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Staff & Board of Trustees

Staff

Tom Color

Thomas A. Balzer, CAE

President & CEO
614-653-0290

Thomas A. Balzer, CAE is the president & CEO of the Ohio Trucking Association a position he has held for over seven years. Tom has over 25 years of experience as an association executive. During his tenure, the Ohio Trucking Association has seen some significant changes and logged some significant legislative wins. Including a 1,400% increase in assets, greater transparency and membership engagement, increased donations to the Political Action Committee and a heightened presence in Ohio politics.

Prior the Ohio Trucking Association Tom served as the director of administration at Midwest Motor Express, an LTL carrier with 32 terminals in 16 states, and a board member with Midnite Express, a truckload carrier that served 48 states and Canada. Tom has his CDL and drove linehaul during some of the busier times.

For over six years Tom was the executive vice president of the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association. During his tenure with the Association membership increased by 35% to the highest levels in organizational history, he returned the organization to profitability after over ten years of losses, and expanded its trucking education program offerings, including the nation’s only conference specifically for oilfield trucking operations.

Tom currently serves on the board of American Trucking Associations’s TruckPAC and the past chair of the Ohio Society of Association Executives. He also served on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Household Goods Consumer Protection Working Group and serves on a variety of policy committees for the American Trucking Associations.

Tom was born and raised in Bismarck, North Dakota, received his M.B.A. from the University of Mary and his Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Dakota.

Bradie Color

Bradie Berry

Vice President
614-519-6462

Bradie Berry is an experienced association professional possessing more than 20 years of industry experience. In 2018, she joined the Ohio Trucking Association (OTA) as the Vice President of Meetings & Events. In 2022, she was promoted to Vice President. In this role, she is responsible for the high-level planning and execution of all meetings and events, growing the education programs portfolio, reboot of the Ohio Trucking Safety Council and manages the execution of the Association's strategic plan by staff.

Prior to joining OTA, Bradie worked for the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA) for more than 15 years where she progressed through a series of promotions, culminating as the Director of Major Events, a role in which she oversaw the organization’s Mid-America Restaurant Expo, a multi-day annual education and trade show exposition.

She holds a dual Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Organizational Communications from Otterbein University.

Della Hole OTA 2021-12013081

Della Hole

Director of Operations
614-753-5125

Della M. Hole joined the Ohio Trucking Association (OTA) in July 2021. In October 2023, she was promoted to Director of Operations. She brings experience in office management, property management, finance/bookkeeping, human resources, and organizational management. She is responsible for coordinating meetings, maintaining the office's operations, and keeping things running smoothly.

Before joining the OTA, she was employed in healthcare in the hospital corporate setting and long-term care. Responsibilities in these roles ranged from finance to recruitment and retention.

In her free time, Della is an avid baker (focusing on creating new cheesecakes) and a reader. She prides herself on being a lifelong learner.

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Debra Seiple

Director of Business Development
614-653-1991

Debra Seiple (Deb) is an association management and sales professional with over 30 years of experience in membership growth, team development, membership and sponsorship sales, and executing customer service at the highest level.  In March 2022, she joined the Ohio Trucking Association as the Director of Business Development.  In this role, she is responsible for growing membership by sharing knowledge about the Ohio Trucking Association’s mission, benefits, and sponsorship opportunities with carriers, movers, and associated companies who serve Ohio’s trucking industry.

Prior positions held include Membership Manager, Membership Director, Sales Manager, Business Development Director and, more recently, Trade Show Manager for the Ohio Restaurant Association (ORA).  For the past 7 years, Deb held the position of Trade Show Manager where she managed booth and sponsorship sales, and handled all vendor relations and logistics for their yearly, multi-day, trade show event.  Deb also held the position of Membership Specialist, where she brought new members into the association.

Deb loves the Buckeyes, is a big NASCAR and NTT IndyCar Series racing fan, and is very active.  She enjoys hiking, traveling, biking, the beach, spending time with family, reading, and riding their Harley.

Donna Taylor_color

Donna Taylor

Director of Communications
718-954-0725

Donna Taylor joined the Ohio Trucking Association (OTA) in October 2023 as the Director of Communications. Donna is a versatile professional with a track record of excelling in diverse industries. With a background spanning entertainment, hospitality, marketing, and more, she brings a wealth of cross-functional expertise to any role.

In her position, Donna is responsible for developing and executing an association-wide marketing plan, creating and implementing a comprehensive social media strategy, serving as the lead for the Level Up Webinar series, and providing event and education support.

Before joining OTA, Donna worked in Marketing and Communications. She relocated from New York City, where she spent over a decade working in the fashion and entertainment industry.

Donna loves spending time with her family and always seeks new adventures with her children.

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Pete Thompson

Accountant
614-225-1033

Lobbyists - Governmental Policy Group

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Brooke Cheney

Chairman of the Board

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Victor Hipsley

President & CEO

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Matthew Whitehead

Vice President

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Michael Guastella

Director of Public Affairs

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Ronnie Romito

Director of Legislative Affairs

Sanders

Sydney Sanders

Manager of Policy & Communications

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Aubrey Spencer

Manager of Operations

kelsey

Kelsey Woolard

Director of Government Affairs

Officers

Jon Gaupp

Chair

Jonathan Gaupp 
General Transportation Manager 
Walmart Transportation

Jay Sewell OTA 2021-12013146

First Vice Chair

Jay Sewell
President and CEO
Sewell Motor Express

Liette Headshot

Treasurer

Rebecca Pohl Liette
Vice President of Marketing
Pohl Transportation, Inc.

Tim Cowen OTA 2021-12013111

Secretary

Tim Cowen
President
Cowen Truck Line, Inc.

Tony Tomase OTA 2021-12013153

Immediate Past Chair

Tony Tomase 
Owner
GetGo Transportation Co., LLC
Milbury, OH

ScottPauchnik

ATA VP from Ohio

Scott Pauchnik
Sr. State and Local Government Affairs Rep. 
FedEx

Trustees

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Mathew Birdsall

EASE Expedited

ChrisBobbitt

Chris Bobbitt

Sanborn, Brandon, Duvall & Bobbitt

Kevin Burch OTA 2021-12013124

Kevin Burch

Martin Transportation Systems of Northern Ohio, LLC

Mark Carrocce OTA 2021-12013160

Mark Carrocce Sr.

R&J Trucking Inc.

Tim Chrulski-2[8]

Tim Chrulski

Garner Trucking, Inc.

Richard M Crockett OTA 2021-12013148

Richard M. Crockett

Capital Transportation, Inc.

Ed Donovan

Ed Donovan

Marvin Johnson & Associates

Willy

Willy Jennings

Gateway Distribution, LLC

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Joseph Kerola

P I & I Motor Express

Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence

Pilot Company

Kevin Mast OTA 2021-12013102

Kevin Mast

Mast Trucking, Inc.

Brad Ralston

Brad Ralston

ContainerPort Group

Jerold Richards OTA 2021-12013107

Jerold Richards

Classic Carriers, Inc.

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Ryan Richards

JRayl Transport, Inc.

Stacy Sadar OTA 2021-12013093

Stacy Sadar

Geotab

Matthew Selby OTA 2021-12013114

Matt Selby

Frantz Ward LLP

Doug Sosko OTA 2021-12013136

Doug Sosko

CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

Kiera Sullivan OTA 2021-12013097

Kiera Sullivan

Continental Express Inc.

Ashley Von Derau OTA 2021-12013143

Ashley Von Derau

Rush Transportation & Logistics

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Steve Zsulya

J.W. Didado Electric LLC

OTA Past Chairmen

2022-2023

Tony Tomase

2021-2022

Glenn Fehribach

2020-2021

Ed Nagle

2019-2020

Jim Subler

2018-2019

Dean Kaplan

2016-2018

Doug Sibila

2014-2016

Daniel Doran

2012-2014

Paul Williams

2010-2012

Suzie Schindewolf

2008-2010

John N. Hofstetter

2006-2008

Richard E. Durst

2004-2006

Keith A. Tuttle

2002-2004

Daniel E. Hennessey

2000-2002

Vernon E. Garner

1998-2000

Robert A. Barnes

1996-1998

James W. Bates

1994-1996

Steven D. Walker

1992-1994

A. Roger Atkinson

1990-1992

Jay L. Kaplan

1988-1990

Edward E. Ross

1986-1988

William G. Verst

1984-1986

Daniel E. Fuhrman

1981-1984

Philip E. Lattavo

1980-1981

Charles H. McCreary

1979-1980

Milton H. Bortz

1977-1979

John E. LeFevre

1975-1977

Carl W. Reagan

1973-1975

Ronald R. Sibila

1971-1973

Ralph E. Hennessey

1969-1971

R.R. Johnstone

1967-1969

O.M. Lattavo

1965-1967

Don E. Blancett

1963-1965

Howard E. LeFevre

1961-1963

J. Otis Ford

1959-1961

Samual J. Tutt

1957-1959

Jesse W. Sentle

1955-1957

Clarence A. Kelley

1953-1955

C.E. Williams

1951-1953

Kenneth Herriott

1949-1951

William Burbank

1947-1949

Frank Egner

1945-1947

Enry De Maria

1943-1945

John Ernsthausen

1941-1943

H.B. Franks

1939-1941

Ed Lee

1937-1939

L.J. Hughes

1935-1937

Merle Fullerton

1932-1935

Glenn R. Ward

1931-1932

Paul J. Herbert

1929-1931

Ray Wagner

1926-1929

Thomas Heil, Jr.

1923-1926

Frank Schmidt

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