FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rebecca Brewster (770) 432-0628
May 29, 2024
Washington, DC – The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors:
- Brett Merritt, President – Engine Business, Cummins Inc., Columbus, Indiana
- Harold Sumerford, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, J&M Tank Lines, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama
The appointments were made by ATRI Chairman of the Board Derek Leathers, Werner Enterprises Chairman and CEO.
Mr. Merritt joined Cummins Inc. in 2009 as on-highway sales director for Cummins Emissions Solutions and later as general manager of CES North America. He joined the Engine Business in the global medium duty on-highway business in 2012 and soon after transitioned to overseeing the entire on-highway business. Merritt has spent more than 26 years in the automotive and commercial vehicle industry and more than 15 at Cummins – the past 11 spent leading and growing the on-highway business from 800,000 engines in 2012 to 1.2 million last year. Brett holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and liberal arts management from Indiana University, and a master’s in business administration from Harvard Business School. He lives in Columbus, Indiana, with wife Becky, and their three children.
Mr. Sumerford joined J&M Tank Lines in 1976 and has over 45 years’ experience in the trucking industry. When he began, the company had 114 company trucks and hauled cement in two states, Georgia and Alabama. In 2002, Harold was named CEO of J&M and began to focus primarily on the tank truck business. With the corporate office located in Birmingham Alabama, J&M has expanded and currently has 552 employees and eleven terminals, with 415 tractors and 720 tankers transporting both dry and liquid products. Throughout Sumerford’s career he has been involved in various industry associations including the National Tank Truck Carriers, the Georgia Motor Trucking Association, the Alabama Trucking Association, ATRI’s Research Advisory Committee, and the Truckload Carriers Association. He is the past Chairman of the National Tank Truck Carriers, Georgia Motor Trucking Association and most recently the American Trucking Associations. Harold received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University. He and his wife Shannon live in Birmingham, Alabama and have five daughters and six grandchildren.
“These gentlemen bring a wealth of industry experience and expertise to our board,” said ATRI President and COO Rebecca Brewster. “ATRI benefits from a very engaged Board of Directors and we welcome the involvement of Brett and Harold.”
A complete listing of the ATRI Board of Directors is available here.
ATRI is the trucking industry’s 501c3 not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation’s essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.
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