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For Immediate Release
May 10, 2002

For Information Contact:
Gary Petty, NPTC
703-838-8876

NPTC Honors Private Fleet Professionals

Alexandria, VA – The National Private Truck Council (NPTC) presented its F.L.E.E.T. Leadership Awards April 29, 2002, at the NPTC 2002 Education/Management Conference and Exhibition held in Austin, Texas.

The F.L.E.E.T. Awards (For Leadership, Enterprise, and Excellence in Trucking) are given annually to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the National Private Truck Council, their profession, and the private trucking community.

The Private Fleet Executive of the Year, NPTC's highest individual award, went to Harry J. Haney, III, Manager of Private and Dedicated Fleets, Kraft Foods, Inc., Madison, WI. He is a graduate from Ohio State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – majoring in Transporting and Logistics. In 1996, Mr. Haney received his MBA from Eastern Illinois University.

Mr. Haney has been with Kraft Foods for over 16 years, the last 12 of which have been in the private fleet arena. In his current position, Mr. Haney has the profit and loss responsibility for private and dedicated truck fleet operations and facilities in 30 locations that encompasses over 300 Private Fleet and 150 Dedicated Fleet trucks.

Mr. Haney was active in the NPTC Board restructuring and CEO search committees. He currently serves on the Council's Conference Planning Committee, its Legislative & Regulatory Advisory Committee, and on the Board of Directors representing the Heavy Duty Division.

Named Fleet Safety Professional of the Year was Jerry Banik. Mr. Banik has had more than 25 years in transportation management, 20 of those in private carriage. He spent most of his career working for Warner-Lambert and, since their merger, with Pfizer, Inc., and was the company's member representative to the National Private Truck Council (and its predecessors) since 1981.

Mr. Banik's long and dedicated commitment to fleet safety has been apparent. He has served on the NPTC Safety Committee since 1989, and, during that time was chairman of the Hazmat Subcommittee and its Chairman from 1989 to 2002. He also has served on NPTC's Nominating Committee and on the NPTC's Board of Directors.

The Fleet Member of the Year Award went to Debra Anne Stone, Corporate Logistics Operations Manager, McKee Foods Corporation, Collegedale, TN. Ms. Stone has been employed by McKee Foods for over 18 years and has held positions in Distribution, Purchasing and Technical Services. She currently supervises a team of professionals who coordinate McKee's common carrier shipments, backhauls and interplant transfers of Little Debbie Snack Cakes.

Ms. Stone is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with a degree in Chemistry. She holds the designation of Certified Purchasing Manager and has served as a past president of both the National Association of Purchasing Management and the American Chemical Society – Chattanooga. In 1988, the Rossville, Tennessee Business and Professional Women's Club selected her as Young Career Woman of the Year.

As an NPTC member, Debra has been a presenter at past NPTC Annual Conferences, serves on the NPTC Planning Committee and was responsible for formatting this year's successful Women-In-Transportation Networking Reception at the Annual Conference.

This year's winner of the Allied Member of the Year Award was presented to Lance Bertram, CTP, Vice President, Marketing, Idealease of North America, Barrington, IL. Mr. Bertram is a graduate of Louisiana State University and has been working in the transportation industry since 1992.

He joined Idealease in 1995 as a National Account Executive and in 1999 was promoted to Vice President, Marketing, where he is responsible for marketing, distribution and advertising, as well as the training of Idealease employees throughout the continent. Mr. Bertram obtained his Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) designation in 1997 and has been a presenter at the NPTC’s Fleet Management Institute.

As an NPTC member, Mr. Bertram has been instrumental in promoting the standard carried by the NPTC. He believes our industry must be properly trained and operate safely and to that end has been the leader in promoting the Idealease/NPTC partnership to develop, organize and conduct Safety and Compliance Seminars around the country. He also is an active member of NPTC's Safety Committee.

The Membership Development Award this year went to Mark A. Paul, CTP, President, First Fleet Corporation, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Mr. Paul attended the Owen School of Management at Vanderbilt University and is a 29-year veteran of the truck equipment industry.

Since 1980, he has been with Chancellor Fleet Corporation and then First Fleet Corporation serving as Vice President of both organizations. He became First Fleet's President in 1997.

Mr. Paul earned his Certified Transportation Professional (CTP) designation in 1998. He has been serving on the NPTC Institute's Board of Governors and is currently Vice-Chairman. He also has been a presenter at NPTC’s Fleet Management Institute. Mr. Paul generously shares his industry knowledge and experience with other NPTC members and is constantly promoting the benefits of NPTC membership

Fleet Graphics Awards Also announced during this ceremony were the Commercial Vehicle Graphics Awards. This is an annual event sponsored by the National Private Truck Council and Commercial Carrier Journal Magazine that recognizes fleets for their creative and conspicuous graphics design, color schemes, and general appearance which enhances the motor carrier industry's public image and the image or products of the company operating the vehicles.

This year's award winners are:

Day Category

First Place: Red Gold, Elwood, IN

Second Place: Jack in the Box, San Diego, CA

Third Place: Mayfield Dairy Farms, Athens, TN

Night Category

First Place: Texas Pete (Garner Foods), Winston-Salem, NC

Second Place: Toll Brothers, Morrisville, PA
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