SAN ANTONIO — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has recognized four founding members of the Trucking Moves America Forward (TMAF) campaign for their work to improve the trucking industry’s image.
“Ten years ago, the American Trucking Associations launched Trucking Moves America Forward — a groundbreaking campaign that brought our industry together to tell the uplifting story of trucking and enhance our image in the eyes of the American people we serve each and every day,” said American Trucking Associations COO Sarah Rajtik. “Because of the success of this campaign in improving the image of trucking, we are presenting each of the founding members of Trucking Moves America Forward with the S. Earl Dove Highway Award.”
ATA’s highest honor, the S. Earl Dove Highway Award, recognizes individuals whose contributions of time, energy and intelligence have advanced the interests of the trucking industry and the ATA federation.
The award is named for former ATA Chairman and former owner of AAA Cooper Transportation.
For their efforts with TMAF, ATA presented the Dove Award to:
• Elisabeth Barna, founder of EAB Strategies
• Kevin Burch, Martin Transportation Systems and past ATA chairman
• Wendy Hamilton, chief of staff of Pilot Company
• Steve Ponder, senior vice president of Great West Casualty Company
“We are thrilled to recognize these four impressive individuals for contributing their time, energy and vision to promote the interests of trucking and the ATA Federation,” Rajtik said.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
