Page 33 - Arkansas Trucking Report Volume 23 Issue 2

AT-A-Glance:

FAMILY: I’ve been married coming around 26 years. I met my wife in college. We’re both from
Nebraska, and we’ve got four children: James (19), Anna (17), Thomas (12), Eva (7).
I can’t say enough about them. They are the centerpiece of our family, where we spend a lot of our time
outside of work is really centered around what they do, their events, things that interest them. The kids
are really a big part of our lives.
HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR FAMILY WOULD DESCRIBE YOU? Pretty engaged,
not just at work, but with them. My wife and I go a long way to be involved in the activities and classes
and topics that interest them most.
INTROVERT OR EXTROVERT? Extrovert

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM: Oh …Washington Redskins. I’m almost ashamed to admit it.
That’s why I hesitated, but I love the Redskins.
CURRENTLY READING: I’ve been reading a book about the Korean War, how it started, how it
transpired, how difficult it was, what that was like, very changing environment globally. I spent a lot of
time before coming to this job in Korea, so I wanted to learn a little bit more about the history there. It
was rather interesting to have that backdrop coming into the Olympics, some of the histories that were
behind how the Olympics were held there, and how North and South held hands the best they could to
get through that in a way that was good for the world and other countries to witness.

The years of efforts to educate law- the down select of those decision mak- people that shaped him personally and
makers on how those hours-of-service ers came down to less than 8 people.” professionally is something Spear car-
rules (the back-to-back 1 am-to-5 am Spear says, ATA asked, “What ries. “I never forgot the upbringing.
and the 160 hour rule) introduced more states? What congressional districts are That’s always stayed with me,” he says.
safety issues, less efficiency, more con- they from? Who do we have from our His strategy for being a good leader
gestion, subsequently higher rates for membership that is in those states and of ATA is to prioritize common ground,
shippers and significantly more head- districts that can come in and tell that the issues we all have in common, with
aches into the trucking industry than story?” And they used that strategy all bipartisan support, but even when it’s
the problems it aimed to solve paid off, the way up to the last minute! possible to unite behind an issue, it’s
and Spear credits the united front of “We never took our foot off the not easy to convince politicians to see
carriers of all sizes and types, suppliers gas. We were always engaged. And that things the same way their electorate
and other businesses up and down the win was significant because it was an does, to stay connected to the places
supply chain that were affected by the example of where we did everything and people they represent. Inside the
flawed rules, shippers paying the price, right and hardly anything went wrong.” beltway isn’t just a geographical posi-
and a whole host of other voices that tion; it’s an ideological one.
could come together for one cause. REMEMBER WHERE YOU Maybe because he never forgot
“We leveraged everything we had. CAME FROM where he came from, Spear has been
We used our Call on Washington pro- The places we come from shape unwillingly to let legislators forget their
gram and partnership with our state who we are and where we end up. own hometowns and the districts that
associations, really canvassing Capitol Spear speaks lovingly about his days in shaped and elected them.
Hill, and telling our story. We used our Wyoming, and you want to picture an “We are now an 85-year-old asso-
coalition work. It wasn’t just a truck- Americana cowboy landscape, beneath ciation, a 50-state association. Where
ing voice. It was the entire supply chain the purple mountains majesty. He says, Washington may be incapable of, or
impacted by that issue. We told our he and his wife fell in love with it and even unwilling to, advance certain
story through Truck-PAC and really that they will return someday. They issues that are important to our indus-
supporting people that champion our serve on the board of their alma mater, try, you still have a tremendous amount
issues. We want them to come back and their eldest son is even attending. of leverage with our state associations,
and be re-elected. We brought in a lot Spear’s career, family and first taste of with our state executives, with the
of members that went face-to-face with independence started there. members back home.
key decision makers. In the very end, That connection to the land and 

ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 2 2018 33