American Trucking Associations has announced the formation of a new leadership education and engagement program, leading up to its annual ATA Management Conference & Exhibition in October.

Called LEAD ATA, the new program is designed to educate and engage future leaders from within the US Trucking industry. Initially, 17 trucking executives from all over the country have been accepted as the inaugural class of the LEAD ATA program, These executives were chosen for their combination of strong leadership skills, keen insights and enthusiasm for the trucking industry.

The LEAD ATA offers these trucking executives a chance to inform and educate their colleagues and industry workers on the many regulatory and legislative processes that affect the U.S. trucking industry. In addition, these leaders will show how the ATA plays a key part in shaping legislation and regulations, and what ATA tools are available to other industry executives.

This first class includes trucking leaders aged 23 – 49, from 12 different states and working at fleets both small and large. The initial group of trucking industry leaders is:

• Larry Barnes, Greenbush Logistics Inc.; 
• Doug Bennett,  US AutoLogistics LLC;
• Brent Bois, Calhoun Truck Lines;
• Chad Brueck, CRST International Inc.;
• Tim Chrulski, Garner Trucking Inc.;
• Michael Clifford, Ventura Transfer Company;
• Chris Cooper, Boyd Bros. Transportation;
• Charlie DeLacey, Kenan Advantage Group;
• Casey Diaz, Charles Diaz Trucking Inc.;
• Stephanie Fisher, YRC Worldwide Inc.;
• Robert Haag, Perfect Transportation LLC;
• Rick Hoyle, Trimac Transportation;
• Dustin Koehl, Total Transportation of Mississippi LLC;
• Robert Loya, California Cartage Company;
• Chelsea Pottle, Pottle’s Transportation;
• Jason Tempalski, FedEx Ground and
• Martin Tewari, Con-way Truckload

LEAD ATA’s first session will take place this October at ATA’s annual Management Conference and Exhibition at the Marriott World Center in Orlando, FL.