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Tom Kretsigner Jr. elected chairman of TCA

LAS VEGAS — Tom Kretsinger Jr., president of American Central Transport Inc. of Liberty, Mo., Wednesday was installed as chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association and immediately announced that a portion of his agenda would be to continue to lead the organization’s effort to enhance the health and wellness of drivers and carrier employees with an emphasis on driver wellness.

“There’s enough sacrifice as it is on the part of drivers without sacrificing their health, wellness and lifespan,” Kretsinger told The Trucker after his inaugural address on the last day of the association’s 75th annual convention.

“Wellness is such a crucial area that our industry must address,” Kretsinger said during his inaugural address. “We must help give the tools to our drivers and administrative staffs alike, the tools for them to exercise more, eat healthier and break bad habits.”

As part of a campaign to improve the image of trucking initiated by past chairman Gary Salisbury and continued by immediate past chair Robert Low, the TCA has been a leader in the trucking industry in stressing health and wellness.

Kretsinger pledged to continue and enhance those efforts.

The association has conducted two weight loss showdowns in which companies and individuals competed to see who could lose the most weight, and held health fairs at locations across the country last year during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

Kretsinger said his first objective as chairman will be to conduct a strategic plan, something TCA has only done twice in the last 20 years.

The result should produce a snapshot of what the organization should look like in three years, with the ultimate goal of building a “best in class” organization that will keep truckload issues moving forward well into the future.

He’ll be looking for input from all levels of the association’s membership, he said.

“I believe annual planning is an excellent way to focus on the important things and help TCA carry out the mission envisioned by its members. It will allow leadership to track our progress toward important goals, help maintain continuity as leadership changes, and develop dashboards (key performance indicators) to determine objectively if we’re being successful in the areas of most importance to the truckload segment. After all, in order to get to where you’re going, one has to know the destination,” he said.

The avid outdoorsman and fisherman plans to build on other TCA image efforts, among them the Highway Angel program and the Wreaths Across America initiative.

Kretsinger received his bachelor’s degree from William Jewell College and his Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.

In 1981, he chose to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by joining the family law firm, Kretsinger & Kretsinger, which specialized in motor carrier law.

He also became involved with American Central Transport (ACT), the trucking company that his father purchased in the 1970s as E.K. Motor Service and then renamed. In 1998, he became ACT’s general counsel; he has served as its president since 2005.

Kretsinger writes and speaks on industry issues on BigTruckTV.com and is a regular speaker and panelist for the industry at many events.

The association also elected other officers and board members during the convention, among them:

First Vice Chairman: Shepard Dunn, President & CEO, Best Way Express Inc., Vincennes, Ind. Second Vice Chairman: Keith Tuttle, President, Motor Carrier Service Inc., Northwood, Ohio Secretary: Russell Stubbs, CEO & President, FFE Transportation Services Inc., Dallas Treasurer: Rob Penner, Executive Vice President, COO Bison Transport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Association Vice President to the American Trucking Associations: Thomas Witt, President, Roehl Flatbed & Specialized, Roehl Transport, Marshfield, Wis. Immediate Past Chairman: Robert Low, President and Founder, Prime inc., Springfield, Mo. At-Large Officers: Daniel I. Doran, President, Ace Doran Hauling & Rigging, Cincinnati; Josh Kaburick, Chief Operating Officer, Earl L. Henderson Trucking Company, Salem, Ill.; Daniel L. Oren, Vice President, Dart Transit Co., Eagan, Minn.; and Aaron Tennant, President, Tennant Truck Lines, Inc., Colona, Ill.  
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