Roy Gambrell, director of maintenance for Truck It, Cottontown, TN, was installed as the Technology & Maintenance Council’s 2011-2012 general chairman and treasurer during the TMC’s 2011 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, held in Tampa, FL, Feb. 8-11.
Gambrell has served in several other TMC leadership positions, most recently on TMC’s board of directors as vice chairman and chairman of meetings, and chairman of study groups. He has moderated and been a presenter for numerous TMC technical sessions.
He received the Silver Spark Plug, the Council's highest honor, in 2005 and was instrumental in the development of TMC’s Corrosion Control Action Committee.
Gambrell said one of his goals for his year as general chairman is to get more small fleets involved with TMC. “I’m a good example that you don't have to be a mega fleet to be recognized,” he said. “All you have to do is attend and get involved.”
TMC can help even the smallest fleets improve their maintenance activities, he said, and small fleets especially need the “power” of TMC, as the large fleets already have their own OEM service and engineering people.
“I would like to show them that TMC is not an expense, but a credit to them in the savings they can see in the RPs as well as the networking with other members and by getting answers to their questions,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance for small-fleet members of TMC’s Fleet Operators Forum where equipment owners can receive redress from manufacturers on issues that could not otherwise be resolved.
Board Members
Five members were elected to fill open positions as Directors-at-Large on TMC’s 2011-2012 Board. They include: Kirk Altrichter, Gordon Trucking; Brent Hilton, Maverick Transportation; John Sullivan, Reliable Carriers; Ron Szapacs, Air Products & Chemicals; and Dave Williams, Verizon Fleet Operations. They join Lee Long, Southeastern Freight Lines; and Kevin Tomlinson, South Shore Transportation. Kevin Otto, Cummins, was elected to fill an open associate director position.
Those serving as TMC officers for 2011-2012 include: Vice Chairman and Chairman of Meetings, Lee Long, Southeastern Freight Lines; Chairman of Study Groups, Kirk Altrichter, Gordon Trucking; Membership and Publicity Chairman, Kevin Otto, Cummins; Chairman of Associates, Al Anderson, Jost International; Immediate Past Chairman, Jerry Thrift, Ryder System; and Executive Director, Carl Kirk, Technology & Maintenance Council of American Trucking Associations.
Transportation Technology Exhibition
TMC held its Transportation Technology Exhibition in conjunction with the Council’s annual meeting at the Tampa Convention Center. The show featured 300 exhibitors and is North America's first major transportation equipment show of 2011.
The show included a broad assortment of the latest technology in commercial vehicles and components.
Members participated in 100 TMC Task Forces meetings early in the week to work on Recommended Practices for equipment maintenance and engineering. TMC Recommended Practices have been adopted as voluntary industry standards by commercial vehicle makers, component manufacturers, aftermarket parts and diagnostic equipment providers, and end users.
Skills Competition
TMC will hold its 2011 Fall Meeting and National Technician Skills Competition Sept. 19-22 at the Raleigh Convention Center, Raleigh, NC. TMCSuperTech2011 will be the seventh national competition for finalists of state and corporate technician competitions.
TMC’s Professional Technician Development Committee (PTDC) organizes the competition. Information on PTDC, the technician skills competition or opportunities for corporate sponsorship, is available by contacting Joe Hite at 703-838-1927.
TMC, a technical council of American Trucking Associations, is North America's premier technical society for truck equipment technology and maintenance professionals. TMC features a diverse membership of equipment managers, service-dealers, owner-operators, industry suppliers and manufacturers, educators, academia and others that support the trucking industry.
TMC member fleets represent the broad range of industry vocations, including truckload, less-than-truckload, municipal, private, on/off-highway, construction and other operations. Find out more about TMC online at http://tmc.truckline.com.
