Grapevine, TX. At the official opening of the Truckload Carriers Assn. (TCA) annual convention here Monday, one of the first orders of business was to present the organization’s most prestigious award. The Past Chairmen’s Award was given to Robert (Bob) Baylor, president of Baylor Trucking, Inc., based in Milan, IN and accepted on his behalf by his daughter, Cari Baylor, who is also the vice president of Baylor Trucking. TCA’s immediate past chairman, Robert Low, did the honors.
“My Dad loves trucking,” said his daughter, adding that it is his friends, his trucking family that really holds a special place in his heart.
Baylor Trucking is a family-owned business founded by Bob Baylor’s father in 1946. The company operates a dry van and refrigerated fleet serving all areas of the United States. Baylor joined the business in 1975, helping to transform the company from a handful of trucks to more than 300 power units today.
Bob Baylor served on TCA’s Executive Committee for more than 15 years and is a past secretary and at-large officer (twice). He served for several years as a trustee for the organization’s Scholarship Fund and has participated in TCA’s Highway Policy Committee, Independent Contractor Practices Policy Committee, Retention & Recruitment Human Resources Group, Small Carrier Management Panel, School Committee, and other bodies.
He has also served on the board of directors and Nominating Committee for the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and was the Indiana vice president to ATA. Within his home state, he is a past chairman of the Indiana Motor Truck Association (IMTA) and a member of its Executive Committee. He was recently honored with IMTA’s 2013 Founders Award recognizing those who distinguish themselves in the industry by their actions.
Baylor also spends several weeks in Washington, D.C. annually, working on regulatory and policy issues with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and other government entities to help ensure that the industry’s role and commitment to safety is understood.
“Bob is someone who is always there… always participating… always giving of himself. For example, for six years he has ensured that his company donated wreaths free-of-charge as part of National Wreaths Across America Day, a program that TCA strongly supports,” said Tom Kretsinger, Jr., TCA’s 2013-14 chairman and the president of American Central Transport, Inc. and host of the General session. “Over the years, he has spent countless hours reading through our scholarship applications, attending our conventions, and lending his voice to help shape TCA’s policies and programs. He has been a tremendous asset to us and to the entire trucking industry, and is a worthy recipient of TCA’s highest honor.”
The Past Chairmen's award is the highest honor given by TCA. It goes to a leader who has made a significant contribution to the business community, the trucking industry, and the organization. Contrary to the title of the award, the awardee does not have to be a past chairman of the association.
Since Baylor was not able to attend the convention personally, the award was previously bestowed February 11, 2014, at a special dinner in Baylor’s honor.
Kretsinger also used the first General Session to review the services TCA provides to its members, the industry and society as a whole, including networking opportunities, advocacy, recognition, education (the scholarship fund now at $1.6 million), and numerous image initiatives, such as Highway Angels, Wreaths Across America, and transport of the Capitol Christmas Tree.
