The Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) of American Trucking Associations awarded its highest honor – the Silver Spark Plug Award – to six trucking industry professionals during the Council's 2005 Fall Meeting
in Valley Forge, Pa., in mid-September.
The 2005 TMC Silver Spark Plug Recipients are: Jerry Anderson, manager for national aftermarket fleet sales for Freightliner LLC, Reidsville, N.C.; Jerry Thrift, senior manager for new product development for Ryder System - Supply Chain Solutions, Miami, Fla.; Bob Rutherford, fleet sales consultant to National Seating Co., a division of Commercial Vehicle Group, and to the TMCFleetPortal, Franklin, Tenn.; Roy Gambrell, director of maintenance for Truck It Inc., Franklin, Ky.; Gail Swiger, driver for ABF; and Braxton Vick, senior vice president for Southeastern Freight Lines, Columbia, S.C.
These recipients were awarded the Silver Spark Plug for their outstanding contributions to the improvement of equipment, maintenance, industry-related technology and management practices.
Anderson, a TMC member for nearly 14 years, was named a TMC Recognized Associate in 2000. He served as assistant chairman to TMC's meeting mechanics committee, served on the sergeant at arms committee and supported the associates advisory group as needed. He most recently chaired the Best Practices for Parts Purchasing Task Force.
. Thrift joined TMC in 1979 when it was still the RCCC Maintenance Committee. He has served as a moderator and presenter for numerous technical presentations, most notably with TMC's S.7 Trailers, Bodies and Material Handling Study Group and the Future Truck Committee. He served as both vice-chairman and chairman of that Study Group and served as chairman of TMC's Tomorrow's Truck Committee – now Future Truck Committee, is past chairman of American Trucking Associations' Technical Advisory Group and is an active member of SAE. He currently serves as chairman of Future Truck's Corrosion Abatement Task Force.
Rutherford, a Recognized Associate and TMC member since 1989, has worked extensively with the S.3 Engines Study Group and the S.4 Cab & Controls Study Group, chairing a number of Task Forces. In addition to being a presenter for technical sessions, he has served as a sergeant at arms, meeting mechanic, and a member of the member contact committee. For the past several years he has chaired the New Technology Presentation Committee.
Gambrell, a TMC member since 1982, has served on and chaired on numerous Task Forces within the S.4 Cab and Controls Study Group and been an organizer or panelist for numerous technical sessions. He was elected S.4's vice chairman in 1996 and became chairman in 2000. He was elected to TMC's Board in 2003 and currently serves as Director at Large.
Swiger, a member since 1994, has spent her career as an owner-operator or company driver, bring the valuable perspective as a driver into focus in meetings and technical presentations, where she emphasized such concerns as seating, cab climate and visibility. That perspective made her a natural in the leadership role of S.4 Cab & Controls Study Group where she served as Task Force chairman, vice chairman and chairman. Ms. Swiger served on the Presentations Improvement Committee, volunteered to electronically organize presentations for various technical sessions and initiated the practice of providing copies of presentations on CD for attendees. She has also served as a panelist at SAE Truck & Bus meetings.
Vick joined TMC in 2001 when the group created a home for the former Information Technology and Logistics Council. The wealth of experience and information brought to TMC by Vick and other IT/logistics professionals has elevated the understanding on onboard and offboard technology within TMC and improved its effectiveness within the industry. He has served as chairman of S.24 Off-Board Data Communications Study Group, was elected to TMC's Board of Directors and is currently Chairman of Study Groups.