2011 SmartWay Champions

Since EPA launched SmartWay, Glen Kedzie has served as the programs principal liaison to the trucking industry. As EPA developed test protocols and fuel consumption targets for SmartWay verified equipment and SmartWay-designated vehicles, Glen facilitated exchanges between SmartWay technical staff and his organizations Technology and Maintenance Council by identifying SmartWay as one of six pillars of his organizations Sustainability Plan. Glens leadership has been invaluable in bringing key national and state trucking associations and affiliated organizations into partnership with SmartWay, so these groups could educate their members about improving environmental performance and reducing fuel consumption.

Mitch England collaborated with EPA as it developed the criteria for the SmartWay trailer designation, by sharing information gathered from his companys testing of, and field experiences with, aerodynamic technologies. This feedback was important as his organization operates a large refrigerated trailer fleet, which can create unique challenges for certain aerodynamic trailer designs. Mitch has worked hard to incorporate SmartWay technologies and best practices into his companys trucking fleet, resulting in an investment of over 2,800 SmartWay designated tractors. Mitch consistently seeks opportunities to encourage other truck carriers to improve performance by speaking about how SmartWay technical assistance, tools and approaches are helping trucking companies to realize the business benefits of sustainability.

Since bringing his organization into SmartWay in 2004, Mark Servidio succeeded in integrating its logistics and environmental supply chain planning operations. Now all logistics employees receive sustainability training, enabling them to understand and reduce the environmental impacts of goods movement. In stakeholder meetings with EPA, Mark contributed important insights and information that helped the Agency to enhance its SmartWay partner tools and methods.Under Marks leadership, his organization instituted no idle delivery docks with driver comfort stations, a practice that spread to other businesses, saving energy and cutting emissions. Mark also led efforts to expand his organizations multi-modal and rail freight options. Mark uses his frequent speaking opportunities to educate stakeholders in the US and abroad about sustainable goods movement and his commitment to the goals of SmartWay a commitment that helped his organization earn the Excellence Award four years in a row.

Dave Berry has helped to ensure that the SmartWay program is readily accessible to the trucking sector by serving as a sounding board and providing critical industry perspective. Dave was instrumental in encouraging his organization to join SmartWay as a Charter Partner, helping to test drive the programs initial tools and approaches. As Chair of ATAs Environmental and Energy Policy Committee and past Chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association, Dave works hard to encourage other companies to join SmartWay and to adopt fuel-saving technologies and strategies. More recently, Dave participated in EPAs development and beta test of SmartWays updated partner tools, which will further strengthen the programs effectiveness. Dave was also responsible for replacing over 7,000 trailers and over 6,500 tractors in his organizations truck fleet with fuel-saving, cleaner SmartWay designated vehicles.

Dave Guernsey has been actively engaged in SmartWay since its inception, providing valuable stakeholder input into the programs development and encouraging his organization to join as a SmartWay Charter Partner. As Senior Sustainability Manager, Dave supports his organizations efforts to work with EPA on projects to improve the emissions and fuel efficiency of commercial trucks with hybrid and other advanced technologies. By adopting advanced technology, alternative fuel and operational strategies into his organizations trucking operations, Dave was instrumental in improving overall environmental performance. Daves insight into industry and supply chain carbon accounting and his willingness to participate in stakeholder discussions made him a valuable contributor to EPA's recent enhancement of its SmartWay partner tools. Dave has also educated many others about the economic and environmental benefits of sustainability and how the SmartWay program can help businesses to assess and reduce fuel use and emissions from freight shipping.

As Chief Sustainability Officer of a Fortune 500 trucking company, J. Mike Kelley uses his visibility to encourage other business leaders in the freight industry to participate in SmartWay. Mike was instrumental in bringing his organization to SmartWay as a Charter Partner, and in helping shape the programs initial design. Mike continues to demonstrate his commitment to freight sustainability by sharing his SmartWay experience during presentations and interviews to educate others on the environmental and economic benefits of clean, fuel-saving technologies and practices. Mike also provided valuable technical and industry feedback to EPA during stakeholder meetings aimed at enhancing SmartWay partner tools and approaches.

Mark MacLeod and Elena Craft of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and James Jack of Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT) helped to organize a group of stakeholders to provide feedback to EPA as it developed a national port drayage truck program within SmartWay aimed at reducing harmful air emissions from the trucks that service our nations ports. These stakeholders represented a broad cross-section of interests including shippers, ocean carriers and port drayage providers. The contribution of U.S. ports to our nations jobs, economy and air quality is significant and rising, so this groups feedback to EPA was valuable and timely. Using their achievements with the SmartWay port drayage initiative as a starting point, Mark, Elena and James continue to work with stakeholders and ports across the country in support of clean air programs.

The IKEA Transport Team championed SmartWay before the official program launch, meeting with EPA leadership during the programs inception to provide feedback and suggestions for program design, and encouraging their organization to become a SmartWay Charter Partner. This team was among the first in the shipping community to include SmartWay participation as a factor in their companys carrier selection. The team continues to set a high bar for environmental excellence, asking carriers to demonstrate top performance within the SmartWay program. The team further encouraged wide adoption of these carrier sustainability practices throughout its organizations U.S. and Canadian supply chain. Members of this team also participated in key stakeholder meetings with EPA, providing feedback on how SmartWay could enhance its partner tools. The efforts of this team provide a leadership example for others seeking to integrate market-based solutions to support clean air and climate goals.

Gary Whicker and Kristi Noland were instrumental in their organizations investment of over 500 clean, fuel-saving SmartWay designated trucks and technology upgrades. They pioneered the extensive use of logistics solutions including advanced routing and multi-modal options within their organization and across the freight transport sector. Kristi and Gary have shared information and data with EPA to assist SmartWay in its research of multi-modal freight operations. After participating in stakeholder meetings aimed at enhancing SmartWays tools and approaches, they were among the earliest beta testers of the updated tools, providing key input on design and usability. In numerous public events, both Gary and Kristi have advocated the business case for freight sustainability, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits that can be achieved when sustainability is integrated as a core business strategy.

Harry Haney, Michael Cole and Timothy Dzojko were instrumental in bringing their organization into SmartWay, then using SmartWay-identified technologies and carrier performance information to pioneer an innovative supply chain sustainability project. They initiated an incentive program aimed at smaller carriers, providing financial assistance to retrofit vehicles with new fuel-saving equipment. The teams actions achieved air quality and energy benefits while helping smaller businesses become more environmentally and economically sustainable. The team coordinated internally with senior logistics managers to integrate advanced logistics software into their transportation operations. Each of these individuals has spent considerable time educating their supplier and carrier partners about how SmartWay approaches can improve sustainability. Harry, Michael and Timothy also participate in conferences and events to share their supply chain expertise and to educate other stakeholders about SmartWay.

Under their leadership, Steve Palmer and Kevin Perry developed a program that brought their organizations entire network of U.S. carriers into SmartWay, which had a positive influence on the environmental performance of hundreds of carriers. Kevin and Steve participated in a coalition of shippers, logistics companies, and environmental groups that worked with EPA SmartWay to develop an innovative initiative to reduce emissions of port drayage trucks. This initiative will protect air quality in and around ports while sustaining local economies that rely upon port operations. Steve and Kevin participated in a number of stakeholder meetings to help EPA enhance SmartWay partner tools and approaches. Kevin and Steve continue to raise attention and support for improved logistics by participating in events and conferences that support sustainable goods movement, and by continuing to educate others about SmartWay.