The American Trucking Associations has named its next CEO and president: Mark Colson, who currently heads the Alabama Trucking Association.
Colson brings over 20 years of experience in building lasting coalitions to the role of the Washington, D.C.-headquartered advocacy organization, the ATA said in a Thursday news release. His appointment is effective Dec. 1.
Colson has spent the last seven years leading the Alabama Trucking Association, the organization said in a separate news release. He also previously held key roles at the Business Council of Alabama, including interim president, SVP of government affairs and chief of staff, the trucking groups noted.
“For more than 90 years, ATA’s mission has been to give trucking a strong voice in the decisions that shape its future,” ATA Chairman Greg Hodgen, CEO of Groendyke Transport, said in a statement. “Mark will build on that foundation, bringing fresh energy and a clear vision for advancing our industry’s priorities and delivering even greater value for our members.”
Previously, Colson chaired the Trucking Association Executives Council task force that developed the Trucking Resurgent action plan in December 2025 to “close the regulatory gaps exploited by noncompliant carriers and unqualified drivers,” the association noted.
“We are on the verge of a trucking resurgence, but we must keep fighting and advocating as our industry leaders continue to climb out of one of the deepest and longest freight recessions in history,” Colson said in the ATA news release.
Colson, who was elected vice chairman of the Trucking Association Executives Council in July 2026, serves on the ATA’s Strategic Priorities Committee and Truck PAC as well the American Transportation Research Institute’s Research Advisory Committee, the groups noted.
“The decisions made in Washington don’t stay in Washington. They affect how we operate, how we invest, and how we serve our customers every day,” incoming ATA Chairman Derek Leathers, CEO of Werner Enterprises, said in the release. “Our industry needs a strong, unified voice at the table to make sure policymakers understand those realities and fight for policies that enable trucking to keep America moving.”
Colson will continue in his role with the Alabama Trucking Association through the end of November as part of the transition. He will also assist the organization in December and thereafter as its board takes the time needed to find a long-term replacement.
