Looking Back And To The Future
Mary Lou Rajchel says goodbye to the FTA after successful rebuilding years BY TISHA CREWS KELLER
“During my early days at ATA, the Florida It was late 2006, and the Florida Trucking
Association was, in many ways, in the midst of a hailstorm. The sitting President passed away unexpectedly and the economic downturn was pulling the association—and most like it around the nation—to its knees. Enter Mary Lou Rajchel and a calm began to settle over the FTA. Much-needed leadership transformed those challenges into the association we have today. Rajchel brought diverse experience to
the FTA, having served as the Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Florida TaxWatch, and over 12 years with the Florida Phosphate Council, first as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and then as its President/CEO. Her years as the Director of Cabinet Affairs for the Department of Education also gave her broad policy background and experience in government. Previously, she practiced law in the private and public sectors, including as the Assistant General Counsel for the Florida Department of Commerce. It was this varied experience in
essential industry and public/private partnerships that has served FTA so well. American Trucking Associations President/ CEO, Governor Bill Graves, characterizes Mary Lou’s influence this way:
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Trucking Association was challenged in a number of ways, not the least of which was finding a great executive to lead their organization,” he said. “They were fortunate to find Mary Lou Rajchel and for the last seven plus years she’s done a great job bringing much needed stability to the organization while being a tireless advocate for the trucking industry in Florida.”
Spheres of Influence One of Rajchel’s major accomplishments
was to put FTA back “on the map,” so to speak, in the public policy arena. She knew that the FTA’s best influence would be won through strong working relationships with regulatory, policy and enforcement agencies. She made the commitment to be in the right place at the right time, giving the hours required to discuss the possible solutions and potential drawbacks to myriad issues. Rajchel is one of the fortunate names in
Tallahassee that gets a response when she calls a department head or lawmaker. It was this special relationship and the recognition that her past work garnered that were a boon to the FTA. “She’s done a tremendous job restoring
the clout and influence of the Florida Trucking
Association throughout Tallahassee, both in the legislative and regulatory arenas,” Graves explains. Florida Department of Transportation
(FDOT) Secretary Ananth Prasad agrees. “I applaud Mary Lou’s hard work and
dedication as President and CEO of the FTA to strengthen the trucking industry in the state of Florida,” Prasad said. “Under her leadership, FTA has achieved tremendous success. I am proud to recognize her efforts to ensure competitiveness and increased opportunities for Florida’s truckers.” Rajchel was always careful to listen and
respect the views of others, but she never had pause when it came to setting the record straight or making sure policy was spot-on. It was oftentimes simple, yet powerful attention to detail and strength of relationship that garnered Rajchel high marks on the advocacy front. She had plenty of opportunity to apply this approach serving on numerous FDOT sector plan updates, including the Strategic Intermodal System Plan, the 2060 Horizon Plan, and now the Freight Mobility and Trade Plan.
FDOT Assistant Secretary for Intermodal
Systems Development, Rich Biter, characterized her influence this way: “Florida is fortunate to have leaders like ➤
Florida Truck News Q1 WINTER 2014
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