Kirk Altrichter, vice president of Gordon Trucking, Pacific, Wash., was installed as the 2013-2014 general chairman and treasurer of the Technology & Maintenance Council, a technical council of American Trucking Associations, during TMC’s 2013 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition in Nashville, Tenn., March 11-14.

Altrichter said his goal as chairman is to focus attention on technician recruitment and to increase the representation at TMC of technical schools. Altrichter was elected to TMC’s Board of Directors in 2011, serving this past year as vice chairman and chairman of meetings.

Others serving as TMC officers for 2013-2014 include: Vice Chairman and Chairman of Meetings Dan Umphress, Fleet Advantage; Chairman of Study Groups Kevin Tomlinson, South Shore Transportation; Chairman of Membership and Publicity Peggy Fisher, TireStamp Inc.; Chairman of Associates Al Anderson, Bose Corp.; Immediate Past Chairman Lee Long, Southeastern Freight Lines; 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; Doug White, Dunbar Armored, and Dave Williams, Verizon Fleet Operations.

TMC concluded its highly successful annual meeting with more than 3,200 attendees — its highest attendance since 2000. Highlights of the meeting included an announcement to members of the Council's strategic five-year plan that includes expanding the membership and establishing TMC as the recognized technical expert and foremost authority on truck equipment issues.

TMC’s 2013 Transportation Technology Exhibition, held in conjunction with the meeting at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center, featured more than 370 exhibitors. The show included a broad assortment of the latest technology in commercial vehicles and components. Terry Ebert, national fleet manager for J.E.T. Transit, was the winner of the grand prize drawing for a trip for two to the 2014 Daytona 500.

Members participated in more than 100 TMC task force 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 2013 Fall Meeting and National Technician Skills Competition Sept. 9-12 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. TMCSuperTech 2013 will be the ninth competition and will include finalists of state and corporate technician competitions.