but even more challenging to maintain and pass down from generation to generation. From the moment that we heard about LEAD ATA, we felt an instant affinity to the mission and ideals of this innovative program,” PeopleNet General Manager Mark Kessler said. “Witnessing the thought leadership that the past graduating classes are doing by engaging in committees and taking on our industry’s toughest challenges makes us even more proud of the legacy that LEAD ATA will leave behind. With every graduating class of LEAD ATA, our industry’s future gets brighter and PeopleNet is thrilled to be a part of this process.”

Graduating members of the second LEAD ATA class were saluted as well: Scott Beaves, FedEx Ground; Lisa Black, FedEx Ground; Nataly Bryce, Preferred Materials; George Fetsko, FedEx Ground; Mason Guillot, Triple G Express; Anne-Marie Hulsey, U.S. Legal Services; Jaime Maus, Werner Enterprises; Rebecca Pohl Liette, Pohl Transportation; Travis Russo, U.S. AutoLogistics; Trevor Spring, Energy Dispatch; James Winton, Trimac Transportation and Brandon Woods, Refrigerated Transport.