TMC names general chairman

Lee Long, director of maintenance for Southeastern Freight Lines, Columbia, S.C., was installed as the 2012-2013 general chairman and treasurer of the Technology & Maintenance Council, a technical council of American Trucking Associations, during TMC’s 2012 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Tampa, Fla., Feb. 20-23.

Long said one of his goals as chairman is to raise the awareness of students about career opportunities as heavy-duty truck technicians. A TMC member since 1996, he has been closely involved with the formation of the Council’s Professional Technician Development Committee (PTDC) and its highly successful National Technician Skills Competition, chairing several task forces and serving as PTDC chairman from 2007 to 2010. Long was elected to TMC’s Board of Directors in 2010, serving this past year as vice chairman and chairman of meetings.

At Southeastern Freight Lines, Long, with the help of six field engineers, reviews the specifications and oversee maintenance of more than 12,000 pieces of equipment, personnel and staffing requirements for twenty-two maintenance facilities, analysis of equipment disposition, serving his internal customers, and oversight of outside vendor repairs in 55 non-shop locations.

Others serving as TMC officers for 2012-2013 include: Vice Chairman and Chairman of Meetings, Kirk Altrichter, Gordon Trucking; Chairman of Study Groups, Dan Umphress, Fleet Advantage; Membership and Publicity Chairman, Peggy Fisher, TireStamp, Inc.; Chairman of Associates, Al Anderson, Bose Corp.; Immediate Past Chairman, Roy Gambrell, Truck It; and Executive Director, Carl Kirk, Technology & Maintenance Council of American Trucking Associations.

Directors include: Brent Hilton, Maverick Transportation; Glen McDonald, Ozark Motor Lines; Kevin Otto, Cummins; John Sullivan, Reliable Carriers; Ron Szapacs, Air Products & Chemicals; Kevin Tomlinson, South Shore Transportation; and Dave Williams, Verizon Fleet Operations.

TMC’s 2012 Transportation Technology Exhibition, held in conjunction with the meeting, featured 326 exhibitors in Tampa Convention Center’s 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall. The show, North America's first major transportation equipment show of 2012, included a broad assortment of the latest technology in commercial vehicles and components. Nick Thompson, regional maintenance manager for Old Dominion Freight Line, was the winner of the grand prize drawing for an expense-paid trip for two to the 2013 Daytona 500.

Members participated in 100 TMC Task Forces meetings early in the week to work on industry 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.

TMC will hold its 2012 Fall Meeting and National Technician Skills Competition Sept. 10-13 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. TMCSuperTech2012 will be the eighth national competition and includes 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 or online at http://tmc.truckline.com.