John Arndt Jr., Longtime Navistar Employee, Dies at 74
John C. Arndt Jr., who for decades worked for Navistar Corp. and Penske Leasing as well as his own firm, died Jan. 12 at his home in St. Charles, Illinois. He was 74.
Arndt started the consulting business Advocate Fleet Services upon retiring from Navistar in 2002, after a 35-year career.
He ran Advocate Fleet Services until his death. All told, he spent 56 years in trucking.
Arndt was active in American Trucking Associations' Technology & Maintenance Council, then known as the Regular Common Carrier Conference.
In 1991, he received the Silver Spark Plug award, TMC’s highest honor.
“John always acted on behalf of the industry rather than that of an individual manufacturer. Everyone appreciated that about John,” said Carl Kirk, vice president of maintenance, information technology and logistics for ATA. “He was also a big proponent in the early days of the Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standard, which is now the industry convention for tracking parts- reliability data. He will be sorely missed by the industry.”
In order to qualify for the award, a member must demonstrate five years’ service, industry leader-ship and contribute new ideas to maintenance and improvement of equipment.
Since the award’s inception in 1968 under the Regular Common Carrier Conference, 201 people have been recognized with it. Arndt was born Sept. 27, 1940, in Chicago, and was an avid Chicago Bears fan.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia; children Jon, Maggie and Gi Gi, and two grandchildren.
