OTTAWA, Ont. — Industry veteran John Cyopeck has been chosen to lead the Canadian Trucking Alliance through the many challenges expected over the next two years.

Cyopeck, 60, President and CEO of Canpar Transport, one of the country’s largest courier/small parcel companies, has spent almost 50 years in the industry. Not one to shy away from a challenge he is widely credited with engineering the turnaround at Canpar in the 1990’s before it was purchased by the Transforce Income Fund in 2002, where it continues its strong performance.

However, it is John Cyopeck’s latest challenge that has trucking executives from across North America in awe of his bravery and positive attitude. On February 1st, John was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which was excised on February 16th. Tests showed that the tumour was malignant and he is now embarking upon a series of treatments. Throughout his ordeal, John has amazed friends and colleagues in the industry with his positive outlook, his feistiness and his drive to take on the responsibilities of the CTA chairman.

“Bravery is an attribute that rarely appears in press releases associated with announcements of business appointments or job promotions. However, it is a personal trait that John Cyopeck will bring to the job of chairman of the Canadian Trucking Alliance,” the CTA said in a release.

In his acceptance speech at CTA’s annual general meeting, John Cyopeck said “it is with great pride that I accept the chairmanship of the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

Cyopeck is the first chairman in the history of the CTA to represent the courier/small parcel segment. He takes over for Evan MacKinnon, CEO of Guelph, Ont.’s MacKinnon Transport.

“I am a trucker and proud of it, this is a great honour,” Cyopeck said in his acceptance speech. He added that “the next two years, will no doubt be as challenging as ever for the Canadian trucking industry and for CTA,” citing border concerns, new hours of service regulations, changes to labour standards, environmental issues and an unpredictable economy.

Cyopeck started working in the small parcel industry after school and on weekends for his father at CN Express in Welland about 48 years ago. He started driving truck and working on the dock at Joe Harrison Motorways, a couple of years after that. He became a Teamsters steward for Local 879 during that time. In the late 1970s he joined the TNT organization holding progressively more senior positions in Vancouver and Mississauga, including VP Transportationin 1986. During that time he started TNT Roadfast. He left TNT in the late 1980s to join Concord Transportation, before joining Canpar (then owned by CP Trucks) in 1989 as Executive VP and Assistant General Manager. He became President and CEO a year later.