HAMILTON, Ont. –The family of the late Gerald Marshall, founder of Marshall Truck and Trailer, have donated more than $1.7 million towards the development of a new training facility at Mohawk College.

The $4-million Gerald Marshall Centre for Transportation will open its doors this year, providing training to over 400 truck and coach apprentices each year. The 15,350 sq.-ft. training facility will be spacious enough to house up to three tractor-trailers at a time with classrooms overlooking the shop floor.

Mohawk College will use the facility to train students in its Truck and Coach Apprentice, Truck and Trailer Apprentice and Pre-Apprentice Truck and Coach programs.

The Marshall family’s donation is among the largest private donations in Mohawk’s 42-year history, the college announced. Other local businesses and individuals also contributed, including LeClair Truck Repair which chipped in $50,000.

“Mohawk College is the prime job creating engine in our region,” announced president Rob MacIsaac. “Thanks to the support of the Marshall family, Marshall Truck and Trailer Repair and our generous college partners, the new Gerald Marshall Centre for Transportation will allow us to train even more apprentices and keep pace with demand in the transportation industry for highly skilled and future-ready graduates.”

•

Harper Truck Centres has appointed Michael Donnelly to the position of director of sales. In this role, Donnelly will assume full sales and brand responsibilities for the dealership, overseeing the new and used truck sales operations for the Freightliner, Western Star, FUSO, Condor and Sterling brands in the Greater Toronto Area.

Donnelly previously led a national sales force for a trailer manufacturer and managed a Penske business unit before joining the Harper organization in 2006. Donnelly most recently assumed expanded responsibilities as the general manager of Harper Bus Sales for the Thomas Built Buses product line.

•

The Saskatchewan Trucking Association (STA) has announced that Glen Morrison will serve as training manager of the association’s Commercial Truck Services division. Morrison will be in charge of CTS training programs as well as the division’s heavy equipment operator training program, the STA announced.

Morrison has been working for the STA since 2006, handling various assignments including: Class 1A and 3A driver instruction; hours-of-service training; load securement; air brakes; transportation of dangerous goods; and long combination vehicle training, among other projects.

•

Cummins has announced Jim Kelly will be stepping down from his role as president of the engine business to pursue other projects. Rich Freeland, currently president of Cummins components business, will take his place, the company has announced.

Anant Talaulicar, managing director of Cummins India will take over the components business. Both Freeland and Talaulicar will assume their new roles in March, 2010, according to Cummins.

•

Ancra International has appointed William Booth as western Canadian regional sales manager for its Cargo Systems Division Products. Ancra is a designer, manufacturer and distributor of cargo restraint and material handling systems for the transportation industry. Booth has 25 years of sales and service experience in the automotive and heavy-duty transportation industry at the aftermarket and OEM level.

Booth is based in Calgary, Alta. and can be reached by phone at 403-921-6539, by fax at 403-460-1739 or by e-mail at bbooth@ancra.com.