TRALA Elects Charles Sommer, President of Public Service Truck Renting, as 2007-2008 Chairman

Alexandria, VA - March 26, 2007 - Public Service Truck Renting President Charles Sommer of Long Island City, New York, was unanimously chosen by the members of the Truck Renting and Leasing Association as its 2007-2008 Chairman at the association’s 2007 Annual Meeting held March 20 - 24 in Palm Springs, California.

“It is an honor and a privilege to serve as TRALA chairman over the next year. We should feel good about the accomplishments and victories that we have recently enjoyed, such as the federal repeal of vicarious liability, but there are more challenges ahead. I look forward to receiving the advice and counsel of our members as we work together to advance the interests of our industry,” said Sommer during his acceptance speech on March 23.

“Charlie has set an important and ambitious agenda including truck security, the 2010 emission regulations, protecting the industry from unfair fees and taxes, and preserving the federal repeal of vicarious liability,” said TRALA President and CEO Peter Vroom. “We look forward to working with him and the Board over the coming year to pursue these advocacy objectives.”

In addition to Sommer, the TRALA Board of Directors appointed the following members as officers:

• Tom Thayer, president of Idealease of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia, was elected vice chairman.
• Mike McMahon, president of Southeastern Leasing & Rental Co, LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, was elected second vice chairman.
• Steve Lawrence, president of Lawrence Leasing, Inc. in Red Wing, Minnesota, was elected Secretary.
• Frank E. Walter, president of Palmer Leasing Group in Indianapolis, Indiana, was elected treasurer.
• Robert Shingle, president of PRIMMS LP in Lisle, Illinois, was elected immediate past chairman.

Also at the annual meeting, the following members were elected to the association's Board of Directors for a new 2007-2010 term:

• John Crockett, senior vice president of operations of Penske Truck Leasing, Co., L.P. in Reading, Pennsylvania.
• Tom Fleming, president of AIM NationaLease, in Girard, Ohio.
• Jerry Kress, president of Carmenita Leasing, in Santa Fe Springs, California.
• Allen Serfas, vice president of Enterprise Rent-A-Truck in St. Louis, Missouri.
• Gerald Riordan, president of Budget Truck Rental, in Denver, Colorado.
• Anthony Tegnelia, president-Fleet Management Solutions of Ryder Systems Inc., in Miami, Florida.
• Ralph West, vice president of Rush Enterprises, Inc., in San Antonio, Texas.

The 2006-2009 Board members are:

• Tom Brown, president of Brown NationaLease, in Des Moines, Iowa.
• Bill Hicks, president of FirstLease, Inc., of Norcross, Georgia.
• Mark Siegal, president and CEO of Edart NationaLease, of Hartford, Connecticut.
• Charles Sommer, president of Public Service Truck Renting, Inc. of Long Island City, New York.
• J.T. Taylor, president of U-Haul International, Inc., of Phoenix, Arizona.
• Tom Thayer, president of Idealease of Richmond, of Richmond, Virginia.
• Terry Young, president and CEO of Advantage Truck Leasing, of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 2005-2008 board members are:

• Joe Benacci, president of Amtralease Truck Rental of Erie, Pennsylvania.
• Brian Hard, president of Penske Truck Leasing Company, of Reading, Pennsylvania.
• Brian Hogan, president of Hogan Motor Leasing, of St. Louis, Missouri.
• Michael McMahon, president of Southeaster Leasing & Rental Company, of Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Reed Murphy, president of MHC Truck Leasing in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Steve Scully, president of Scully NationaLease, of Fontana, California.
• Jack Zolomy, president of Interstate NationaLease, of Albany, Georgia.

In addition, the following members were appointed to the Board of Directors to serve one-year terms for 2007-2008:

• Doug Clark, president of AmeriQuest Transportation and Logistics Resources in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
• Terry Dubowick, director of the Mack Leasing System/Volvo Truck Leasing System in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
• Bill Ford, president and CEO of NationaLease in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
• Bob Southern, president of PACCAR Leasing Company in Bellevue, Washington.
• Scott Kress, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Volvo Trucks in Greensboro, North Carolina.
• John Sczesny, manager field sales and marketing for Eaton Corporation in Galesburg, Michigan.
• Dave LaPalomento, vice president North America sales for International Truck and Engine Corp in Warrenville, Illinois.

The Truck Renting and Leasing Association, based in Alexandria, Va., is a voluntary, non-profit national trade association, organized in 1978 to provide a unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes more than 500 leasing and rental firms and 110 suppliers that make up nearly the entire truck renting and leasing industry. The industry is responsible for over 35 percent of all new class 3 through 8 commercial truck registrations.

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