American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council honored several industry leaders with a variety of awards for their service to the council and industry and awarded five professionals with its highest honor, the Silver Spark Plug, which recognizes professional excellence in commercial vehicle maintenance.

Abhishek Bharadwaj, north central sales manager, Alcoa Wheel & Transportation Products; Alexandra Knight, manager, market segmentation, Class C Solutions Group, and Mark Willis, business development manager, HDA Truck Pride, were honored as Recognized Associates.

TMC also recognized Pedro Garza, service writer, Texas Disposal Systems, and Leonard Wheatley, maintenance supervisor, FleetPro Inc., with the Excellence in Maintenance Supervision Award.

“For more than six decades, TMC has striven to advance the professional standards for commercial vehicle maintenance,” said Robert Braswell, TMC executive director. “The technicians and executives we honor here are doing that every day – and they all set the bar for excellence in this industry every day.”

This year’s Silver Spark Plug honorees are: Winston Minchew, training manager, Old Dominion Freight Line, Thomasville, North Caroline; Dave Dettman, president, QTC Transportation Holdings Freeport, Illinois; Homer Hogg, manager, technical development, Travel Centers of America, Lakeland, Florida; Joe Long, director, heavy duty business development, Old World Industries New Fairfield, Connecticut and Larry Rambeaux, national fleet and truck representative, Purkeys, Lowell, Arkansas.

“Only individuals who represent the best of our council in their commitment to improved engineering and maintenance standards through the development of TMC recommended practices are honored with the Silver Spark Plug,” said Jeff Harris TMC general chairman, vice president of maintenance at USA Truck. “I congratulate all these winners for their achievement and commitment.”

In addition, the Council announced the graduation of its inaugural group of candidates from the TMC of Tomorrow Leadership Development Program. The program is dedicated to developing future leaders of TMC and the transportation industry. The Class of 2019 graduates includes:

• Amanda Schuier, Quality Transport Co

• Bryan Stewart, JB Transport

• Chuck Kerr, FedEx Freight

• David Piliro, Dunbar Armored

• Matt Nolan, FedEx Freight

• Daniel Mustafa, Travel Centers of America

• Brandon Pashby, Ozark Motor Lines

• Brandon Fackey, Clark Power Services Inc.

• Mark Kennedy, Swift Transportation