The American Trucking Associations has chosen Heath Arnold, manager of safety compliance and training with ArcBest® carrier ABF Freight®, as a member of the 2018 LEAD ATA class.

LEAD ATA is a one-year program created to engage the trucking industry’s best and brightest and prepare them to become industry leaders.

“It is truly an honor to have Heath serve on the LEAD ATA class of 2018,” said Mark McMinn, ABF Freight senior vice president – Operations & Safety. “We are truly fortunate to have someone like Heath serving our company in the Safety Department and representing us as one of the elite in our industry.”

Arnold, who holds a bachelor’s degree from John Brown University, joined ABF Freight 15 years ago. He previously was a quotation analyst for U-Pack and a volume quotation analyst for ABF Freight before he was promoted to his current role three years ago. He serves on several federal and state committees, including vice chairman of the ATA’s Hazardous Materials Policy Committee, vice chairman of the 2017 Arkansas Trucking Association’s Truck Driving Championships, and member of the ATA Safety Policy Committee, the ATA Safety Management Council, the Arkansas Trucking Association’s Safety Management Council, and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee.

“I am extremely honored to have been selected to the LEAD ATA Program,” Arnold said. “I just hope to have a positive impact and to tell the story of our vital industry and its dedicated employees to as many decision makers as possible.”

Sponsored by PeopleNet, the LEAD ATA program provides exclusive education opportunities about how the regulatory and legislative process affects the trucking industry and the role ATA plays in influencing those processes.

“From class to class, we are able to find young men and women who are determined to do more than just enhance their professional profiles. These individuals truly want to gain a deeper understanding of how trucking can impact communities and how they can help position trucking as a safety-first industry with a strong public image,” ATA President and CEO Chris Spear stated in a news release.