TORONTO, Ont. – The Ontario Trucking Association has named its new chairman at its annual general meeting in Toronto today.

The new chairman is Scott Tilley, co-president of the Tandet Group based in Oakville, Ont. Tilley has served on the OTA Board of Directors for the last two decades and is a director on the board of the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Trucks for Change Network.

Tilley said in this position he will focus on the sustainability of the OTA.

“OTA has a great history and is one of the most effective trade associations in any industry,” he said. “While I’d put OTA’s track record up against any other association, organizations need to be dynamic to stay on top; they need a vision of who they are, what they stand for, where they’re going and what they need to do to get there.”

Tilley joined Tandet in 1985. The company was and still is a family business today, as he runs the company with his brother.

“Being in a family business is challenging enough; being in a family business in the trucking industry can bring even more challenges,” he said. “Many trucking companies are family-owned and operated. The OTA has allowed me to meet and share experiences on the challenges of a family trucking business, while also sharing and learning from corporate OTA members. I have found this mix to be enormously helpful over the years.”

His son Ryan has joined Tandet recently and Tilley said he is adjusting well to the new industry.

“He has really enjoyed and benefited from participating in the OTA Next Generation Program,” said Tilley. “This is where many of our industry’s leaders of tomorrow can receive training and make the connections that will develop into business relationships. This will be invaluable over the course of their careers.

“I was a participant in the first Next Generation program back in the 1990s, when as an industry we were ahead of the times. Now everyone has a sustainability/development program for their Next Generation. Our first go at this has already seen three participants become chairs of the OTA. And now as I talk about my son and the current program, I am excited to see how it will continue to develop over time. Who knows; perhaps one day we’ll establish a sort of OTA university as a place to learn and connect.”