The tank truck industry will be well represented on the American Trucking Associations’ recently unveiled 2023 Law Enforcement Advisory Board (LEAB).
The new 38-member advisory panel includes long-time Usher Transport executive David Guess, who currently serves as the Louisville, Kentucky-based carrier’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, with responsibility for accounting, human resources, information technology, and fleet maintenance.
LEAB was formed in 2021 to advise the ATA Federation on strategies to grow and strengthen relationships between the trucking industry and law enforcement organizations across the country. The board is comprised of ATA members with experience in federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as current and retired law enforcement officials who’ve contributed positively to the partnership between both groups.
“As a member of the LEAB representing the tank truck industry, my 25-plus years of experience will help foster further communications and open dialogue to the various groups, associations, and motor carriers that will seek advisement from the board members through the ATA,” Guess told Bulk Transporter.
“Through the experience and expertise of my colleagues in the National Tank Truck Carriers association, as well as other tank-specific entities, I have a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips that can benefit many other carriers. In general, if I don’t have a particular answer, I can usually find it through many different resources.”
‘An honor and privilege’
Guess worked with the Kentucky State Police’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division early in his career, and he remains a sworn law enforcement officer with the Austin Police Department in Indiana, serving as a police officer trainer certified in SWAT operations, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, and patrol stops.
The recent Kentucky Trucking Association chairman also is a guest instructor with the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
“Being selected as a LEAB member an honor and privilege,” Guess said. “An honor in respect to the immeasurable years of experience and talent to which this board represents. Many of my colleagues have held esteemed law enforcement careers, combined with levels of business acumen that serves as a solid cornerstone of advisement to the industry we serve. I hold the membership as a privilege as well because I know many applied and the selection process was disciplined to ensure the levels of board leadership the ATA is seeking.”
Fred Fakkema, vice president of safety and compliance for Zonar Systems, again will serve as LEAB chairman, ATA said. Prior to joining Zonar, Fakkema spent 25 years with the Washington State Patrol.
“This group continues to make a positive impact on highway safety by working to better align industry and law enforcement resources toward that common goal,” Fakkema said in a news release. “Last year, we helped advance the ball on truck parking through outreach to state departments of transportation across the country, alerting them to the federal funds available to build out capacity.
“That issue, in addition to others like human trafficking, aggressive and distracted driving, and marijuana legalization, will remain a top focus of ours in the year ahead.”
The members of the 2023 LEAB are:
- Fred Fakkema (chairman), Zonar Systems
- Ron Cordova, Zonar Systems
- Jeff Ferber, J.B. Hunt
- Derek Barrs, HNTB Corporation
- Parker Harrison, Old Dominion Freight Line
- Mike Martin, Old Dominion Freight Line
- Jim Kochenderfer, Werner Enterprises
- Tim Cardwell, National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Assistance Center
- Jeffrey Tippit, City of La Porte Police Department
- Dana Moore, Texas Trucking Association
- John Rigney, Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association
- Kent Grisham, Nebraska Trucking Association
- Will Cole, Montana Trucking Association
- Steve Massey, North Carolina Trucking Association
- Keith Eoff, J.B. Hunt
- Marc Nichols, Drivewyze
- Mark Savage, Drivewyze
- John Samis, Delaware State Police
- Mark Riordan, U.S. Auto Logistics
- Christopher Vinson, Midlothian Texas Police Department
- Rex Railsback, Railsback Hazmat Safety Professionals
- Ray Miller, McAnally Wilkins Insurance
- Jeff DeVere, DeVere Public Affairs
- Rocco Marrari, EBE Technologies
- Steve Dowling, Covenant Logistics
- Steve Keppler, Scopelitis Transportation Consulting
- Todd Armstrong, Illinois State Police
- Jake Elovirta, Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)
- Dennis Bailey, Walmart
- Floyd Dixon, FedEx
- Joshua Shelton, FedEx
- Doug Beebe, American Moving & Storage
- Gary McCarthy, Aurora Innovation
- Kevin Kelley, Missouri State Highway Patrol
- Milana Walters, TM Total Consulting
- Martin Cepeda, Trancasa USA
- David Guess, Usher Transport
- Janice Mulanix, PrePass Safety Alliance