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.

Jim joined ACT in June 2014. He is well known in the commercial vehicle industry and the broader transportation community for his analytics, his insights, and imaginative, yet down-to-earth management presentations.

Jim previously was Vice President and Chief Economist with Eaton, a position he held since 1996. He retired from Eaton after a 29-year career there, serving various roles in planning, treasury, and economics functions. Prior to joining Eaton, Jim had held consulting and management positions with Chase Econometrics and with Burroughs Corporation.

Jim holds an MBA in finance and a BA (honors) in economics from the University of Chicago. He has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Business Economics and has won recognition from both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today for top economic outlook from their respective panels of 50 economics forecasters.

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 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’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.

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 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.