President’s Message

On January 3, 2023, I will be starting my 36th year with the Iowa Motor Truck Association. I still remember that cold winter day in 1987 when I walked into a new job at 700 2nd Avenue as the communications director.

I had more exuberance than experience for my new role, but I was excited to have a regular paycheck, good benefits, and my own office. Within the first few hours of my job, I was overwhelmed by all that I needed to learn not only about the trucking industry but also working at an association. Fortunately, the staff took me under their wing and many patient and kind members were generous with their guidance and support (they still are today). What I thought would be a two year career turned into decades of a rewarding and extremely satisfying job at IMTA.

Part of my onboarding in those first few days was reviewing the board list and introducing myself to the volunteer leaders. As those conversations unfolded, a consistent theme emerged, members were the heart and soul of IMTA and taking care of the members was the top priority. That was an easy enough concept to embrace but it wasn’t until I moved into a membership role a few years later that I really understood the importance of always preserving the foundation of IMTA – the membership.

As I traveled the state recruiting members and calling on current members, I discovered the tremendous variety of companies that belonged to IMTA. It was fascinating to learn how the company had started with some very distinct differences between the companies that had started pre-deregulation and post-deregulation.

I was amazed at the number of family operations in IMTA and I quickly learned that the trucking company, especially those in rural Iowa, was the largest employer with the best pay in many of those rural communities. Rarely did I call on an IMTA member that wasn’t engaged or active at the local, state or national level.

IMTA members are smart, savvy, and exceptional business owners and they demand a good return on their dues investment. They were not bashful about their expectations either. IMTA members looked to the association as a trusted and knowledgeable business partner and demanded impressive results. In the 5 years that I served in that membership role, my respect, admiration, and understanding of our membership grew immensely. Making our members the top priority was also ingrained in me during that time.

It is those valuable lessons that still guide me today. Having the comprehension and more importantly an appreciation of the challenges and obstacles our members are facing is the catalyst for everything we do as an organization. Our thought process in launching any new effort or initiative is its impact on the members. We strive not only to serve our members but serve them in a meaningful and impactful way. We want to make a difference and aspire to be the kind of partner that is valued and respected. And if we are doing our job, there should be no hesitation in renewing your dues. And if there is, that is on us, not you. Because of our unwavering commitment in serving our members, we need to have a good understanding of your world. We need to know what keeps you up at night and have a clear and concise comprehension of the obstacles and challenges you are facing. There are many ways we could get this information, but we believe the most effective way is to hear directly from you. That is why we conduct member feedback/focus groups around the state while also implementing an aggressive outreach campaign of personal phone calls and visits. Our goal is to touch each member at least two or three times throughout the year. Your feedback and opinion matter and these conversations are pivotal as we develop our priorities and goals. We also poll the membership regularly and on page 18, you can read about the results of our most recent membership satisfaction survey.

EVERY DAY WE COME TO Once again, we had outstanding particiWORK MOTIVATED TO SERVE pation and the information we collected THE MEMBERS AND ENSURE was invaluable. As we developed our THAT THEY ARE GETTING AN strategies and initiatives for the upcom-

EXCEPTIONAL RETURN ON ing year, this data and feedback was at the center of this plan. A plan that is designed

THEIR INVESTMENT. to help the IMTA staff continue to serve the members at the highest level. While we are proud of a retention rate that exceeds 95%, we will never rest on our laurels. Every day we come to work motivated to serve the members and ensure that they are getting an exceptional return on their investment. While we are always appreciative of the support, we never take it for granted and will always strive to do better. As a member of IMTA you are at the center of our world, and having the opportunity to be attentive and cognizant of your needs is what we aspire to do daily. Thank you for your continued support and here’s to another great year! BRENDA NEVILLE IMTA President & CEO