Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc., Dayton, Ohio, has been elected as 2009-2010 chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association.
The swearing-in ceremony took place this week during the association's annual convention in Orlando, Fla.

Burch has been active with TCA and the American Trucking Associations for almost 20 years. He has served as a TCA board member since 1996 and as an officer since 2004. He has also participated in and/or chaired numerous TCA committees and task forces, most notably the Recruitment & Retention and Membership committees. For ATA, he was recently appointed chairman of the Labor and Regulatory Committee, and he also serves on the Membership and Communication/Image committees.

His 35 years of trucking experience includes less-than-truckload, truckload, air freight, and consolidation. Burch has been the president of and a partner in Jet Express, Inc., since 1990. Under his leadership, Jet Express currently has 90 company drivers, 320 owner-operators, and 600 trailers. The company handles more than 500 truckloads per day throughout the United States, primarily for the "just-in-time" automotive industry. The company was awarded the prestigious "Worldwide Supplier Award" from General Motors for three consecutive years because of its ability to provide excellent service.

Burch is a member of the Ohio Trucking Association and the transportation clubs of both Miami Valley (in Dayton, Ohio) and Saginaw, Michigan. He is also involved in numerous committees, including the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Burch is known as a "hands-on" leader who believes in team sharing on all projects. One of his philosophies is that "drivers drive the company." He enjoys learning new things, especially when it comes to the trucking industry, for which he is very passionate. For example, in 2008, while serving as TCA's vice chairman, he felt compelled to study for his Commercial Driver's License and was issued his license in September of that year.

During his year as TCA Chairman, Burch will dedicate much of his trucking passion and energy to helping carriers overcome the challenges of the current volatile business climate. "I have two main goals: to promote the trucking industry and help carriers gain the knowledge they need to succeed during tough economic times," he said.

The following individuals have been elected to assist Burch and will serve as officers until the next annual convention:

* First Vice Chairman: John Kaburick, president, Earl L. Henderson Trucking Co., Salem, Ill.
* Second Vice Chairman: Gary Salisbury, president & CEO, Fikes Truck Line, Hope, Ark.
* Secretary: Robert E. Low, president & founder, Prime Inc., Springfield, Mo.
* Treasurer: Tom Kretsinger Jr., president & COO, American Central Transport, Liberty, Mo.
* Associaiton VP to ATA: Lance Craig, CEO & president, Craig Transportation Co., Perrysburg, Ohio
* Immediate Past Chairman: Ray Haight, executive director, MacKinnon Transport, Guelph, Ontario
* At-Large Officers: Shepard Dunn, president & CEO, Bestway Express, Vincennes, Ind.; Russell Stubbs, senior vice president & COO, FFE Transportation Services, Dallas;Keith Tuttle, president, Motor Carrier Service Inc., Northwood, Ohio; Tom Witt, president, Arrow Trucking Co., Tulsa, Okla.