Being Part of the Solution
COVER STORY
Being Part of the
Former two-term Kansas Governor, Bill Graves currently serves as President and CEO of American Trucking Associations, the national trade and safety organization of the United States trucking industry. Through its 50 affiliated state trucking associations, conferences and other organizations, ATA represents motor carriers before all branches of the government.
B
ill Graves is no stranger to the trucking industry. In fact, you might say that it's in his blood. That's because for almost 70 years, members of his family have operated trucking companies; that family business helped instill in him a love for the industry. Today, Graves credits his family for the passion and perspective he brings to his role as president and CEO of American Trucking Associations. He's a natural leader. And his goal is for the entire trucking industry to share that leadership role in promoting solutions for greater safety and environmental responsibility. Graves traces his trucking roots back to 1935. "My grandfather had lost the family farm near Mentor, Kansas during the Great Depression," he recalls. "It was soon afterwards that he, along with my father and uncles, started Graves Truck Service." Using a couple of old trucks saved from foreclosure, the Graves family began hauling livestock to and from local auction barns. For several years, enough business came in to take care of the family's needs. But the company took on a new direction when Graves' father returned from World War II and used his experience and military pay to expand the family business beyond its local roots. "Dad was trained in a transportation unit in Africa," says Graves. "When he came home with his severance pay, he bought an operating authority to haul general commodities across the state." From there, the company continued to grow into a thriving regional LTL carrier in the 60s and 70s. For Graves, an education in trucking began at an early age. "Growing up on a farm, Dad had a strong work ethic and expected the same of me," he
says. "He gave me my first job in the company when I was thirteen that was picking up trash on the freight docks." With age and experience came greater responsibilities, and Graves learned every aspect of the family business from the ground up. Duties included sorting salvaged goods, billing, and more; for Graves, hard work was part of everyday life. "Even while I was attending college, I worked on the docks at midnight, loading and unloading freight." While still a boy, Graves recognized how important trucking was to his family. "Growing up in Salina, everything seemed to revolve around trucking. For instance, when we went to Hutchinson, Kansas, for the state fair, Dad would check the company terminal. We also made trips to Wichita or Topeka to attend the Kansas Motor Carrier Convention." Graves says trucking influenced virtually everything the family did together. "To me, a vacation was going somewhere to the annual ATA convention." The right seeds were planted in his youth and, having been groomed to run the company after college, Graves earned a bachelor's degree from Kansas Wesleyan College in 1975 and studied business administration at the University of Kansas from 1978 to 1979. But then life threw a wrench in his plans. Graves Truck Line was sold in 1980, and Graves suddenly found himself without a clear career path. "I struggled a bit," he admits, "trying to figure out what to do with my life." It was then that a friend suggested that he consider working on a political campaign. Graves jumped at the opportunity, and went to work for George H.W. Bush in the 1980 presidential primaries. One thing led to another, and Graves found himself in public service. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
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