Happy 30th work anniversary Kathy Penner!

by Lou Smyrlis

With this issue we celebrate an important milestone: Associate publisher Kathy Penner’s 30th work anniversary.

That’s right folks, 30 years. And, yes, she started working for us right out of kindergarten, or so she tells us. Who would doubt her? Who remembers that far back? And last I saw her, she was “taking a break” from the American Trucking Associations conference down in Orlando, Fla. for a midday run under a blistering sun, while supposedly younger folk were complaining of the heat while sitting in an air-conditioned van.

In all seriousness, however, it’s that kind of determination over the past 30 years from Kathy that has created the industry’s largest Careers section within Truck News and Truck West. Trucking is a people-driven industry and it’s safe to say the Careers section Kathy has grown and managed so capably over the years has served as the conduit for thousands of successful job hires.

Kathy has received a series of promotions within the growing Trucking Group of Transportation Media – which also now includes Motortruck Fleet Executive, www.trucknews.com, TMTV, the Surface Transportation Summit, Transportation Media Research, and several newsletters. In her current role as associate publisher, she works in tandem with me to manage all aspects of the business and I can tell you Kathy is the heart and soul of our group. We simply could not have achieved all that we have over the years without her.

She is one of the most determined, capable and hard working people I know.

Kathy is also one of the best known faces in the industry, travelling across North America to attend industry events and working tirelessly with industry organizations such as the Toronto Transportation Club and our own annual charity golf tournament.

What makes my new job as publisher a lighter load than would be expected is that Kathy is a shining star on a team of stars. Her 30 years with the Trucking Group is representative of the deep well of experience that pervades every department of the group. Every member of the sales team – Doug Copeland, Don Besler and Brenda Grant – has more than 25 years of industry experience. Combined with Kathy, the sales team has more than 120 years of experience in the industry.

The editorial team, led by James Menzies, one of the most influential editors in Canada’s transportation media, is the most experienced in the industry. The team includes long-time staffers Julia Kuzeljevich and Jim Bray as well as recent hire Daniela Piteo, with more hiring announcements to come. Same goes for our art directors, Carolyn Brimer, Beverley Richards and Roy Gaiot – experience galore.

Added to that is the most experienced talent pool of trucking industry writers including former Truck News editor John G. Smith, long-time Quebec correspondent Carroll McCormick, on-the-road editor Harry Rudolfs and the most recognized columnists and bloggers in the industry.

In an industry as vibrant and changing as fast as trucking, experiences counts. It takes an experienced team to best integrate all the different media platforms available today and to guide both readers and advertisers through the most effective use of each platform. Whereas others continue to churn through staff in the hopes of finding the right mix, we already know we have a winning formula with the family of staff who have been growing our products for more than three decades now.

Kathy’s 30th work anniversary is testament to that.


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