NTEA Names New President

March 13, 2006 — At the association's annual meeting at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on March 2, Robert Green was installed as the 42nd president of the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA). Green is president (and co-founder) of his own firm — Robert Green Truck Div., Inc., based in Rock Hill, N.Y. The company — which joined the NTEA in 1990 — is a full-line truck upfitter that includes snow and ice control equipment, cranes, hydraulic systems, service bodies, dump bodies, and more.

 

“As president, I want to continue to expand the existing agenda that includes the NTEA's Member Verification Program (MVP); Sales Productivity, Earnings and Quality (SPEQ) Plan Manual; and Closing the Gap: A Customer Benchmarking Program,” he said.

 

The association introduced its Member Verification Program in May 2005 and has since qualified 220 members. Initially, MVP participants have been asked to meet and verify four of five business processes and certain government compliance criteria. Over time, the NTEA will increase program requirements to encourage even higher standards through set criteria that must be met by distributor and manufacturer members to continue to qualify for MVP status. Members must re-verify every three years, and newly qualifying MVPs are announced quarterly on www.NTEA.com.

 

Another key focus for Green is the SPEQ Plan Manual, a new NTEA resource that helps truck equipment firms effectively manage the scope of industry changes, and helps companies create continuous improvement programs.

 

“Needs and demands are constantly changing and so must the methods for meeting them,” said Green. “The SPEQ Plan Manual gives industry firms the tools to review and improve existing business processes and to determine areas requiring proactive improvement.”

 

In addition to these industry-specific programs, the NTEA will also begin promoting its newest initiative, Closing the Gap: A Customer Benchmarking Program. The association recently conducted a major study of why dealers and fleets do business with their truck equipment suppliers. According to NTEA, it was the largest survey of its kind ever conducted in the industry with a total of 347 fleets and 176 dealers responding.

 

“Closing the Gap is intended to help distributors and manufacturers develop strategies to move closer to their customers and truly understand their needs in order to deliver solutions and maximum value,” said Green.

 

While his primary focus will be to oversee current initiatives, Green will also promote having more NTEA members involved in the strategic planning process and direction of the organization. Currently, the NTEA has nearly 1,600 member companies, and Green predicts continuous growth in membership size and service offerings in years to come.