The National Private Truck Council this week honored several private fleet executives for their contributions to the association and to the industry with its annual NPTC Leadership Awards, presented during the NPTC's annual conference in Cincinnati.


The NPTC Leadership Awards, which have been a highlight of the annual conference since 1990, are sponsored by Heavy Duty Trucking magazine. These awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the National Private Truck Council:

* Private Fleet Executive of the Year: George Hunter, Director, Logistics, Oldcastle, Atlanta.

* Fleet Safety Professional of the Year: Martha Bertrand, Transportation Manager, Spartan Stores, Plymouth, Michigan.

* Fleet Member of the Year: Dan Norris, Fleet Operations Manager, Pepsi Beverages Co., Huntington, West Virginia.

* Allied Member of the Year: Dave Helge, Idealease of North America, N. Barrington, Illinois.

* Membership Development Award: Gayle Robertson, Bolt System, Nashville, Tennessee.

The Daniel P. Smith Life Achievement Award went to Thomas R. Stedman, who retired last year from his position as director of transportation for Walgreen's Oshkosh.

"He has been through every type of challenge a fleet manager could have" in his 47 years, said NPTC President Gary Petty. Petty noted that the company's fleet reported its best safety record in its history during Stedman's final year, a triute to the cumulative effect of all the strategies Stedman had implemented over the years as far as driver training, pay, etc.

Stedman, in accepting the award, praised the association, noting that in the late '70s, NPTC lobbied heavily for trucking deregulation, which happened in 1980. "Without their efforts, I don't think we'd have deregulation to the extent we do today," he said.

Updated 4/26/2010 to correct spelling of Gayle Robertson's name.