Author: Vitaliy Dadalyan

Omnitracs Taps Former BNSF Logistics President as CEO

Omnitracs has appointed industry veteran Ray Greer its chief executive officer; he takes over for John Graham, who served as CEO since 2013.

Ray Greer 

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Greer has over 25 years of industry experience and most recently served as the president of BNSF Logistics. He has also held senior leadership roles with Ryder Logistics, FedEx, Greatwide Logistics Services, and Newgistics.

Omnitracs is focusing on emerging industry trends, such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence, and the company said it expects Greer's industry background and technical knowledge to be invaluable in achieving those plans.

“The shipping and logistics industry is experiencing rapid change with the opportunities created by new, data-powered technologies,” said Greer. “Our infrastructure and talent make us uniquely capable to lead the industry in the development and deployment of new products and technologies that will grow our company and unlock tremendous value for Omnitracs' customers.”

The company also recognized Graham's contributions to Omnitracs, which acquired a number of companies, developed new products, and built "a culture of growth and customer service" during his tenure.

“I am proud of all we have been able to accomplish over the last four years, and I am confident that Ray is the perfect CEO for the next stage in Omnitracs' growth,” said Graham. “His technical expertise, understanding of the market, and his vision for the future of shipping and logistics will build on the strong leadership position Omnitracs has built in the market, taking the company to new heights.”

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Tennessee Tech Disavows Maligned Glider Kit Study Pending Review

Tennessee Tech's president has sent a letter to the EPA urging that it not to use the university's glider kit environmental impact study pending an investigation into the validy of its results. Photo: Tom Berg

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The president of Tennessee Technical University, Philip Oldham, has asked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to withhold any use or reference to a controversial study ithe university conducted on the environmental impact of glider kit vehicles until it has fully investigated the validity of the study's results.

The study, titled “Environmental & Economic Study of Glider Kit Assemblers,” came under fire after it was revealed that Fitzgerald Glider Kits funded the research, which was used to counter restrictions on glider kiit mnaufacturing put in plce by the Obama administration. According to a report by The Washington Post, Fitzgerald paid about $70,000 to finance the study and later agreed to build a new academic research center for TTU.

In a Feb. 19 letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt obtained by the New York Times, Oldham writes that “knowledgeable experts within the University have questioned the methodology and accuracy of the report,” and that the university would be pursuing a peer review of the study to assure its validity. He also sent the same letter to Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) and to Tommy Fitzgerald, owner of Fitzgerald Glider Kits.

Oldham was under pressure by TTU's faculty to disavow the report and a letter that was sent to Rep. Black who used the information to fight the glider kit restrictions in Congress. The faculty said that the study damaged the university's reputation and integrity.

A memo from the interim dean of TTU's College of Engineering Darrell Hoy further detailed the allegations of misconduct in research pertaining to the glider kit study, which are being subjected to peer review. The ...Read the rest of this story

After a surprise bill, a former Trump administration official discovered every passenger who boards Air Force One is expected to pay for food — even if they don't eat

Political officials who fly on Air Force One have to pay for their own food — even if they don't eat anything. On an episode of "Celebrity Big Brother," Manigault revealed what it was like to fly Air Force One. "You pay for the food," she told co-stars Ross Mathews, Marissa Jaret Winokur, and James Maslow on Wednesday's episode of the CBS show.


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