NTEA installs new president

INDIANAPOLIS  – Steven Sill, president of Aspen Equipment Co. (Bloomington, Minn.), was installed as the 47th president of the NTEA, the association for the work truck industry.

Sill accepted the gavel from immediate past President Allen Birmingham, national sales manager for Tommy Gate Co. (Phoenix), at the president’s breakfast and NTEA annual meeting. The association’s annual meeting is held in conjunction with The Work Truck Show, North America’s largest work truck event.

Sill began his career as the first third-generation employee in the family business, Road Machinery & Supplies, in high school. He went on to attend Montana State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth before moving to Vail, Colo.

In 1986, he accepted the position of rental coordinator at RMS Truck Equipment Division’s Bloomington, Minn., office. Those responsibilities led to roles as used equipment manager, territory manager, general sales manager and, ultimately, vice president general manager.

Then, in 1993, a plan was formed to separate the assets of what would eventually become Aspen Equipment from those of RMS. That goal was accomplished on July 1, 1994 when Aspen Equipment was born under Steve’s leadership as president. Aspen Equipment is headquartered in Minneapolis, with additional facilities in Des Moines, Iowa and Omaha, Neb.

“My primary focus over the next year as president of the NTEA will be to help fellow NTEA member companies to better position themselves to take full advantage of the rapidly revitalizing economy,” said Steve.

Also serving on the 2011-2012 board are executive committee members: First Vice President Frank Livas, senior vice president/COO for Brake & Clutch (Salem, Mass.); Second Vice President Shawn Jacobs, president of STS Trailer & Truck Equipment (Syracuse, N.Y.); Third Vice President and Treasurer Bobby Horton, general manager of Commercial Body & Rigging (Garland, Texas), and NTEA Executive Director and Secretary Jim Carney.

Serving alongside executive committee members are Distributor Trustees Steve Hayes, general manager of Layton Truck Equipment (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Adam Keane, general manager of Allied Body Works (Seattle); Jeffrey Messer, president of Messer Truck Equipment (Westbrook, Maine), and Terry Wieseler, vice president/general manager of Truck Equipment (Des Moines, Iowa), and Manufacturer Trustees Brett Collins, president of Venco/Venturo Manufacturing (Cincinnati); Mark Woody, president of Palfinger North America (Niagara Falls, ON, Canada), and Dave Zelis, director of sales and marketing for Buyers Products Co. (Mentor, Ohio).

The organization also unveiled a new logo, which uses the acronym NTEA and tagline “The Association for the Work Truck Industry.”

“We have a new look, but remain the same progressive association that is committed to providing our members with support, services and information they can trust,” Executive Director Jim Carney said.