NTEA Annual Meeting Celebrates 20th Work Truck Show

Click to view a gallery of images from the 2020 Work Truck Show.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — On March 5th, in the Sagamore Ballroom of the Indianapolis Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, members of the National Truck and Equipment Association—the association for the work truck industry—gathered for their 56th Annual Meeting.

The meeting, part of the association's Work Truck Week that surrounds its premier event, the Work Truck Show, started with a full breakfast and musical entertainment from "Three Men and a Tenor," who concluded their performance with renditions of the national anthems of the United States and Canada.

Down to Business

Peter Miller, Vice Chairman of the NTEA Board, then took the podium to address the crowd of attendees. The meeting marked the 20th anniversary of the Work Truck Show and Miller said he was thrilled to see how much the event had grown, not just in size but in importance to the industry. "This week," he said, "would not be possible without your collective efforts."

Miller then welcomed William Craig Bonham, NTEA Board Chairman to the podium. "We have been a powerful force in the North American market," Bonham declared, saying that the Work Truck Show had become a crucial business opportunity for many members of the industry.

Bonham then acknowledged past presidents and chairmen, and was pleased to recognize three companies that marked 50 years of NTEA membership that year: Palmer Machine Works of Armory, MI; Truck Equipment Inc. of Des Moines, IA; and RKI, Inc. of Houston, TX.

Bonham took time to discuss the main concerns of the industry, which included high demand coupled with a tight labor market, complicated by political uncertainty. He also touted the growth of the organization—NTEA has seen a 25 percent increase in member companies in the last five years, while the Work Truck Show is now three times larger than when it began.

Bonham also stressed the work the NTEA is engaged in on behalf of its members, both in education and training, in developing and tracking new certification requirements, and as an advocate in government. "The NTEA exists to further the knowledge, growth and profitability of the work truck industry," Bonham said.

Bonham then welcomed John Ruppert, General Manager, Commercial and Government Fleets for Ford Automotive to the stage to thank the company for their continued sponsorship. "It is a privilege for us as a company to work with the NTEA," Ruppert said.

Ruppert gave a brief sketch of the state of the industry from the manufacturer's point of view. The economy, he said, remains healthy, with ten percent growth in truck and van sales over the past year. Consolidation continues within the industry, along with the trends in electrification and the use of lightweight materials in vehicle construction.

Passing the Torch

Both retiring Directors, William Craig Bonham and Ken Gilles were acknowledged for their service. Bonham, who is also retiring as Board Chairmain, said serving in the role had been a joy. He thanked his staff, children, wife and family for all their support throughout his tenure.

Bonham then introduced Peter Miller back to the stage, this time as the new, 56th, NTEA Board Chairman, where he presented Miller with the ceremonial gavel. Miller gave his thanks to Bonham, the association, his family and his team at Pro-Tech Industries. Miller then introduced the 2020 Board of Directors saying, "I look forward to the year ahead."

Q&A with Nikki Haley

Miller then introduced Nikki Haley, who served both as Governor of South Carolina and as US Ambassador to the United Nations. Their conversation ranged from her childhood to her term as Governor to her time in the Trump Administration, and discussed her challenges as successes as a citizen, politician and parent.

How has your background shaped you as a person?

Haley was born in a small town where hers was the only family of Indian-descent. She often was teased on the playground. But she quickly learned that when faced with a challenge, share what you have in common with people and use that as the basis for working towards a solution.

How did you get into politics?

Haley started out keeping the books for mother at 13. She went on to graduate Clemson with a degree in accounting. When she went home to complain about taxes to her mother, she eventually decided to run for office to change the tax laws. She ran against a 30-year incumbent and won. "There were way too many lawyers at the [SC] statehouse—they needed a good accountant," Haley said.

As a state legislator she championed vote accountability laws (before which only about one percent of the state house, and only about three percent of the state senate was voting on the record). Faced with stiff opposition, she eventually decided to run for the governorship in order to push the legislation through.

What was it like as ambassador to the UN?

"Not for the faint of heart," Haley said. Every day brought some new conflict. Haley wanted foreign aid to go mainly to those countries that were working to be good partners with the US, and to make sure that those countries that dealt with us at the UN knew what the US stood for.

In her experience, most of the countries around the world look the US both as an example and for leadership. They don't want to follow Russia or China, she said, they want to follow us.

While serving in the UN, Haley visited what she called, "some very ugly places," including Venezuela, the Republic of the Congo and Syria—places torn by wars, civil conflicts and economic collapse. "We need to be grateful," Haley said. "On our worst day we are blessed to live in America."

What's your opinion of the new USMCA trade deal?

Haley called the USMCA a "win all the way around." She says the deal will definitely pass (although Canada has not yet signed) and when it does we can hope to see a higher GDP. The deal is set to expire in 16 years, which she sees as a positive: such massive, important deals should be reviewed regularly, due to the pace of change technology has brought to the economies of the world. And Haley also sees the USMCA as greatly favoring the skilled trades.

How did you successfully negotiate with hostile countries?

As an example, Haley discussed efforts by the Trump administration to tamp down on the North Korean nuclear program. The administration knew that North Korea was dependent on Chinese money. China, for its own part, was scared of war on the Korean peninsula and a possible flood of refugees into its territory.

Eventually, Haley and her team at the UN were able to use that pressure point to get the Chinese on board with a deal.

How do you feel about term limits for Congress?

Haley sees term limits as important for a healthy democracy. People, she said, change when they get elected. There are some members of Congress who have been there 20-30 years and who "think they know everything." And, she added, the only way to get term limits is if people push it on them.

What was it like working for the President?

Haley said the experience was always interesting. She and Trump liked and respected one another. When he offered her the job at the UN, Haley set two conditions: first she wanted it to be a cabinet-level position, and second she wanted a seat on the Security Council. Trump agreed to both and was as good as his word.

Haley admitted that the President's Tweeting sometimes gave her an "extra chore" to manage, saying "he is who he is." She also added that in her experience, Trump genuinely cares about the country and about making progress on his agenda, citing progress on low unemployment, better wages and a stronger foreign policy. At the same time, she said she understands the people who are put off by him.

How do you blow off steam?

To unwind, Haley likes watching movies and "drinking wine under a blanket." She also admits to being something of a reality TV addict, listing 90-Day Fiance as a prime example.

What advice do you have for High School graduates?

When faced with a challenge, Haley said, push through the fear. You will find out how strong you are, she said, and you will never have regrets about what could have been.

What's next?

Haley has finished writing a book about her time as Governor and Ambassador, With All Due Respect. She has also started a policy group, Stand for America. She is also interested in helping other Republicans in their campaigns, and simply "talking with normal people."