Ward Best, the vice president of Atlantic Bulk Carrier, recently was re-elected as the chairman of the Virginia Trucking Association (VTA), which is the statewide trade association for Virginia’s trucking industry.
Best has worked at Atlantic Bulk Carrier, headquartered in Providence Forge VA, since 1996. He served on the VTA Safety & Human Resources Council and was elected to the VTA executive committee last year. Best also serves on many other industry and safety-related organizations and associations, according to VTA.
Atlantic Bulk, the largest tank-truck carrier in Virginia, handles liquid and dry materials, including hazardous and non-hazardous commodities ranging from chemical compounds and mined aggregates to plastic resins. Atlantic Bulk’s operations are concentrated on the East Coast but it is licensed for all of the continental United States and Canada.
The other VTA officers elected are:
- First vice chairman: Harry G Norris, president, Howells Motor Freight, Roanoke VA
- Treasurer: Gary Okes, treasurer/chief financial officer, Estes Express Lines, Richmond VA
- Secretary/president and CEO: Dale Bennett, VTA, Richmond
- Immediate past chairman: James G “Jay” Smith, III, president, Cox Transportation Services, Ashland VA
In addition to the officers, newly elected members of the VTA executive committee include:
- Peer Segelke, chief executive officer, The Lawrence Companies, Roanoke
- Zane Houff, president, Houff Transfer, Weyers Cave VA
- Nick D’Andrea, director, state government affairs, UPS, Louisville KY
- David Newman, president, JD Newman, Elkwood VA
- Tom Mohr, president, Highway Motors, Roanoke
- Carl Bumgarner, president and CEO of Fleetmaster Express, Roanoke
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, JR Tharpe Trucking Company, Rice
- Danny S Glover, GTL Transport Company, Suffolk
- James E Hartman, Truck Enterprises, Harrisonburg
- Douglas Z. Houff, Houff Transfer, Weyers Cave
- Kimberly Lacey, Abilene Motor Express, Richmond
- Duncan Quicke, SVCC Truck Driver Training School, Blackstone
- Stephen Setliff, Setliff Law, Richmond
- Gary Short, Atlantic Bulk Carrier, Providence Forge