American Trucking Associations announced it was reorganizing and streamlining a number of the association's core functions.
"We have a long history of successes on behalf of our members, from legislation requiring electronic logging devices and the creation of a clearinghouse for drug and alcohol test results, to beating back toll initiatives at the state level and getting one of the very few laws passed through Congress last year to require regulators use the appropriate process, not 'guidance' to address the important issue of sleep apnea," said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. "But we know our members expect and demand even more success in the future, and that's why after examining our organization from top to bottom, we have chosen to consolidate a number of our divisions to meet those expectations.
"As our members are acutely aware, these challenging economic times require organizations to be more agile and responsive to changes – whether they are changes to the business environment or changes on Capitol Hill," Graves said, "and by streamlining our organization, we can be more nimble in responding to the challenges facing our industry."
Under ATA's new organizational structure, all of the association's functions would fall into one of three areas: National Advocacy, Communications and Public Affairs and Finance and Operations, each headed by an executive vice president.
With these changes, Graves announced that Dave Osiecki, formerly senior vice president of advocacy and regulatory affairs will be ATA's new executive vice president and chief of national advocacy; Jeff Mason, formerly senior vice president of image and communications will be the group's executive vice president of communications and public affairs; and Karla Hulett, formerly CFO and senior vice president of finance and administration will be ATA's COO and executive vice president of finance and operations.
"ATA will continue to be the most powerful voice on behalf of the trucking industry on Capitol Hill, in the media and in the public," Graves said. "These changes will allow us, however, to more effectively serve our members and respond to our rapidly changing world.
"I have full faith that Dave, Jeff and Karla, as well as the rest of the hard-working and professional staff at ATA will continue to be effective advocates on behalf of the industry that drives this nation's economic success," he said.
"As members of ATA, we are lucky to have such strong and well-respected representation in Washington, and in every state capital across the country," said ATA Chairman Phil Byrd, president and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express, Charleston, S.C. "By simplifying ATA's organization, we are strengthening the association and enhancing the professional staff's ability to represent motor carriers of all stripes."
"I'm pleased and humbled that ATA's members and Gov. Graves have shown the confidence in me to lead this new advocacy unit," Osiecki said. "By bringing our legislative affairs, regulatory and legal affairs and federation relations groups together, I believe we can do even more to represent our members' interests in Washington and beyond."
"Our members consistently say that promoting and improving the image of the trucking industry is among their top priorities," Mason said. "This new organization will allow us to better leverage all our resources to continually remind the policy makers and the public that it is trucking, more than any other industry, that moves America forward."
"After making it through the Great Recession, our members are more focused than ever on the bottom line," Hulett said. "By bringing together the bulk of our revenue-producing units, including membership, marketing and finance, we can keep a better eye on ATA's bottom line and make sure our financial resources are going where they are most needed."
American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter or on Facebook. Good stuff. Trucks Bring It!
SOURCE American Trucking Associations
