Transportation Transitions: Kodiak and International Motors appoint new leadership

ATA supports the advancement of Derek Barrs’ nomination to lead FMCSA

The American Trucking Associations applauded the Senate Commerce Committee for recently voting in support of Derek Barrs to serve as administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. His nomination will now be considered by the full Senate.

“Over the past 20 years, Derek Barrs has built his career in law enforcement and the commercial motor vehicle industry around one singular goal: to make our roads safer for all motorists,” said ATA President & CEO Chris Spear. “We appreciate the members of the Senate Commerce Committee recognizing Derek’s laudable commitment by voting to approve his nomination to be FMCSA administrator. This role is vitally important to the 8.5 million Americans who work in trucking-related jobs. Derek has the qualifications and expertise that will make him exceptionally well prepared to take on this challenge, and under his leadership, the trucking industry is confident that FMCSA will make significant progress toward  achieving our shared priorities of improving highway safety and efficiently delivering the nation’s freight. We urge the Senate to confirm him to this position at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Barrs has served in various law enforcement capacities for the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Highway Patrol. Most recently, he has been a consultant on traffic-related and commercial motor vehicle safety projects across numerous states. He also joined ATA’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board in 2021, and he has been an active member of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance in multiple roles, including serving as the president of the associate members, where he represented motor carriers and suppliers to the industry.

See also: Transportation Transitions: New leadership for Phillips, TCA, eCapital

Kodiak appoints retired Marine general and Navy vice admiral to Defense Advisory Council

Kodiak Robotics recently announced that retired U.S. Marine Corps General Frank McKenzie and retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Michael Moran have joined its recently established Defense Advisory Council. The council is led by Kodiak’s strategic adviser, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Richard “Ross” Coffman. The council is designed to help shape Kodiak’s strategy and deployment of its technology with the U.S. Department of Defense and the broader public sector.

“Our Defense Advisory Council provides critical insights into how we can leverage our AI-powered AV technology for defense and public sector applications,” Don Burnette, founder and CEO of Kodiak, said. "General McKenzie brings valuable national security expertise that we believe will help advise us on how best to provide value to servicemembers on the front lines and those supporting from behind in logistics roles. Vice Admiral Moran’s substantial experience in technology acquisition for the Department of Defense helps bolster us with operational knowledge that we believe will help us grow our public sector business. A special thank you to our investor Marlinspike for introducing us to these fantastic advisers."

General McKenzie brings national security experience, including strategy, diplomacy, and leadership of large-scale combat operations to the council. As a lieutenant general, he was the Commanding General of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command, and as a general, he subsequently served as the Commander of U.S. Central Command. 

Vice Admiral Moran is a Department of Defense acquisition expert. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 2021 after 38 years, last serving as principle military deputy for the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition. Earlier, he served as military assistant to the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics.

New CHRO appointed at International Motors

International Motors recently announced that Gabriel Duarte-Urrutia will join International as executive vice president, chief human resources officer, effective September 1. Duarte-Urrutia brings more than 25 years of experience in global human resources leadership across the automotive, industrial technology, and healthcare sectors.

Duarte-Urrutia will lead International's global HR strategy, focusing on workforce and talent development, culture change, and employee engagement. He will serve on International's Executive Board and report to Mathias Carlbaum, International president and CEO.

"Gabriel brings years of expertise in building agile, people-focused organizations at scale," Carlbaum said. "His global leadership experience and focus on driving organizational excellence through people make him the right leader to help us shape the future of International."

Duarte-Urrutia joins from APTIV, where he most recently served as VP, human resources for signal & power solutions and global labor relations, leading HR strategy for global business across mobility, telecom, military, and medical sectors. He previously held senior roles at APTIV, overseeing global HR for electrification distribution systems and regional operations across the Americas.

"I am truly proud to join International, a company with a remarkable legacy and a long-standing tradition of innovation and impact," Duarte-Urrutia said. "I believe it is people who drive this legacy forward. My focus is on raising the standard, coaching leaders, and driving a culture that embraces accountability, agility, and purpose. I'm here to listen, learn the business, and help unlock the full potential of this team."