The ACT Research team will provide the N.A. Commercial Vehicle & Transportation Industries Outlook for 2023-2028. In addition, we will be hosting industry expert guests to discuss the current and future health of the industry to support your planning and budgeting.
Scott Adams, Senior Vice President
Eaton
Scott Adams is senior vice president, Vehicle Group Global Products for Eaton. In this role, Scott is responsible for leading product development and strategic planning for Eaton’s automotive and commercial vehicle businesses.
Scott joined Eaton in 1994 as a project engineering manager in Cleveland, Ohio, and has held numerous positions of increasing scope over his 29-year career with the company. Most recently, he was President, eMobility, where he was responsible for establishing and growing Eaton’s vehicle electrification business.
Prior to his role within eMobility, Scott served as senior vice president, Global Product Development, Marketing and Planning, Vehicle Group, Eaton. He has also held roles as Vice President of sales for North America, general manager for the Vehicle Group’s Light Duty Transmission and Off-Highway businesses in Valinhos, Brazil, and led the former Truck Group’s Vehicle Solutions business unit.
Scott holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a master's degree in engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Scott is located in Southfield, Michigan.
Mary Aufdemberg, General Manager, Product Strategy + Market Development
Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA)
Mary Aufdemberg is the General Manager of Product Strategy and Market Development for Daimler Trucks North America. She is responsible for platform strategy, market development, brand management, marketing communications and marketing operations for Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) Freightliner and Western Star truck brands, as well as the company’s proprietary parts brand, Detroit. Aufdemberg is an 18-year veteran of DTNA who has held progressive management positions with Daimler Truck Financial, Thomas Built Buses and Freightliner Trucks in strategy, project management, training, marketing and sales. She is passionate about developing people to top performance and has copious experience leading teams to achieve exceptional results.
As an ardent supporter of the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, she is a past chair of the board for Women in Trucking and currently serves as the executive sponsor for EQUAL, her company’s LGBTQIA+ employee and ally business resource group while also sitting on the Company’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council. While not at work she enjoys catching a theater show, making memories with her family, and working on getting her third-degree black-belt.
Dominik Beckman, VP, Marketing & Communications
Lion Electric
Dominik Beckman is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for The Lion Electric Company, a North American leader of all-electric, zero-emission class 5-8 commercial trucks, buses, and fleet support. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the NTEA Green Truck Association with the mission to improve efficiency and productivity of work trucks.
Dominik has surpassed 20 years of global automotive and transportation marketing, strategy, and operations experience -- attained at the OEM, tier supplier, and dealership levels --extended across renowned American, German, and Japanese corporations including Delphi, Continental, and Toyota’s Hino Trucks.
He has BBA and MBA degrees from Saginaw Valley State University (Michigan, USA) as well as executive education from Harvard Business School in Shanghai, China.
Richard Beyer, VP Technical Sales and Vehicle Systems
Bendix CVS LLC.
Richard is currently serving as VP of Engineering and R&D at Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC. Bendix provides steering systems, foundation brakes, brake control, stability systems, and ADAS safety control systems to the trucking industry. In addition to these core products, Bendix is also active in powertrain support in advanced air treatment, on-engine and off-engine compressors, driveline clutch, and transmission controls. His responsibilities include strategic direction definition for Bendix R&D efforts regionally for NA and assisting in the coordination of Knorr-Bremse global R&D efforts.
Richard has worked for Bendix CVS LLC for a total of 33 years (formally with Knorr-Bremse the parent to Bendix) and Bosch in the area of air brake components and brake control systems for commercial vehicles, specializing in vehicle braking systems and vehicle control systems. He is part of the Bendix leadership team. He holds 12 patents in the commercial vehicle and automotive arena.
He previously held various leadership, engineering, and technical sales positions at AVL North America, Chrysler, and GM.
He previously held various leadership positions in industry organizations, including the SAE Truck and Bus Council, TMC, and HDATC. He has been an active member of SAE for over 37 years.
Richard holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Lawrence Institute of Technology, and he is a member of SAE, IEEE, NSPE, and TMC.
Tim Denoyer, VP & Sr. Analyst
ACT Research
Tim joined ACT in August 2017, after spending fifteen years in equity research focused primarily on the transportation, machinery and automotive industries.
In addition to his roles analyzing commercial vehicle demand and alternative powertrain development (i.e. electrification), Tim is the lead analyst in ACT’s transportation research effort and the primary author of the ACT Freight Forecast, U.S. Rate and Volume Outlook. This report provides supply chain professionals with better visibility on the future of pricing and volume in trucking, the core of the $800 billion U.S. freight transportation industry, including truckload, less-than-truckload and intermodal/drayage.
This service leverages ACT’s expertise in the supply side economics of transportation and draws upon Tim’s background as an investment analyst. Tim was a co-founder of Wolfe Research, one of the leading equity research firms in the investment industry. While with Wolfe, Tim was recognized in Institutional Investor’s survey of investors as a Rising Star analyst in both the machinery and auto sectors.
His investment experience also includes responsibility for covering the industrial sector of the equity markets, most prominently with leading hedge fund Balyasny Asset Management.
Marshall Franklin, CEO & CFO
Highway Transport
Marshall Franklin is CEO and CFO of Highway Transport Logistics, Inc. Before becoming President in 2017, Marshall was Vice President of Finance and served on the Strategic Planning Committee. Prior to 2017, he held various management roles and was responsible for overseeing accounting, finance, human resources, pricing, IT, insurance and risk.
Prior to joining Highway in 2011, Marshall was a manager in public accounting providing services to the insurance, administrative services, and manufacturing industries. Marshall earned a Master of Accountancy from the University of Tennessee, during which he also spent three years working for a LTL company.
Brock Gavin, President
Arrow Truck Sales
Since 2021, Brock Gavin has served as the President of Arrow Truck Sales, the leading retailer of used trucks in North America and a subsidiary of the Volvo Group. Founded in 1950, Arrow Truck Sales has built a solid reputation in the trucking industry by providing high-quality used trucks through its network of 16 retail branch locations in the U.S. and Canada. And since 1997, Arrow has provided in-house financing to owner operators and small fleets through its Transport Funding business. In his role, Brock is responsible for all aspects of the Arrow business, leading a team of 200 dedicated and experienced industry professionals. Prior to joining Arrow, Brock served in various leadership positions within the Volvo Group since 2016, including as the Vice President of Commercial Operations at Mack Trucks from 2018-2021. Earlier in his career, Brock worked in sales, sales management, marketing, product management, and strategy in the commercial power tools, agricultural equipment, and consulting industries. Brock earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina.
Bill Kretsinger, Chairman and CEO
American Central Transport
Bill has spent 43 years with American Central Transport, Inc. He is involved in all aspects of the company with a heavy emphasis on Sales and Pricing. He is a proud ATA Executive Committee Member, TCA, and Missouri Trucking Association Member. Bill received his education from the University of Kansas/ University of Missouri-Kansas City BBA/MBA.
Chris Kuehl, Managing Director
Armada Corporate Intelligence
Dr. Chris Kuehl is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. He provides forecasts and strategic guidance for a wide variety of corporate clients around the world. He is the economist for several national and international organizations – Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, American Supply Association, Industrial Heating Equipment Association, Chemical Coaters Association International, Forging Industry Association and others.
Prior to starting Armada in 1999 he was a professor of economics and finance for 15 years – teaching in the US, Hungary, Russia, Estonia, Singapore and Taiwan. He holds advanced degrees in economics, Soviet studies and East Asian studies.
Chris is the co-author of The Flagship and the Strategic Intelligence System - both publications from Armada.
Ian McGriff, VP of Marketing, Business Development
ACT Research
After graduating from Wabash College in 2006, Ian spent 8 years in the fitness industry as the head trainer at a Columbus-area fitness center. He then transitioned to a digital marketing agency where he spent 4 years as the Director of Digital Marketing Sales.
In this role, Ian leverages years of experience in marketing, business development and technology to provide high-level strategic growth and lead new initiatives.
Ian is married and has two daughters who, fortunately, take after their mother.
Jennifer McNealy, Director, CV Market Research & Publications
ACT Research
Jennifer currently serves as ACT’s Director, CV Market Research and Publications. In this role, she coordinates monthly and quarterly publication production and distribution, serves as media liaison, and researches/analyzes the Canadian macroeconomic and alternative fuel adoption in North American CV markets.
She joined ACT Research in September 2011, and has served in numerous roles, including Office Manager, Research Analyst, and Senior Research Manager and Analyst.
Getting an advanced degree was always a goal for her and in 2000, Jennifer earned her M.S.M. from Indiana Wesleyan University, taking evening classes to make this dream a reality. After receiving her B.A. 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.
Ann Rundle, VP, Electrification & Autonomy
ACT Research
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.
Steve Slesinski, Director of Global Product Planning
Dana Incorporated
Steve Slesinski is currently the Director of Global Product Planning – Commercial Vehicle, for Dana Incorporated in Maumee, Ohio.
Steve is a trucking industry veteran, with over 40-years experience, who has served in various engineering, program management, system management and product planning and strategy roles responsible for the development and launch of commercial vehicle drivetrain systems. Steve has held various positions with responsibility for axles, driveshafts, brakes, trailer suspensions, tire management systems, electrified propulsion system solutions, electric power systems, controllers, software and digital solutions. He has been awarded with 22 US Patents.
Steve earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Design Associates Degree. He has also completed the Dana Corporate Management Program and Business Strategy for Industry Leaders Program at the University of Michigan – Stephen M. Ross School of Business. He also participated in the Manufacturing Technology program at Western Michigan University and Computer Science Engineering at Cleveland State University.
Steve Tam, VP, Analyst
ACT Research
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, Chief Economist
ACT Research
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.
Kenny Vieth, President & Sr. Analyst
ACT Research
After graduating from Southern Illinois University, Vieth spent six years in city government and education before joining ACT Research in 1991. Vieth became a partner in 2000 and was named President in 2010. Kenny oversees commercial vehicle analysis and forecasting at ACT. In his capacity as the principal heavy vehicle market analyst, Vieth has become an advisor to OEMs, suppliers, Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve, for whom he is a frequent contributor to the Beige Book report.
Consulting Economist to the National Private Truck Council 2012 (selected position)
Chicago Federal Reserve’s Annual Automotive Outlook Symposium Consensus Forecast Top Forecaster 2014
Interested in having Kenny speak with your organization? Check out some examples of Kenny speaking.
Lydia Vieth, Research Analyst, Electrification & Autonomy
ACT Research
Lydia joined ACT in June 2021 as a Research Analyst, focusing on electrification and autonomy.
Prior to joining ACT, she spent time as a paralegal before working at an energy management SaaS company. Her graduate school research focused on energy policy and battery arbitrage opportunity in the midwest power markets.
Lydia holds a B.A. in Political Science and M.S. in Global Affairs with a concentration on energy and environmental policy from New York University. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.
Joe Vitiritto, President and CEO
PAM Transport
Joe has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2020. Prior to his employment with PAM, Mr. Vitiritto served as Senior Vice President of Pricing and Network Design for Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, Inc. (“Knight-Swift”) from April 2019-August 2020. Prior to assuming that role, Mr. Vitiritto served in various managerial capacities for Knight-Swift and its predecessor, Knight Transportation, Inc., beginning in 2003.