Bill Graves, American Trucking Assns. president and CEO, has announced that former ATA President Bill Canary has accepted the position of president of the Business Council of Alabama (BCA).

The BCA is a bipartisan, nonprofit business association that represents the interests and concerns of 5,000 businesses and industries throughout Alabama. Canary will remain with ATA until mid-March when he assumes his new duties in Montgomery, Ala.
Graves said, "For nearly 19 months, Bill Canary commuted between his home in Montgomery to the ATA headquarters in Alexandria, Va. to lead our organization. Since arriving at ATA, one of my top priorities was to find a way that Bill could continue to serve ATA as part of my team. He provided ATA with outstanding leadership during a very challenging time in both our nation's -- and trucking's -- history. Bill and I have been friends for nearly two decades and I certainly wanted him to continue in my administration."
Canary said he wanted to be closer to his family, and in his new position, he will be two miles from home instead of the 800-mile commute to ATA's facilities in Alexandria, Va.
Prior to leading ATA, Canary served as chief of staff for the Republican National Committee. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Canary his special assistant for intergovernmental affairs.
"ATA has been more than a family to me for over 11 years. During the nearly 19 months that I served as president and CEO, I?ve never had a greater and rewarding challenge. But I?ve also never had a better group than the ATA staff and the 50 state leaders to meet that challenge," Canary said.