Todd Davis, NTEA Chairman
Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment
Pomona, California
This article was published in the December 2018 edition of NTEA News.
It’s election season. Last month, I’m sure many of you participated in the U.S. midterm election. We all know it’s important to engage the process, review our options and make informed selections. NTEA also conducts an election each year to determine who will serve on the Board and steer the Association. I’d like to take a moment to share some detail on our Board election and its significance.
First, some background. As you may know, NTEA is governed by its Association Bylaws under leadership of a member-elected Board of Directors. Board candidates are nominated by the general membership for three-year terms.
Voting for the next term is open from Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 to Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. This election is an opportunity for members to voice which industry leaders they want to represent them and guide the Association, providing direction on how NTEA supports its members and the industry at large — it’s a big deal.
NTEA manufacturer and distributor member companies are eligible to take part in the Board election. When main member contacts receive an electronic ballot via email, they will be able to review available Director openings.
Newly-elected Directors will be formally introduced to the general membership March 7, 2019 during The Work Truck Show®, at which time their term of service officially begins.
Board service
You may be wondering what Board service actually entails. All 13 of us get together three times a year at regular intervals (spring, summer and fall) to make sure Association efforts are aligned with NTEA’s mission of furthering the knowledge, growth and profitability of the work truck industry. We discuss strategy and help determine where NTEA should be allocating resources in order to deliver ultimate value and vital tools (I hope your business is utilizing what’s available; my team profits from the technical support, market data analysis, educational courses — I could keep right on going).
Beyond this, each Board member gets involved in committee work. Apart from the Executive Committee, we have committees dedicated to finance and investment, services, data, fostering chassis manufacturer relationships and education, in addition to taskforces geared toward workforce development, Board development and the Bylaws. These groups meet consistently to ensure all facets of the Association are functioning in the best interests of membership. They discuss relevant issues and identify how NTEA can actively support solutions and advance the commercial vehicle community.
Our vision is global recognition as the undisputed resource and advocate for the North American work truck industry, and I can tell you we’re well on our way to achieving this goal. In my six-plus years on the Board, I’ve been impressed by the caliber of business professionals with whom I’ve served. Our Board members are motivated by success of the industry as a whole, and it’s an honor to share our collective experience and have the chance to make a difference that strengthens our dynamic and vibrant community.
I encourage you to take a moment to review the highly-qualified slate of candidates at ntea.com/boardelection and submit your picks by Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Contact NTEA’s team if you have any questions (800-441-6832 or info@ntea.com).