Editorial: Passing the Baton

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img src="/sites/default/files/images/articles/printeditiontag_new.gif" width=120 align=right>The responsibility for leading American Trucking Associations passed this week from William J. Canary to Bill Graves. ATA transferred from one professional and competent set of hands to another.

Canary assumed the helm of the nation’s leading trucking trade group as interim president in July 2001 and later agreed to become the official, but temporary, president until Graves finished his second term as governor of Kansas.

Now that he has turned over his state office to his successor, Graves is scheduled to officially assume the presidency of ATA on Jan. 15.

Canary’s tenure will surely be best remembered for his building of bridges between the national organization and its state affiliates and councils. It was his top priority.

His success in that arena should come as no surprise, since Canary had overseen federation relations for ATA for several years from his home in Alabama before taking on the presidency. He is a leader committed to compromise and consensus.

During his tenure, he helped restore a full measure of trust, which had frayed under the pressures of ATA’s restructuring, between the national federation, its councils and state trucking associations.

The bonds between ATA and the Truckload Carriers Association and the National Automobile Transporters Association were rebuilt. And there are ongoing discussions with other groups over efforts to form a coalition that can speak for all of trucking.

Despite economic hard times, ATA has grown in strength and influence. The federation ended 2002 with more members than it had at the beginning of the year, the first time that’s happened in a long time. It’s one of the measurable outcomes of Canary’s stewardship.

As a result, Graves will inherit a stronger and more powerful ATA.

With this solid platform, Graves can be expected to move ATA to new levels of influence, thanks to the reputation he built during his eight years as the political leader of Kansas.

Graves comes from a trucking family and is already familiar with many of the major issues facing the industry on Capitol Hill, at the White House and with the federal regulatory agencies.

ATA is indeed fortunate to have this kind of strong leadership. This is a time to thank Bill Canary and to welcome Bill Graves.

This article appears in the Jan. 13 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.