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TCA Board of Directors elects James Ward chairman

James Ward, president of Maryland-based D.M. Bowman, has been elected chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association for 2021-22.  Ward accepted the nomination on Tuesday afternoon during TCA’s virtual Board of Directors meeting that was held in conjunction with TCA’s Spring Business Meetings.

Ward has been president of D.M. Bowman, a 382-power unit East Coast carrier with eight terminals, since 1999. He first joined the company in 1986 before moving on to become managing director of the Transportation Industry Division for Willis of Nashville, Tennessee, in 1992. He returned to Bowman in 1999.

In addition to Ward’s responsibilities as TCA Chairman, he also serves on TCA’s Board of Directors, Financial Oversight Committee, Highway Policy Committee, Regulatory Policy Committee, and Recruitment & Retention Human Resources Committee.

Ward is celebrating 40 years of marriage in 2021 with his wife Starla. The couple have two sons, Jason and his wife Kim, and Keith and his wife Sara, a grandson, Aden, and a granddaughter Mila.


Prior to joining D.M. Bowman in 1986, Ward worked with he Western Maryland Railroad.

D.M. Bowman was founded in 1959 by Don Bowman, who hauled coal with a B 61 Mack tractor and trailer. He expanded the operation and gained ICC authority in 1966, adding several trucks that transported bricks from Williamsport, Maryland, to other states in the region. In the following years, the company added short haul truckload and warehousing services.

TCA has elected the following individuals as Officers:                                                                                                        

Immediate Past Chair: Dennis Dellinger, President & CEO, Cargo Transporters, Inc.


First Vice Chair: John Elliott, CEO, Load One, LLC

Second Vice Chair: David Williams, Executive Vice President, Knight-Swift Transportation

Treasurer: Karen Smerchek, President, Veriha Trucking, Inc.

Secretary: Pete Hill, Vice President, Hill Brothers Transportation, Inc.

Association Vice President to ATA: Joey Hogan, President, Covenant Transport

At-Large Officer: John Culp, Executive Vice President of Finance, Maverick USA

At-Large Officer: Ed Nagle, President, Nagle Toledo, Inc

At-Large Officer: Jon Coca, President, Diamond Transportation System, Inc.


At-Large Officer: Mark Seymour, President & CEO, Kriska Transportation Group

At-Large Officer: Trevor Kurtz, General Manager, Brian Kurtz Trucking, LTD