ATA names Alabama leader Mark Colson as its next president and CEO

The American Trucking Associations has named Mark Colson, who has led the Alabama Trucking Association since 2019, as its next president and CEO effective Dec. 1, according to Transport Topics on Oct. 15.

Colson will become the 10th president in ATA's history, which dates back to 1933. He succeeds Chris Spear, who left the position abruptly on Aug. 21 after guiding the federation for more than a decade. The announcement comes just days before ATA convenes its 2026 Management Conference & Exhibition, scheduled for Oct. 17-20 in Charlotte, N.C.

Colson grew up changing truck tires in his family's second-generation tire shop, Blow-Out Tire Company, and before joining the Alabama association he represented the state's business community through leadership roles at the Business Council of Alabama, including interim president, senior vice president of governmental affairs and chief of staff. In Alabama, where trucking accounts for about 1 in 13 jobs, he has worked with policymakers on industry issues and promoted careers in trucking.

His reach inside the ATA federation already extends beyond Alabama. He serves on ATA's Strategic Priorities Committee and Truck PAC Board of Directors and on the American Transportation Research Institute's Research Advisory Committee, and his peers elected him vice chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council in July. He also chaired that council's task force that developed the Trucking Resurgence action plan, which identifies regulatory gaps that have allowed noncompliant carriers and unqualified drivers to enter the industry and outlines ways to close those loopholes.

ATA Chairman Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport, said Colson will build on the federation's foundation of giving trucking a voice in Washington, and incoming chairman Derek Leathers, chairman and CEO of Werner Enterprises, stressed that decisions made in Washington affect how carriers operate, invest and serve customers every day. Colson framed the appointment as a renewed commitment to the industry built on earned trust, and said state trucking associations are the boots on the ground for advancing and defending trucking.