Austin, Texas – Today, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ opened the Exhibit Hall at the federation’s annual Management Conference & Exhibition with a ribbon cutting ceremony honoring the industry’s supplier community.
"The ribbon cutting ceremony is always very exciting and we value the chance to recognize our industry’s suppliers. ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ members are able to come to the Exhibit Hall and see the newest advances in safety technologies, financial services – anything a trucking executive might want to use at their company – spanning all sectors of the industry," said ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Chairman Dave Manning, president of TCW. "We are proud to have our suppliers here to make this a must-see moment at the conference and we thank them for their continued efforts to provide quality products for our members and the industry."
The MCE Exhibit Hall, part of ÐÓ°É´«Ã½â€™s 85th annual meeting, features 157 exhibitors, including 26 first-time exhibitors. The hall also hosts ÐÓ°É´«Ã½â€™s General Sessions throughout the week.
Manning was joined at the ribbon cutting by ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ã€€President and CEO Chris Spear, as well as　ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ First Vice Chairman Barry Pottle, president of Pottle’s Transportation LLC; ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Second Vice Chairman Randy Guillot, president of Triple G Express, Inc. and Southeastern Motor Freight, Inc.; Vice Chairman Sherri Brumbaugh Garner, president and CEO of Garner Transportation; ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Vice Chairman Harold Sumerford Jr., chairman and CEO of J&M Trucking Group; ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Secretary John Smith, chairman of CRST International Inc.; ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Treasurer Mike Ducker, former president and CEO of FedEx Freight; and ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Immediate Past Chairman Kevin Burch, president of Jet Express Inc.
"The benefits of bringing our partners and motor carriers together to have conversations about the products featured here and how they can improve the industry are endless," said Spear. "Being able to provide our members, fleet executives, truck drivers, and exhibitors, the opportunity to interact with each other and discuss how these products will help move our industry forward is one of the great achievements here at MCE."
The Exhibit Hall also features a newly redesigned ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Pavilion, focusing on ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ industry-leading activities, tips on how to take advantage of ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ memberships or become a member; representatives from the ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Councils as well as the ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ membership department will be on hand to discuss the industry’s key issues and ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ programs, like America’s Road Team and the ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ Share the Road highway safety program, allowing professional truck drivers the opportunity to discuss safe driving and industry image best practices with attendees.
ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation’s freight. Follow ÐÓ°É´«Ã½ onÌýÌýorÌý.Ìý
###