By Todd Davis
NTEA President, Phenix Truck Bodies & Van Equipment. Pomona, California
This article was published in the August 2018 edition of NTEA News.
When I take a moment to think back on my experience as an NTEA Board member, nostalgia quickly sets in, and I don’t feel that old. I remind myself why I chose to pursue a higher level of industry engagement. My enthusiasm has always been driven by my passion to see our entire community move forward and excel. For six years now, I have worked to support the Association’s mission of furthering the knowledge, growth and profitability of the work truck industry. I’m already midway through my term as NTEA president, and I know this journey will leave a lasting impression on my life — both professionally and personally.
Early this fall, each NTEA member company will receive a form to nominate eligible candidates for the 2019–2020 Board. There will be several Trustee openings — contingent on results of the Executive Committee election held at the fall Board meeting in November.
Candidate nomination is significant as the selected individuals play a vital role in guiding NTEA and representing member interests. At its core, Board service is all about moving the Association toward its vision — global recognition as the undisputed resource and advocate for the North American work truck industry. It’s a responsibility that involves evaluating issues significant to members, long-term market analysis and forecasting (not simply market potential but what type of companies will be engaged), determining action plans and seeing outlined initiatives come to fruition.
It’s quite possible you know someone in the industry who would make an excellent NTEA Trustee; perhaps you’re even interested yourself. Let me assure you this is a rewarding commitment — a fulfilling and tangible way to live out servant leadership. While it’s true that Board service adds time to an already-crammed calendar, the investment is priceless, translating into unique personal and professional growth that positively influences your entire company. Since joining this incredible group of leaders, I’ve developed friendships and gained a wealth of practical industry knowledge I would have never experienced otherwise. Involvement with NTEA is, no doubt, one of my career highlights.
Get involved
I encourage you to start thinking about potential candidates for NTEA Board service and really engage in the process this year. As you consider recommendations, note that a candidate must be chief executive officer or chief operating officer (or partner or owner, for entities organized as partnerships or proprietorships) of a Distributor or Manufacturer member company. These credentials are intended to ensure qualified candidates who are up to the challenge of making critical decisions with long-term consequences.
As background, NTEA’s Nominating Committee (active Board members) reviews submissions, confirms eligible candidates for each vacancy and develops an election ballot. Official voting will take place online when the election opens in December 2018. Newly-elected Trustees serve three-year terms and will be formally introduced to the membership in March at The Work Truck Show® 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The vitality of NTEA’s Board depends on individual member companies taking ownership of their role in the election process. When you receive the nomination form, don’t delay. Get in touch with any potential candidates you think would be well suited for a position, confirm their willingness and submit your recommendations. Your input makes all the difference. The success of NTEA is genuinely affected by individual contributions; and with effective leadership, we all win.
If you have any feedback or questions related to the nomination process or upcoming election, I encourage you to reach out to Steve Carey, NTEA executive director, (248-479-8912 or steve@ntea.com).
Review the current list of NTEA Trustees and Association committees at ntea.com/board.