Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Trucking Association (TTA) is proud to announce that it will be giving the esteemed Pinnacle Award to Mr. Dave Manning, President & CEO of the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative (NACPC), in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the trucking industry. The award will be presented during the 93rd annual Tennessee Trucking Association Convention, scheduled to take place at the Hilton Sandestin Golf Resort & Spa on September 17-19th.
The Pinnacle Award is a testament to Mr. Manning’s exemplary career, which spans more than four decades and includes significant achievements in the trucking business. Starting from humble beginnings, Manning began his journey as a card-carrying Teamster working part-time on the loading dock for his uncle’s regional LTL trucking company during summers and Christmas breaks. What started as a summer job while studying to become an orthodontist turned into a lifelong passion. Mr. Manning found his place in the industry and decided to pursue trucking over dentistry.
Within the first 2 years of working, Dave faced the changes that came with deregulation during the early 80s. Despite the shifting landscape, Manning never gave up on the industry. He attributes this to his love for trucking stating, “Trucking is what interests me more than anything, it’s been a real passion for me.”
In 1985 Manning joined TCW, where he worked his way up the ranks. Beginning as Operations Manager, he wore many hats as TCW began its rapid growth, including occasional dispatcher and driver and leading the safety department, before becoming the President of TCW in 1992. During his tenure, Mr. Manning was instrumental in growing TCW from a single terminal operation to a regional firm with over 600+ employees across the southeastern United States and revenue in excess of $80 million.
In addition to his impressive contributions to TCW, Mr. Manning’s influence extended to the wider trucking community. Dave served as the 73rd Chairman of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) from 2017-18. During this time, he tirelessly advocated for trucking interests on both federal and state levels, actively engaging in government affairs efforts and representing needs to policymakers.
After retiring from TCW in 2020, Dave continues to lead the North American Chassis Pool Cooperative as its President and CEO. This required a transition from a lifetime of being a part of the motor carrier community to being a supplier of the trucking industry.
When asked about the biggest takeaways from his career Dave said, “Transportation is a people-intensive business and fortunately I find true joy in working together with a group of people to achieve a goal. I’ve been blessed by getting to work with numerous teams of people who are the ones responsible for any successes I’ve achieved. I have been blessed by and am thankful for everyone in this industry who has mentored, challenged, motivated, and worked beside me. And most importantly that includes my lovely bride, Betsy, who has always believed in me, grounded me, and supported me through the highs and lows of my career.”
Manning joins an elite group of previous TTA Pinnacle Award winners, including Governor Ned Ray McWherter (1994), Phillip B. George (1995), Forrest M. Durrett (1996), Tommy L. Wilson (1997), Kelly Wagner (1998), G. Tommy Hodges (2005), Gary Sasser (2006), Tommy Ross (2008), J.B. Baker (2009), David Dortch (2010), Bill Reed, Jr. (2011), Dale Allen (2012), Dave Huneryager (2014), and Pat Marsh (2022).
The Tennessee Trucking Association Convention promises to be a memorable event, bringing together industry professionals, stakeholders, and esteemed guests to celebrate Mr. Manning’s exceptional career. The Pinnacle Award will be presented to Manning at TTA’s 93rd Annual Convention September 17-19. For more information or to register, visit https://tntrucking.org/2023convention/.
About Tennessee Trucking Association (TTA)
Founded in 1930, TTA was forged out of the belief that a strong, unified industry would be essential in remaining effective and profitable in the future. Today, TTA is the driving force and the voice of the trucking industry in Tennessee. As an independent, non-profit trade association representing trucking companies and industry vendors, TTA exists to encourage the healthy growth and betterment of its more than 400 members statewide. TTA represents an important engine of Tennessee’s economy, supporting over 200,000 jobs and the safe transport of goods across the state. The Tennessee Trucking Association is an affiliate of the American Trucking Associations.