The Technology & Maintenance Council's 2008 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition, held Feb. 4-8 in Orlando, Fla., provided fleet managers and truck and engine makers with a scorecard on 2007 engine
performance and expectations for additional engine changes for 2010 model year on-highway trucks.
In conjunction with the meeting, TMC hosted North America's first major transportation equipment show of 2008. The 2008 TMC Transportation Technology Exhibition featured about 315 exhibitors across more than 210,000-square-foot convention hall with a total meeting/exhibit attendance of more than 3,000. More than 95 TMC Task Forces met during the week to work on equipment maintenance and engineering Recommended Practices.
Brent Hilton, director of maintenance for Maverick Service Centers, Little Rock, Ark., was installed as TMC general chairman, succeeding Darry Stuart of DWS Fleet Management Services.
Hilton moves into the TMC general chairman position after a year as vice chairman and chairman of meetings. Hilton has served in several other TMC leadership positions, as a member of the TMC board of directors and chairman of the S.7 Trailers, Bodies & Material Handling Study Group.
He received the Council's highest honor, the Silver Spark Plug award, in 2006.

2008-09 TMC officers include:
General Chairman & Treasurer, Brent Hilton, Maverick Service Centers
Vice Chairman of Meetings, Steph Sabo, Norrenberns Trucks Service
Chairman of Study Groups, Jerry Thrift, Ryder
Chairman of Membership and Publicity, Jerry Warmkessel, Mack Trucks
Chairman Associates Advisory Group Chairman, Jerry Anderson, Freightliner
Immediate Past Chairman, Darry Stuart, DWS Fleet Management Services
Executive Director, Carl Kirk, American Trucking Associations.

Directors-at-large of the 2008-09 board include:
Ken Braiser, Praxair; Bob Flesher, FedEx Ground; Mari Skippers, Eaton Corp.; Joe Stianche, Sanderson Farms; Oren Summer, FleetNet America; Ron Szapacs, Air Products and Chemicals; Jerry Thrift, Ryder; Jerry Warmkessel, Mack Trucks; and Dave Williams, Verizon.

Scott Bartlein, fleet manager for Barry Trucking in Milwaukee, Wis., was the winner for a fleet-attendee grand prize drawing at the Transportation Technology Exhibition, receiving an all-expense-paid trip for two to the 2009 Daytona 500.
TMC will hold its 2008 Fall Meeting and its fourth National Technician Skills Competition - TMCSuperTech2008 - Sept. 15-18 at the Renaissance Hotel & Nashville Convention Center, Nashville, Tenn. The National Technician Skills Competition for finalists of state and corporate technician competitions is being organized by TMC's Professional Technical Development Committee (PTDC).
For information on PTDC, the technician skills competition or opportunities for corporate sponsorship, contact TMC at (703) 838-1763, or visit TMC's web site at tmc.truckline.com.