J. Ward Best, Vice President of Atlantic Bulk Carriers of Providence Forge, Virginia, has been re-elected Chairman of the Virginia Trucking Association (VTA), the statewide trade association of Virginia's trucking industry. Best, who has worked for Atlantic Bulk Carrier since 1996, has served on the VTA Safety & Human Resources Council and was elected to the VTA Executive Committee last year. He has actively served on a number of other industry and safety-related organizations and associations. Atlantic Bulk Carrier, the largest tank-truck carrier based in Virginia, handles both liquid and dry materials, including hazardous and non-hazardous commodities, ranging from chemical compounds, mined aggregates to plastic resins. Atlantic Bulk Carrier's operations are concentrated along the East Coast, although the company is licensed for all of the continental United States and Canada. Congratulations are also in order for the following VTA officers: 1st Vice Chairman - Harry G. Norris, President, Howells Motor Freight, Inc., Roanoke, Va. Treasurer - Gary Okes, Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer, Estes Express Lines, Richmond, Va. Secretary/President & CEO - Dale Bennett, Virginia Trucking Association, Richmond, Va. Immediate Past Chairman - James G. "Jay" Smith, III, President, Cox Transportation Services, Ashland, Va. Congratulations to the following officers elected to the VTA Executive Committee:
- Peer Segelke, Chief Executive Officer, The Lawrence Companies, Roanoke, Va.;
- Zane Houff, President, Houff Transfer, Weyers Cave, Va.;
- Nick D'Andrea, Director, State Government Affairs, UPS, Louisville, KY.;
- David Newman, President, J. D. Newman, Inc., Elkwood, Va.;
- Tom Mohr, President, Highway Motors, Inc. Roanoke, Va.; and
- R. Carl Bumgarner*, President & CEO of Fleetmaster Express, Inc. of Roanoke, Va.
The VTA Board of Directors is comprised of the Executive Committee and the following elected members:
- Frank Borum, Atlantic Intermodal Services, Chesapeake
- Barry Dodson, Hilldrup Moving & Storage, Stafford
- Russell Ellett, Virginia Truck Center, Roanoke
- Danielle Ferrell, J. R. Tharpe Trucking Company, Rice
- Danny S. Glover, GTL Transport Company, Suffolk
- James E. Hartman, Truck Enterprises, Inc., Harrisonburg
- Douglas Z. Houff*, Houff Transfer, Inc., Weyers Cave
- Kimberly Lacey, Abilene Motor Express, Richmond
- C. Duncan Quicke, SVCC Truck Driver Training School, Blackstone
- C. Stephen Setliff, Setliff Law, P.C., Richmond
- Gary Short*, Past President of the VTA, Atlantic Bulk Carrier, Providence Forge
