Ricky Barker Recognized by TMC as Front-Line Supervisor of the Year

Ricky Barker, region shop and fleet manager for Trimac Transportation, was recognized as the front-line supervisor of the year by American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council and Brent Hilton received the leadership award.

Based in Fairburn, Ga., Barker oversees eight shops, 45 technicians and more than 350 trucks and 450 trailers for Calgary, Alberta-based Trimac.

“Ricky Barker is an individual who is not only a technical expert, he is a people expert as well. He exemplifies leadership by modeling the behavior he expects in others; Ricky gets respect because he is respectful, people cooperate with him because he cooperates with them first,” said Randy Tumbarello, a U.S. maintenance director for Trimac who nominated Barker for the award.

“He carries himself as a professional at all times by exemplifying composure, confidence, and reliance in all situations, and maintains a balance of focus on wellness and good health,” Tumbarello said.

Trimac Transportation is a subsidiary of Trimac Group, which ranks No. 39 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.

The council also recognized Brent Hilton, director of maintenance for Maverick Transportation, with its Peggy Fisher Study Group Leadership Award.

The award honors excellence in management of TMC study group activity and was named after its first recipient.

Hilton has been a member of TMC for more than 15 years and from 2001 to 2006 was chairman of the s.7 Trailers Bodies and Material Handling Study Group.

Recipients of the award must serve as a study group chairman for three years and demonstrate leadership in the creation of new recommended practices and organizing technical programs. Only 16 people have received the award since 1986.

Maverick a subsidiary of Maverick USA, which ranks No. 84 on the for-hire TT 100.