ATA taps Birmingham Business Leader Fenn Church as new Chairman
Fenn Church
The Alabama Trucking Association Board of Directors has elected Fenn Church, President of the Birmingham-based Church Transportation & Logistics, Inc., to serve as its Chairman for fiscal year 2018-’19. His term began July 1, 2018 and runs to June 30, 2019.
A native of Dothan, Ala., Church, 52, grew up around transportation and logistics, working part time for his family’s paper products distribution business. He later worked summers for Coffman International Trucks, a commercial truck and heavy equipment dealership based in Dothan, before heading off to Auburn University where he earned a B.S. in Transportation and Physical Distribution followed by an MBA from the University of Tennessee in Transportation and Finance.
Church has worked in fleet management for more than 30 years, gaining sales and managerial experience at both large and medium size carriers before founding his own business in 2000 with a single truck and driver. Working through one of the worst economic downturns in American history, Church steadily grew the company to now include nearly 70 trucks and as many trailers.
According to ATA President and CEO Frank Filgo, Church brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Association, and his presence will be felt immediately in furthering the Association’s mission of protecting and promoting the state’s trucking industry.
“For more than a decade, Fenn has been among our most effective members, serving multiple leadership roles for Association events and membership programs,” Filgo said. “His experience and dedication are why our Board selected him chief elected officer for fiscal year 2019. Major decisions will be addressed this year, and I am confident Fenn’s leadership will be a great asset.”
Church said the industry’s most pressing concern is the lack of adequate highway funding, and he pledged to work with Association leaders to devise appropriate, substantive means for funding the state’s crumbling infrastructure.
“Alabama motor carriers have the responsibility of delivering more than 80 percent of the state’s manufactured goods and natural resources – the things we all need to sustain and provide for our families,” he said. “Unfortunately, due to road congestion and aging infrastructure, trucking is at a disadvantage in doing so efficiently. ATA will work with legislators and other business organizations to push for an increase in the state fuel tax to provide funding for better roads and bridges.”
The last time Alabama increased its fuel tax issue was 1992.
Meanwhile, Church identified additional goals for ATA to include developing a leadership advancement program that identifies and trains future leaders of Alabama’s trucking industry; and increase current Association membership participation in the Association’s events and overall mission. “We need to bring more carriers of all types and sizes into the ranks to create a stronger, better focused industry.”
About the Alabama Trucking Association
Since 1938, the Alabama Trucking Association has served as the state’s voice of trucking. Its mission is to promote leadership in the Alabama motor carrier industry, advocate sound transportation policies to all levels of government, and works to maintain a safe, environmentally responsible and efficient Alabama transportation goods movement system.
