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J. David Walters Claims Mentor Award at TMC
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ORLANDO, Fla. — American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council recognized several maintenance professionals during an awards ceremony held at its Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition.
J. David Walters, manager of field service at Alcoa Wheel Products, became the third person to win the Uncle Darrell Mentor Award.
The honor recognizes those who have demonstrated exemplary efforts while serving as a council mentor. TMC established the award in memory of longtime TMC mentor Darrell Hicks in 2016.
“Darrell was affectionately known in the transportation industry and in his personal life as ‘Uncle Darrell,’ ” outgoing TMC Chairman Randy Obermeyer said during the ceremony. “The mentor program has grown to what it is today as a result of Uncle Darrell’s ideas, tireless dedication to building this program and careerlong efforts to ensure that everyone has a positive and rewarding personal and professional experience at TMC.”
The mentor program has grown to what it is today as a result of Uncle Darrell’s ideas.
TMC Chairman Randy Obermeyer
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Recipients must have five years of active service as a mentor, excellent service to peers within the organization and clearly demonstrated industry leadership. They also must show exemplary dedication for ensuring new members are provided the best possible first impression and given the best chance for a rewarding start with the organization.
“Our third-ever recipient has demonstrated all of these qualities and more,” Obermeyer said. “He has served the TMC Mentor Program for many years and is a constant source of encouragement to all members through TMC.”
Obermeyer (left) presents the Excellence in Maintenance Supervision Award to a representative of Interstate Carriers' Lonny Sievers. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
The TMC Excellence in Maintenance Supervision Award recognizes those who exhibited superior performance in equipment maintenance supervision while supervising technicians. Interstate Carriers foreman Lonny Sievers was recognized with the award this year.
“He directly supervises 10 technicians on maintenance and repairs,” Obermeyer said. “He is responsible for working with both customers and technicians to oversee the administrative, technical and financial processing of 20 to 25 trucks per day. He also provides training to all technicians under his watch and ensures that they are maintaining requirements to complete Daimler-required certifications.
“Throughout his time as the foreman, he has been expected to mentor every new technician that comes through the branch location as all employees start on his shift. He has mentored over 50 technicians.”
The Jim Winsor Technical Achievement Award spotlights currently available products or services that show innovation, technical excellence, wide applicability and real benefits for commercial truck operators. The award is organized by a committee of transportation and logistics reporters and editors. Volvo Trucks won the award this year for its I-Torque Powertrain.
“Volvo Trucks I-Torque Powertrain system uses a 13-speed automated manual transmission, a fast axle ratio, load sensing software for low RPM cruising and uses real-time, map-based data and GPS positioning to manage speed and gear splitting,” said Tom Berg, a freelancer who writes for Land Line and Construction Equipment magazines.
Program director Travis Dintelman (left) and Obermeyer (right) are shown with Leaders of Tomorrow Class of 2023 graduates Kurt Dunn (second from left), Rocco Marrari (center) and Hector Flores (second from right). (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
The Leaders of Tomorrow graduates also were announced for the Class of 2023. The program is dedicated to developing future leaders of TMC and the transportation industry. Kurt Dunn from Pitt Ohio was named valedictorian, and Rocco Marrari from EBE Technologies and Hector Flores from Knight-Swift Transportation also graduated.
Host Seth Clevenger chats with Evan Shelley, co-founder and CEO of TruckParkingClub. Hear the program above and at RoadSigns.TTNews.com.
“Our main goal is to find talented young trucking professionals to join the TMC Leaders of Tomorrow Program and become part of the council’s foundation for building a better and stronger trucking industry,” said Travis Dintelman, chairman for the development program. “We take a proactive approach to meet the challenge of finding up-and-coming leaders.”
Dintelman noted that any organization that strives for continuous improvement and excellence needs good leadership. The program is intended to find people within the industry who have the potential to be leaders.
“I’m very proud to stand before TMC today with our graduating Class of 2023, also known as my COVID Class,” Dintelman said. “These graduates started the program early in 2021 during the height of COVID-19, and really had to start the beginning of the program with virtual meetings and WebEx calls and whatnot to complete their requirements. So, I’ll look forward to seeing what the future holds for you at TMC and your careers.”
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