TORONTO, Ont. — The Ontario Trucking Association has announced details of its annual convention, scheduled for Nov. 11 and 12.

Featured speakers/entertainers will include: U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Paul Cellucci (Opening Kick off Breakfast); Mack Trucks Inc. CEO Paul L. Vikner (Friday breakfast); author/motivational speaker Dr. John Izzo; Harry Neale (Hockey Night in Canada), Christine Simpson (Rogers Sportsnet) and (invited) Doug Gilmour; Jessica Holmes of Royal Canadian Air Farce (Freightliner luncheon, Friday); and Juno Award Winners Blue Rodeo (gala Reception and dinner).

This year’s business sessions will address today’s most important issues in trucking.

And the Executive Briefing session will be back again this year, where some of the most respected trucking industry leaders from both Canada and the United States will share their strategies for facing the challenges of today’s industry. The two-part briefing looks at:

1. Outlook on the Industry – TL/LTL: featuring CEOs from Heartland Express (Russell Gerdin), Roadway Group Yellow Roadway Corporation (James Staley); Contrans Income Fund Inc. (Stan Dunford) and Vitran Corporation Inc. (Rick Gaetz).

2. Navigating Through the Perfect Storm:
A Maintenance and IT Conference is also on 2004 OTA Convention menu. The Canadian Trucking Alliance has partnered with the Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) to present a two-day conference and display for equipment, IT and logistics professionals in Toronto from November 11 -12.

To register, visit the convention Web site at: http://www.ontruck.org/info/convention/index.html or contact the OTA at (416) 249-7401, ext. 232.