Six industry veterans were honored with Silver Spark Plugs by the ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council at its annual meeting Monday in Nashville.
The winners were Kurt Altrichter, Gordon Trucking, and TMC vice chairman of meetings; Tony Tierney, BorgWarner; Bonne Karim, retired from USPS; Ken Kelley, Webb Wheel; Ken Calhoun, Truck Centers of Arkansas; and Ken DeGrant; DG Technologies.
Altrichter was S.4 chairman from 2004-2011 and is a current council board of director. He’s the upcoming TMC general chairman, and “a tireless advocate of doing the right thing,” says Lee Long, current general chairman.
Tierney has been a TMC member since 1991, and has spent his time as an active S.7 study group member. He’s pushed the council to utilize social media and grow its SuperTech program, and is currently a Sergeant at Arms.
Karim has been closely involved with the Professional Technician Development Committee since its inception and is the current chairwoman. She also helped establish the technician training fair in 2003 and SuperTech two years later.
Kelley is a 21-year veteran of TMC and has spent most of that time as an active member of the S.2 study group. He has chaired many task forces within S.2, and was the study group’s secretary for three years — for which he was presented the TMC Secretary’s award.
Calhoun was a founding member of the Service Provider committee and helped it evolve into S.16 last year. He’s currently the study group chairman, and also has been active in S.5, Fleet Maintenance Management.
DeGrant has been a TMC member since 1999. He’s been active in on- and off-board technology discussion, and established the IT logistics sector on the council. He works extensively with the on-board vehicle diagnostic study group, and is known as “Mr. S.12.”
