American Trucking Associations has appointed Mark Colson its next president and chief executive officer, effective Dec. 1.
Colson has led the Alabama Trucking Association since 2019. At ATA, he succeeds Chris Spear, who abruptly left ATA in August.
With more than two decades of experience advocating for motor carriers, Colson, ATA's 10th president and CEO since its founding in 1933, said he plans to focus on building coalitions and elevating industry standards.
“This is a unique moment for ATA to make a renewed commitment to the trucking industry and the professionals who call our industry home,” Colson said in a statement. “It’s a commitment built first on earned trust, a sense of family and purpose, and an unrelenting passion to fight for the issues that matter most to trucking.”
Colson’s roots in the industry run deep. He grew up changing truck tires at his family's second-generation business, Blow-Out Tire Company.
Before heading the Alabama Trucking Association, Colson held leadership roles at the Business Council of Alabama, including chief of staff, senior vice president of governmental affairs, and interim president. Within the ATA Federation, he has served on the Strategic Priorities Committee, the Truck PAC Board of Directors, and the American Transportation Research Institute’s Research Advisory Committee. In July, his state association peers elected him vice chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council.
ATA Chairman Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport, praised the incoming leader's background.
“For more than 90 years, ATA’s mission has been to give trucking a strong voice in the decisions that shape its future,” Hodgen said. “Mark will build on that foundation, bringing fresh energy and a clear vision for advancing our industry’s priorities and delivering even greater value for our members.”
Incoming ATA Chairman Derek Leathers, chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises, emphasized the national stakes facing the industry.
“The decisions made in Washington don’t stay in Washington. They affect how we operate, how we invest, and how we serve our customers every day,” Leathers said. “Our industry needs a strong, unified voice at the table to make sure policymakers understand those realities and fight for policies that enable trucking to keep America moving.”
Colson steps into the role as the industry navigates what he described as one of the deepest and longest freight recessions in history.
“We are on the verge of a trucking resurgence, but we must keep fighting and advocating as our industry leaders continue to climb out of one of the deepest and longest freight recessions in history,” Colson said. “We must meet them where they are, listen to their concerns, and do everything we can to help them and their people be successful.”
Colson is a graduate of Huntingdon College—where he was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for football and serves on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee—and holds a Master of Business Administration from Troy University.
