Members of the New Lead ATA Class Announced
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SAN DIEGO — American Trucking Associations has announced the members of its seventh Lead ATA class.
The program is designed to foster a younger generation of trucking executives. The new class members were announced at ATA’s Management Conference & Exhibition on Oct. 6. Besides recognizing the new class, ATA celebrated the graduation of the sixth class.
“Trucking is empowering the next generation of industry leaders through our Lead ATA program, and we’re excited to see how our newest class can shape the future of our industry,” ATA President Chris Spear said. “Over the past few days, we’ve celebrated the outgoing graduates and introduced the new Lead ATAers to our association and one another.”
Lead ATA, sponsored by Trimble Transportation, offers educational opportunities that incorporate real-world problem solving exercises. Class members have access to industry experts and rely on a network of colleagues and alumni.
The leadership program also offers information about the regulatory and legislative processes and how ATA experts educate policymakers throughout these processes. Lead ATA participants also learn about ATA’s image and outreach programs and the American Transportation Research Institute. They develop leadership skills through various team-building activities and media training sessions.
“Our company has benefited significantly from having employees go through the Lead ATA program and bring innovation and resources back to Pottle’s Transportation,” said ATA Chairman Barry Pottle, president of Pottle’s Transportation. “We also know that Lead ATA members add value to each other’s experiences and the industry as a whole by completing projects on the latest industry trends, building relationships with elected officials and learning how to present a good view of our industry to the media.”
The new class will meet for their regulatory overview in January. It will convene again at ATA’s midyear management meeting in May. The class members will gather in Washington in June for a legislative update and meetings with their congressional representatives.
Lead ATA members are encouraged to tackle industry issues throughout the year. For example, when Hurricane Dorian hit the Bahamas and East Coast states in early September, Lead ATA member Ryan Walpole, director of purchasing and procurement at Walpole Inc., stepped up to help. Walpole, a Florida-based fleet, mobilized to help by donating six trailers filled with supplies, including tents, flashlights, tarps, diapers and mosquito nets, to the Bahamas.
The class divides into groups to deliver final presentations to ATA past chairmen and executives. Participants also complete an individual project each year, which involves speaking to a local school about trucking, taking a leadership role in their state truck driving championship or hosting the ATA image truck at a community visit.
“Trimble Transportation sees the immense value in the Lead ATA program and is excited to continue supporting the emerging leaders of our industry,” said Alicia Jarosh, divisional vice president of customer experience at Trimble. “We at Trimble Transportation love the opportunity to interact with these driven individuals and are looking forward to seeing this year’s class grow their understanding of the industry while building lifelong relationships with peers.”
The 2019-20 Lead ATA class:
- Fausto Bizzarri, FedEx Ground
- Nick Card, Combined Transport
- Mezzalina Dejongh, Trimac Transportation
- Matt Erim, Amazon
- Andrew Erin, PGT Trucking Inc.
- Brian Falter, YRC Worldwide
- Nate Graglia, Wallport Transit Xpress Inc.
- James Jaggers, UPS Inc.
- Jake Newman; Newman Carriers Inc.
- Michael Shipman, Vertical Alliance Group
- Kailey Spangenberg, Conversion Interactive Agency
- Brett Wilburn, Total Transportation of Mississippi
Class photo: Graduates of the Lead ATA class for 2018-2019 by John Sommers II for Transport Topics
2018-19 Lead ATA Class Graduates:
- Wayne Bailey, FedEx Freight
- Jeremy Byrd, SmartDrive Systems Inc.
- Brett (Sean) Connell, Bergstrom Inc.
- Erica Denney, Denney Transport Ltd.
- Wesley Dunn, RangeWay Carriers
- Amber Edmondson, Trailiner Corp.
- Anna Faford, C&K Holdings Acquisition
- Cristian Garcia, Alto Systems Inc.
- Soona Lee, ERoad
- Allison Meiners, Ruan Transportation
- Barkely Park Jr., UPS Freight
- Amanda Pearson, Pottle’s Transportation
- Andrew Petrofsky, J&M Tank Lines
- Terrance (Terry) Pump, CRST Expedited
- Whitney Massengill Stokes, Big M Transportation;
- Ryan Walpole, Walpole Inc.
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