OOIDA gives lifetime achievement award

In the early days of OOIDA, it was difficult for the organization to get the word out to its members to attend events and to write lawmakers.

However, the Association always knew it could count on Bob Esler to do his part.

“If you ask Bob to do something, he does it,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “He’s always been crucial to the organization. When we needed truckers to attend an event, Bob brought them.”

As part of the OOIDA spring Board of Directors meeting, Spencer recognized Esler with the Association’s lifetime achievement award.

Esler, who serves as the board’s secretary, became an OOIDA member in 1978 and joined the OOIDA Board of Directors in 1980.

He said it has been a privilege to see the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association’s growth from the early days to an organization that is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023. OOIDA now has more than 150,000 members, and Esler has played a role in that growth.

“This is truly an honor,” Esler said. “A lot of people in the early days were rah-rah about issues, but we couldn’t get them to show up. No one thought the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association would survive, but small-business truckers needed a voice in D.C.”

Spencer reelected as OOIDA president

Three of OOIDA’s five executive director positions on the board were up for reelection in May.

Spencer was reelected as OOIDA president, Esler was reelected as secretary, and Monte Wiederhold was elected general vice president.

Rounding out the executive director offices are Lewie Pugh as executive vice president and Gary Carr as treasurer, both of whom were not up for reelection.

OOIDA swore in Spencer, Esler and Wiederhold to their executive positions, in addition to Grover Nelson, Harrison Smith and Matthew Bradley as alternate board members. LL