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General Sessions Speakers

Kelly Swanson

Kelly Swanson, a funny and talented motivational speaker recently inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, whose credits include creator of Pride’s Hollow: The Small Town with a Big Heart, and author of Who Hijacked my Fairy Tale, The Story Formula, The Affirmation Journal for Positive Thinking, and coming soon – The Persuasion Principle.

General Session:  Resilience: How to Bend Without Breaking

Truckers Against Trafficking

Kelly Swanson, a funny and talented motivational speaker recently inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame, whose credits include creator of Pride’s Hollow: The Small Town with a Big Heart, and author of Who Hijacked my Fairy Tale, The Story Formula, The Affirmation Journal for Positive Thinking, and coming soon – The Persuasion Principle.

General Session:  Resilience: How to Bend Without Breaking

Panel Discussion

Digital Connected Services Leader, ZF CVCS North America

Nicola Zingraf Bolton is the Digital Connected Services Leader for North America at ZF CV Systems (formerly WABCO). With a background in logistics, she gained extensive experience for 20+ years in optimizing transport processes with the help of Telematics and the smart integration of Connected Asset data with 3rd party solutions. Nicola has worked with fleets and heavy-duty manufacturers (OEMs) in many countries in Europe, South Africa and North America, including Schmitz Cargobull and Daimler.

General Session:  Engaging Young People to Join the Industry - Drivers & Techs

Safety and Compliance Breakout Session Speakers

Hayden Cardiff

Hayden Cardiff

Founder and Co-CEO, Idelic

Mr. Cardiff graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with his Master of Business Administration and is deeply immersed in the world of data and trucking technology. Hayden’s journey led him to Pitt Ohio in 2015 where he served as a consultant and witnessed the real-life challenges that fleet safety teams face every day. After seeing and understanding these hardships, he founded Idelic.

Breakout Session:  Preventing Nuclear Verdicts:  Going on Offense Against Your Liability

Alena Kent

TSA Transportation Security Inspector - Surface

Ms. Kent has worked for the TSA, Department of Homeland Security for almost 11 years, the past six working as a Transportation Security Inspector for Surface Transportation.

Breakout Session:  Surface Operations Security Outreach Programs - For Highway Transportation

Ben Greenberg

Ben Greenberg

Partner, Goldberg Segalla

Ben S. Greenberg concentrates his practice on representing employers in all types of workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, he advises and defends employers against discrimination suits in both federal and state court.

Breakout Session:  How to Prepare the Safety Director for a Deposition  

Human Resources Breakout Session Speakers

Tricia Foody

Tricia Foody, SPHR SHRM-SCP

Vice President, Human Resources, Best Logistics Group 

Tricia Foody is a Human Resources Professional with over 25-years of experience who has been an integral member of Best Logistics Groups leadership team for over 8 years. She serves as both Vice President of Human Resources & Administration and as a member of the Executive Team.

Breakout Session:  Impacts FMLA Has on the Trucking Industry - Panalist

Amy Medlin

Amy Medlin, MBA

Vice President Human Resources, Epes Transport System, LLC

Amy B. Medlin is a HR professional with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration, both from High Point University.  She has extensive experience in Human Resources, training and employee development, recruiting, ISO certified quality management systems, employment assessment processes, succession planning and project facilitation.  Additionally, Amy serves on the Global Logistics Advisory Committee at Guilford Technical Community College, the TCA Recruitment and Retention Human Resources Committee, is the Chairperson for the NCTA Higher Education Working Group, Vice-Chair for the NCTA Women in Trucking Committee, and member of the NCTA Board of Directors.  She currently holds the position Vice President of Human Resources for Epes Transport System, LLC.

Breakout Session:    Impacts FMLA Has on the Trucking Industry - Panalist

Wendy Ratcliff, SHRM-SCP, SPHR

Partner, Goldberg Segalla

Ms. Ratcliff is Director of HR Services with Western Carolina Industries (WCI).  Working in the Consulting Services department, she works with members on a daily basis to provide advice and counsel on human resource issues.

Breakout Session:  Employee Engagement in a Post COVID World

Technology and Maintenance Breakout Session Speakers

Benjamin Phillips

Benjamin Phillips

Director of Maintenance, Yarbrough Transfer Company 

Mr. Phillips has over 20 years of experience in the transportation industry and was introduced to the trucking industry at an early age as his father was a diesel technician for a trucking company.  He has worked for both the retail side, working as a Parts & Service Manager for a trailer dealership for over 10 years, as well as on the fleet side where he currently serves as the Director of Maintenance for Yarbrough Transfer Company in Winston Salem NC.

Breakout Session:  Tech Talk with TMC

Frank Bio

Consultant, North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE)

Mr. Bio has more than 45 years’ experience in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry, serving in a variety of positions including engineering, service, marketing, and sales.  retiring from Volvo Trucks in 2016 he was the director of sales development – specialty vehicles and alternative fuels, where he led Volvo’s sales force education, managed the alternative fuel and specialty vehicle portfolio, and advised motor carriers considering alternative fuel vehicles and vocational trucks.

Breakout Session:  NACFE's Run on Less Electric Preliminary Findings 

Kelly Chase

District Parts Manager, Paccar Parts

Ms. Chase works with Kenworth Dealers to coordinate and promote heavy duty truck parts sales and marketing programs to Kenworth and All-Makes customers.

Kelly believes that parts availability and not price is the most important thing to fleet managers and she works closely with her dealers to ensure they are stocking enough of the right parts at the right time.

Kelly is currently responsible for 20 Kenworth locations and over $100 Million Dollars of parts sales annually.

Kelly has been in the trucking industry for 33 years and with Paccar Parts for 23 of those years.

Kelly holds a Business Management degree from Niagara University where she attended on a Basketball Scholarship.  She currently resides in Hamburg, NY.

Breakout Session:  Navigating the Pandemic from the Shop: Parts shortages/Supply Chain Issues/Shop Delays with Over the Road Breakdowns