Montana Trucking Executive Takes Chair of ATA's Board
Ray Kuntz, CEO of Watkins & Shepard Trucking Inc. of Helena, Mont., began a 16-month term June 12 as chairman of the board of directors of the American Trucking Associations, the leading trucking industry trade group. He was chosen as ATA completed its executive committee meeting in Dallas.
Kuntz succeeded Patrick Quinn, who had chaired the board since October 2005. Quinn is CEO and co-chairman of U.S. Xpress Enterprises. Kuntz intends to build consensus within the trucking industry on highway funding, environmental, and tax policy issues, according to ATA. Attracting new drivers to the industry is another priority, and tort reform is one more.
Kuntz has been ATA's first vice chairman, where he was a leader in developing ATA's comprehensive truck driver recruitment campaign, which includes GetTrucking.com. ATA modeled its Company Driver Tuition Finance Program after a program successfully piloted by Kuntz at Watkins & Shepard to address a shortage of long-haul truck drivers.