SPEAKERS

Market Vitals: The Current and Future Health of the Industry

W.M. “Rusty” Rush is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Rush Enterprises, Inc., which owns and operates Rush Truck Centers, the largest network of commercial vehicle dealerships in North America, with more than 150 locations in 23 states and Ontario, Canada. These vehicle centers represent truck and bus manufacturers including Peterbilt, International, Hino, Isuzu, Ford, IC Bus and Blue Bird. They offer sales of new and used vehicles and aftermarket parts, service and body shop operations, financing, insurance, leasing and rental as well as CNG fuel systems, telematics products and other technologies, up-fitting, chrome accessories and tires. Rush has served as President of Rush Enterprises since 1995, Chief Executive Officer since 2006 and Chairman of the Board since 2013. Rush began with Rush Enterprises in 1975 and has worked in virtually all areas of commercial vehicle dealerships during his tenure. He previously served as Vice President and Executive Vice President of the company from 1990 until 1995 when he began his service as President of the company. He has overseen all day-to-day operations of the company since 1996, when he was named Chief Operating Officer, a role he held until being named Chief Executive Officer in 2006.

Derek J. Leathers is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Werner, serving as Chairman since May 2021 and CEO since May 2016. He was Vice Chairman in 2020-21 and President from 2011 to January 2024. Werner’s Board appointed Leathers in May 2020 to fill a directorship vacancy, and stockholders initially elected him to the Board in May 2021. Throughout his tenure at Werner, he has held integral roles in many facets of the organization, including the establishment of the Company’s Mexico operations and oversight for all the asset operating groups.

Leathers has worked in the transportation and logistics industry for more than 30 years. Prior to joining the Company in 1999, he was employed by Schneider National for eight years, during which time he was based out of Mexico City for several years and was one of the first foreign members of Mexico’s trucking association (CANACAR).

Leathers holds an economic degree from Princeton University. He serves on the board of SkyWest Incorporated, a public airline company; as the board chair of the American Transportation Research Institute; as the board vice-chair of the American Trucking Associations; on the executive committees of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of the Midlands; and on the board of trustees for Creighton University. He is a founder and board member of the PlaySmart Leadership Academy, an Omaha non-profit for youth.

Robert Brown is Bot Auto’s Head of Business Development and Partnerships. Brown has extensive experience in autonomous vehicles and emerging transportation technology, and is passionate about making autonomy a viable commercial option for trucking capacity. He previously served as Chief Marketing Officer at Spartan Radar and as Senior Director of External Affairs and Head of Government Affairs at TuSimple, where he played a key role in building one of the most prominent autonomous trucking companies in the industry. He currently serves on the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association's Advanced Technology Council as Chairman.

Alison Trueblood is the Vice President and General Manager of Cummins Emission Solutions, responsible for leading the business’s growth while executing Cummins’ Destination Zero strategy. She has oversight of 4,500 employees, 13 manufacturing plants, seven technical centers, and two joint ventures across the Americas, Australia, China, Europe, India, Japan and South Korea. Cummins’ industry-leading aftertreatment technology business generates over $3.5B of revenue as part of the Components reporting segment.

Melody Drummond Hansen is Chief Strategist at Acute Strategy, where she advises clients on advanced transportation technologies, automated and connected vehicles, smart infrastructure, physical AI, and regulatory innovation.

Melody recently served as a Presidential appointee in the USDOT as Chief Counsel for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, pursuing FMCSA's mission to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving heavy trucks and buses. She worked on all aspects of law and policy for nationwide programs, operating with a $1 billion budget, covering over 500,000 commercial trucking companies and four million CDL holders. She oversaw rulemaking, served as the Agency’s decision-maker on administrative appeals of safety decisions, and engaged with stakeholders including industry associations, truckers, trucking companies, state law enforcement, the White House, and Congress. She also worked closely with other agencies, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on rulemakings, policies, exemptions, oversight, and safety campaigns.

Before joining FMCSA, Melody led transportation industry groups at two national law firms, advising clients on regulatory, compliance, technology, IP, deals, and litigation matters. She chairs the Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Developments and Advancements in Transportation Technology Law, and works with TRB’s committees on Truck and Bus Safety and the Connected and Automated Vehicles Systems. Melody has been named a Technology Law Trailblazer and a Top Artificial Intelligence Lawyer.

Tim Denoyer is Vice President and Senior Analyst at ACT Research, where he leads the firm’s transportation research initiatives and serves as the principal author of the ACT Freight Forecast: U.S. Rate and Volume Outlook. This comprehensive report offers supply chain professionals critical insights into pricing and volume trends across truckload, less-than-truckload, and intermodal markets—sectors that form the backbone of the $800 billion U.S. freight transportation industry.

Denoyer joined ACT Research in August 2017, bringing with him 15 years of experience in equity research, with a focus on the transportation, machinery, and automotive industries. He was a co-founder of Wolfe Research, a prominent equity research firm, where he earned recognition as a Rising Star analyst in both the machinery and auto sectors by Institutional Investor. His investment background also includes tenure at Balyasny Asset Management, where he covered the industrial sector of the equity market.

At ACT Research, Denoyer applies his investment expertise to analyze commercial vehicle demand and the development of alternative powertrains, including electrification. His work provides valuable foresight into the dynamics of freight rates, volumes, and transportation trends. Denoyer is also a sought-after speaker, having presented at industry events hosted by organizations such as the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), the National Association of Truck Stop Operators (NATSO), and the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).

Denoyer holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics and Finance from James Madison University.

Ian McGriff is Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at ACT Research, where he leads go-to-market strategy, customer growth, product positioning, and market development. He works closely with commercial vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, fleets, dealers, financial institutions, and investors to connect ACT’s market intelligence with their most important business decisions.

Ian helps guide the development and commercialization of ACT’s forecasting and data solutions across the commercial vehicle, freight, used-equipment, and zero-emission vehicle markets. His work spans customer acquisition and expansion, strategic partnerships, product launches, industry events, and the continued evolution of ACT’s customer experience.

As a member of ACT Research’s leadership team, Ian brings a market-focused perspective to the company’s growth strategy, translating complex industry data into clear, relevant insights for customers and prospects.

Ian is a graduate of Wabash College, where he was a member of the basketball team. He lives in Columbus, Indiana, with his wife and their two daughters. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active, spending time with his family, and supporting his daughters in their activities.

Jennifer currently serves as ACT’s Director, Research Analysis and Publications. In this role, she leads ACT’s current market trailer analysis efforts, including data processing and regular conversations with OEMs, suppliers, lease/rental fleets, and dealers. Additionally, she leads ACT’s Mexican trailer industry team’s efforts and headed production of the recently published Mexican Trailer Report. McNealy also coordinates monthly and quarterly publication production and distribution, serves as backup media liaison, and researches/analyzes the Canadian macroeconomic landscape and natural gas fueling stations in the US.

She joined ACT Research in September 2011, and has served in numerous roles, including Office Manager, Research Analyst, Senior Research Manager and Analyst, and Director of CV Market Research.

Getting an advanced degree was always a goal for her, and in 2000 Jennifer earned her MSM from Indiana Wesleyan University, taking evening classes to make this dream a reality. After receiving her BA from Hanover College in Communication and History, Jennifer began an eight-year career in the travel and tourism industry. Additionally, she spent 13 years as a member of the local and regional media industry, where she worked in both print and radio formats, serving as a radio broadcaster, community/local government news reporter, and special programming producer. After serving in various roles, including new technology graphic designer and pre-press technician, she concluded her work in print media as Graphic Design Department Manager for a regional Indiana newspaper.

McNealy’s community efforts have included past board and officer positions for the local historical society, fall festival, and arts & cultural council in her hometown. Her current community development efforts center on sustainable and socially responsible agriculture, as well as quality of life placemaking.

Jim Meil is a Senior Business Advisor at ACT Research and has been recognized as a leading industrial sector economist and planner for over 35 years. In his advisory role, he provides strategic guidance and insight on the North American economy, manufacturing and construction industry trends, and commercial vehicle electrification.

He is a contributor to Blue Chip Economic Indicators and The Wall Street Journal monthly U.S. economic forecast panels, and is frequently quoted in national media and in transportation and industrial trade press.

Meil has received first-place recognition in the Wall Street Journal’s survey of 50 forecasters and ranked among USA Today’s “Top 10 Economic Forecasters” for accuracy.

Prior to joining ACT Research, Meil spent 29 years in the planning department of Eaton Corporation, retiring from the position of Vice President and Chief Economist in April 2014. He previously served on the Board of Directors for the National Association for Business Economics, the professional trade group of business economists.

He holds a Master of Business Administration degree in finance and a Bachelor of Arts (with honors) in economics from the University of Chicago.

Since its inception in 1986, ACT Research has become the leading source of North American commercial vehicle market data, forecasting, and analysis.

Ann Rundle’s career has been focused in the transportation industries, since her early years as an engineer in the marine industry. Rundle transitioned to Strategic Planning and Business Development roles in Automotive and Commercial Vehicles after completing her MBA. Ann was with Eaton Corporation for 20-years, with senior leadership roles as Director of Business Development for the Automotive group, and Global Customer Sales Director for General Motors and FIAT group (including IVECO, CNH & Ferrari). Rundle left Eaton to join a small R&D start-up focused on advanced Li-ion battery technologies, and from there transitioned into independent consulting projects focused on developing growth strategies for new technologies, primarily in industrial and commercial vehicle markets. Most recently, Ann was with FIAT-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and headed up their global Strategy & Planning for electrified vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric, and fuel cell vehicles for both automotive and commercial vehicle applications.

Rundle holds a BSE in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering from University of Michigan and an MBA from San Diego State University. Ann is a Director/Trustee of the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation and leads their After-school Education programs and the Grants & Scholarships committee.

As Vice President at ACT Research, Steve Tam is one of two principal commercial vehicle market analysts. Since being promoted to his current position in October 2008, he was appointed to the Board of Directors and became a Managing Member of ACT Research in September 2016. He also leads the used truck market efforts for ACT. Other responsibilities include project and database management; and collection, analysis, and reporting of specialty data series. In addition to being frequently sought after as a guest speaker at industry events and giving presentations to private companies, you will often see him quoted in industry publications, newspapers and business periodicals.

A graduate of Indiana University, Steve has also served in the military and spent time in various accounting positions at two Fortune 500 companies before joining ACT Research in 2000. He has been involved in the commercial vehicle industry since 1993 and has been vital to the growth of ACT Research over the years.

David Teolis, joined ACT Research in the position of Chief Economist in October 2023 following a 28-year career with General Motors as Deputy Chief Economist, International Markets, FX & Commodities.

In his most recent role, he was responsible for providing economic analyses, forecasting long-term new vehicle sales, and conducting special studies for the economies of South America, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. David was also responsible for managing the company’s foreign exchange rate forecast process and writing monthly and quarterly reports. Prior to this role, David served for five years as the Manager of European Economic and Industry Forecasting located at the Adam Opel Headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany. He joined General Motors in 1995 as an economist with primary responsibility for economic and industry forecasting for Mexico, and subsequently worked in several finance positions within the company before returning to the economics staff as the Senior Economist for North America.

Prior to joining General Motors, David was the recipient of the Herman Kahn Fellowship in International Political Economy from the Hudson Institute where he worked on issues related to NAFTA and telecommunications deregulation. He is a two-time recipient of the Best Overall Economic Forecast Award from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

David graduated with a B.A. in economics, with distinction, and an M.S. in finance from the University of Illinois. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from Indiana University.

He is past-President of the Detroit Association for Business Economics and previously served on the Board of Directors for Global Ties Detroit and the German-American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest - Michigan Chapter. He is a member of the National Association for Business Economics, the International Institute of Forecasters, and the American Economic Association.

Paul Traub is an Economic Consultant and Business Advisor at ACT Research, where he provides insight into the U.S. economy, automotive and commercial vehicle markets, manufacturing activity, and the broader forces influencing business conditions. He joined ACT Research in 2021 and contributes to the company’s economic analysis, forecasting, customer advisory work, and industry presentations.

Before joining ACT Research, Paul spent 10 years as a Senior Business Economist at the Detroit branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. While at the Fed, he was a co-creator of the Detroit Economic Activity Index and a frequent contributor to its Midwest Economy and Michigan Economy publications. Earlier in his career, Paul spent 25 years with Chrysler, ultimately serving as the company’s Chief Economist.

Paul is a member of the National Association for Business Economics and the Detroit Economic Club. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in Oakland University’s School of Business Administration and continues to support the university through advisory roles with its business and economics programs.

He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master of Business Administration from Oakland University.

Ken Vieth is the President and Senior Analyst at ACT Research, a leading authority in commercial vehicle industry data, market analysis, and forecasting services for the North American market. Joining ACT Research in 1991, Vieth became a partner in 2000 and ascended to the role of President in 2010. He oversees commercial vehicle analysis and forecasting, serving as the principal heavy-vehicle market analyst. His insights are sought after by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, Wall Street analysts, and the Federal Reserve, to which he frequently contributes to the Beige Book report.

Vieth is a recognized thought leader in the transportation industry, known for his expertise on Class 8 trucks, trailers, and economic trends. He is a frequent keynote speaker at industry events, including the National Private Truck Council's Annual Conference and Private Fleet Management Institute, where he has earned top ratings and enthusiastic praise from audiences. In 2012, he was named the consulting economist to the National Private Truck Council.

Under Vieth's leadership, ACT Research has received accolades such as the Chicago Federal Reserve Automotive Outlook Symposium Best Overall Forecast and recognition as a top economic forecaster by USA Today. The firm is also a contributor to the Blue Chip Economic Indicators and a member of the Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Panel.

Vieth holds a degree from Southern Illinois University and began his career in city government and education before transitioning to the transportation industry.

SPEAKERS

Market Vitals: The Current and Future Health of the Industry

SPEAKER BIOS / meet the speakers

CONTACT US

trucks@actresearch.net

(812) 379-2085

4440 Middle Rd, Columbus, IN 47203

SPEAKERS

Market Vitals: The Current and Future Health of the Industry

SPEAKER BIOS / meet the speakers

CONTACT US trucks@actresearch.net (812) 379-2085 4440 Middle Rd, Columbus, IN 47203

CONTACT US

trucks@actresearch.net

(812) 379-2085

4440 Middle Rd, Columbus, IN 47203