Annuual Convention Schedule
Explore the full lineup of sessions, speakers, and networking opportunities at this year's Annual Convention.
Convention Agenda
Get ready for a powerhouse lineup of industry speakers, expert panels, networking opportunities, and special events designed for Tennessee’s trucking professionals.
From leadership insights to safety discussions and evening celebrations, this year’s agenda is packed with can’t-miss moments.
Scroll down to explore the full schedule.
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Opening Reception & Registration
4:15 PM – 7:30 PM
First-Time Attendee Gathering
Ribbon Cutting & EXPO
Vendor Expo & Opening Reception
YPC Social Hour by the Pool - 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Monday, September 15, 2025
Breakfast
 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Leading Edge Graduation
Fireside Chat with Senator Bailey, moderated by Connie Vaughan
General Sessions
8:40 AM – 11:00 AM
Don Bruce – University of Tennessee
Vendor Expo
Keynote: Paul Mellor
Golf - Â 12:30 PM
Evening on Your Own
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Breakfast
 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Fireside Chat with Dennis Dellinger, ATA Chairman
Motor Carrier/YPC Panel – Point/Counterpoint
General Sessions
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Vendor Expo
Motor Carrier Panel – Moderated by Brad Klepper
Fleet Safety Awards
Board of Directors Meeting
Bingo Card Drawing
Evening Reception & Banquet
5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Closing Auction Reception
Banquet & After Party
Convention Speakers
Paul MELLOR
Keynote Speaker
Paul Mellor's will be speaking on Trucking to a Better Memory. His memory seminars are engaging and dynamic, showing that anyone can boost productivity with a better memory. Participants will learn to remember names and faces, navigate their day confidently, and retain information effectively.
Don BRUCE
Professor, University of Tennessee
Donald Bruce is the Boyd Distinguished Professor in the University of Tennessee and Director of the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research.
Bruce conducts non-partisan policy research for state and federal agencies, with recent work on welfare, education policy, and tax impacts. He joined UT in 1999 and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Syracuse University.
Paul BAILEY
Senator
Senator Paul Bailey is a farmer, small business owner, and Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
He has helped create thousands of jobs in District 15 and has been a strong advocate for business growth, infrastructure, and agriculture. He and his wife, Amy, live in White County and have three children.
Paul MELLOR
Keynote Speaker
Paul Mellor's will be speaking on Trucking to a Better Memory. His memory seminars are engaging and dynamic, showing that anyone can boost productivity with a better memory. Participants will learn to remember names and faces, navigate their day confidently, and retain information effectively.
Chris HENRY
Chief Operating Officer, KSM
Chris Henry is COO of KSM Transport Advisors and KSMTA Canada, with 20+ years of experience helping carriers improve profitability. He developed the TCA Profitability Program, and helped grow TCA’s benchmarking participation by 300%.
He’s held leadership roles at FreightWaves and CarriersEdge, where he contributed to record growth of the Best Fleets to Drive For program. Chris holds degrees in commerce and business and has coached youth basketball for eight years.
Don BRUCE
Professor, University of Tennessee
Donald Bruce is the Boyd Distinguished Professor in the University of Tennessee and Director of the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research.
Bruce conducts non-partisan policy research for state and federal agencies, with recent work on welfare, education policy, and tax impacts. He joined UT in 1999 and holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Syracuse University.
Paul BAILEY
Senator
Senator Paul Bailey is a farmer, small business owner, and Chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
He has helped create thousands of jobs in District 15 and has been a strong advocate for business growth, infrastructure, and agriculture. He and his wife, Amy, live in White County and have three children.
Troy DICKENS
Regional General Manager, Rush Truck Centers
Troy Dickens has 34 years of trucking industry experience, beginning with detailing trucks in high school. He is the Regional GM for Rush Enterprises, overseeing operations in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. An industry leader, he serves on the TTA Executive Committee and the Tennessee Trucking Foundation Board of Directors, and he was named the 2018 TTA Allied Professional of the Year.
Troy and his wife, Sherri, are parents to twin daughters, Kennedy and Grayson.
Justin HECKEL
Government Affairs Director, UPS
Justin Heckel works in UPS’s Government Affairs group, managing relationships with state and local governments in several states, including Kentucky and Virginia. He started at UPS in 2009 as a part-time package handler and has since held various roles in Operations, Human Resources, and Business Development.
Justin graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing from Indiana Wesleyan University and earned his MBA from the University of the Cumberlands. He enjoys fishing and spending time outdoors with his wife and two children.
Dennis DELLINGER
ATA Chairman
Dennis has led Cargo Transporters since 2004, becoming President & CEO in 2019. Under his leadership, the company expanded operations and earned top safety and environmental awards. He currently serves as Chairman of the American Trucking Associations and holds leadership roles with TCA, NCTA, and The Trucking Alliance. Dennis lives in Hickory, NC, with his wife, Sherel, and enjoys reading, sports, and time with his grandchildren.
Sarah HEFFINGTON
Sales Manager, M&W Logistics Group, Inc.
Sarah Heffington works in Sales at The M&W Logistics Group, where she focuses on transportation partnerships, warehousing, and supply chain solutions. Named the 2023 Young Professional of the Year by the Tennessee Trucking Association, Sarah works alongside her father Mike blending traditional trucking values with forward-thinking strategies to drive growth and operational excellence across the M&W companies.
Tommy HODGES
Goggin Warehousing, LLC
Tommy Hodges began his trucking career on the docks of Tennessee Carolina Transportation (TCT) in 1965 before serving in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. After returning, he stepped into management at TCT. He later joined Spector Freight Systems, where he advanced through leadership roles before becoming president and owner of multiple transportation and logistics companies.
Over the years, Tommy has remained deeply involved in both industry leadership and community service, holding key roles with the Tennessee Trucking Association, American Trucking Associations, and several nonprofit and faith-based organizations. He now leads a diverse portfolio of businesses, including Titan Transfer, Goggin Warehousing, and various real estate ventures.
John PEMBERTON
President, Pemberton Truck Lines
John began his career at Pemberton Truck Lines as a night dispatcher while in college and has worked in every department since then. He became President in 2019. Pemberton is a family owned truckload carrier based in Knoxville that was founded in 1982 by John’s father.
Currently Pemberton has 150 tractors and operates primarily in the Southeast and Midwest. Outside of work John likes to spend time with his family (he and his wife Kimberly will be grandparents for the first time in December) and while not working enjoys golf and competing in Ironman triathlons and long distance races.
Joe HERMAN
President, Danny Herman Trucking, Inc.
Joe Herman began his career working in the shop in 1982 while still attending high school. In the years ahead, he worked in various areas of the family business. He served as a driver and worked in operations, safety, and sales.
In 1999, he purchased the company from his parents. At that time, the company had a fleet of 100 trucks, and today DHT runs 490 trucks and 1,350 trailers. He attributes DHT’s success to the great leadership team and all of the other employees that make up the DHT Family. Joe served as Chairman of the TTA from 2012 to 2014 and currently sits on the TTA Foundation Board. The relationships and friendships that have been built over the 20 years as a TTA Member have been incredible.
Joe and his wife, Lucia, have been married for 34 years, have 3 children, and 3 grandsons. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and serving as a Permanent Deacon at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Mountain City, TN.
David ENOCH
Vice President, M-S Logistics, LLC.
David graduated from Samford University in 1992 and started his career after graduation with a large regional LTL/Truckload carrier with operations based in the Southeast region.
He has been in the trucking industry for over 30 years most of his experience has been with M-S Logistics providing dedicated and brokerage services to MidSouth Wire. M-S Logistics consists of a barge terminal on the Cumberland river ,a rail spur on Visco drive as well as over 100 power units for its dry van and flatbed services.