A GENERALLY upbeat group of trailer manufacturers gathered in Tucson April 17-20 for the 60th annual convention of the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association.
With the market showing some early signs of a turnaround, manufacturers heard generally optimistic outlooks from two of the convention speakers. A third session, however, pointed out some of the challenges facing the fleets that buy trailers.
A full report of those presentations can be found on the pages that follow.
The association also elected a new slate of officers. Brian Ling, Reliance Trailer Manufacturing in Cotati, California, will be serving his second term as chairman of the board. Ling had been scheduled to complete his term during the convention. But with the death earlier this year of TTMA's vice-chairman, Norm Hutchinson, Ling will serve the association for two years.
The officers and directors chosen to lead the association during the 2002-2003 term are:
TTMA Officers and Directors
Chairman of the Board
Brian Ling
Reliance Trailer Manufacturing
Cotati, California
Vice Chairman of the Board
Jerry Thomsen
Trail King Industries
Mitchell, South Dakota
Treasurer
Don Wahlin
Stoughton Trailers Inc
Stoughton, Wisconsin
Chairman, Policy Committee
Kit Hammond
Great Dane Trailers
Savannah, Georgia
President
Richard Bowling
TTMA
Alexandria, Virginia
Chairman, Tank Conference
Grant Smith
West-Mark
Ceres, California
Vice Chairman, Tank Conference
Dave Shannon
Beall Trailers of Montana
Billings, Montana
Chairman for Associates
Bob Voss
Hayes Lemmerz International
Northville, Michigan
Vice Chairman for Associates
Dan Wallace
Phillips Industries
Santa Fe Springs, California
Immediate Past Chairman for Associates
Bob Dubsky
Hadley Products
Grandville, Michigan
Chairman, Convention Committee
Jerry Thomsen
Trail King Industries
Mitchell, South Dakota
Vice-chairman, Convention Committee
William Herndon
HPA Monon
Monon, Indiana
TTMA Directors for 2002-2003
Kenney Allred
Timpte Inc
David City, Nebraska
Bruce Black
Trailmobile Trailers LLC
Northbrook, Illinois
John Cannon
Brenner Tank LLC
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Glenda Cole
Bankhead Enterprises
Atlanta, Georgia
Tom Determan
Determan Brownie
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Charles Dutil
Manac
St Georges, Quebec, Canada
Menno Eby
M H Eby Inc
Blue Ball, Pennsylvania
Bill Greubel
Wabash National
Lafayette, Indiana
Larry Hartog
Kentucky Manufacturing Company
Louisville, Kentucky
William Herndon
HPA Monon Corporation
Monon, Indiana
Frank Katz
Strick Corporation
Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania
Rick Odle
Talbert Manufacturing
Rensselaer, Indiana
Bill Persinger
Wilson Trailer Company
Sioux City, Iowa
Jeff Pitts
Pitts Trailers
Pittsview, Alabama
Ray Schaffer
Weld-It Company
Los Angeles, California
Scott Semlinger
Lufkin Trailers
Lufkin, Texas