CAPITOLGains CHANGING OF THE GUARD
New American Trucking Associations president Chris Spear talks trucking leadership in Washington
BY BETHANY MAY Contributing Writer
The surprising rise of Donald Trump
and Bernie Sanders earlier in this year’s presidential campaigns is evidence of how much views of the establishment in Washington have changed, and lobbyists are finding a new strategy is necessary. Former President and CEO of
American Trucking Associations, Governor Bill Graves, and ATA’s incoming President and CEO Chris Spear recently announced the promotion of four long- time ATA staff to members of ATA’s senior executive team: Elisabeth Barna, in charge of communications and public affairs and COO; Chief Economist Bob Costello; Controller Rusty Duckworth; and Kay Perkins, in charge of human resources and operations. In July, Chris Spear took the same title
as his predecessor, Governor Bill Graves, but his job will be markedly different to mirror these changing times. “Bill and I have very different backgrounds,” Spear says. “I have tremendous respect for his time as governor, his public service, his family history with the trucking industry. It’s quite frankly exceptional, and he’s come to the ATA at a time where we had a different environment and flavor here in Washington D.C. Now he leaves this role, and the environment has changed dramatically.” To cope with the changing environ-
ment, fewer bills moving, fewer opportuni- ties to tell the trucking story, Spear says his mindset is grounded in his previous expe- rience legislating on the Hill and regulating
28 Issue 3, Fall 2016
Spear speaks at a conference
in the agencies in recent years. Spear’s resume in government rela-
tions and economic development is long and impressive—the kind of list you’d want for an association that deals with strict reg- ulations and interstate commerce issues. Before he worked in legislative affairs
for ATA, Spear was vice president of emerging markets for Honeywell Process Solutions, based in Bracknell, United Kingdom and served as a board member for two joint ventures in Libya and Nigeria. Spear was also vice president for Honeywell
Government Relations in Washington, D.C. and Brussels, Belgium, managing corporate and business interests in the U.S., Europe, Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Latin America. In 2001, he was nominated by
President George W. Bush and was unani- mously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Policy. Before his nomination, Spear worked as legislative director for U.S. Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.).
Photo: Jon D. Kennedy
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