TA Truck Service is proud to employ many industry leading professionals, from the technicians in our bays to our leadership. Homer Hogg, Director of Technical Service, and Lorie Hawkins, TechOn-SITE District Manager, are two of these TA Truck Service experts who recently received industry awards for their hard work and talent.
We are proud to bring professional drivers unparalleled expertise when working on their vehicles, whether the service is performed in-bay, roadside or right in a fleet’s yard or distribution center. This high standard of skill and expertise could not be reached without our talented leaders in the field like Homer and Lorie.
Homer Hogg, Director of TA Truck Service Technical Service
The American Trucking Association’s Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) presented Homer Hogg with its highest honor—the Silver Spark Plug award—on March 18 at TMC’s 2019 Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition.
The Silver Spark Plug award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions to the cause of improving heavy duty vehicle maintenance.
“The Silver Spark Plug is our industry’s highest honor, recognizing professional excellence in commercial vehicle maintenance,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “This year’s winners represent the pinnacle of our industry and we are pleased to bestow this honor on them.”
Homer started working in the bays as a technician and through his career advanced to TA Truck Service’s Director of Technical Service. The Silver Spark Plug award is one of the many honors Homer has received over the years for his expertise and skill.
“It was and is an honor to be recognized by what I consider to be some of the most elite technical experts in the trucking industry. I am humbled to have an opportunity to continue serving the TMC organization and its members,” Homer said.
Homer has been with the company for almost nine years, and much of TA Truck Service’s technical development can be attributed to his hard work and dedication. One of Homer’s favorite aspects of working in the maintenance field is the constant evolution of technology that provides the opportunity to grow and continuously help solve industry problems.
“I believe it's not always how much you know, but it is equally about how much you care,” he said. “I strive to understand that the work an individual produces and the manner in which that work is produced speaks to the heart of the individual, which is very important to me.”
Homer is a graduate of the Lincoln College of Technology, where he is a member of their Hall of Fame. He holds an ASE Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Master certification, is a Daimler Trucks North America Dealer Trainer and is a co-host on SiriusXM’s “Maintenance Matters”. Homer also currently sits on the Board of Directors for ASE and chairs TMC’s S16 Study Group.
Lorie Hawkins, TA Truck Service TechOn-SITE District Manager
The Indiana Motor Truck Association (IMTA) named TA Truck Service TechOn-SITE District Manager Lorie Hawkins as the Maintenance Professional of the Year at their annual Safety and Maintenance Council Awards Banquet. This award is one of 31 awards the IMTA presents to individuals who have shown a record of safety and professionalism within the trucking industry.
The Maintenance Professional of the Year is designed to promote high standards in the maintenance profession and to recognize those professionals whose accomplishments in the field of maintenance and technology have exceeded expectations. Not only is Lorie the first TA Truck Service recipient of the award, but she is also the first female to be honored in this category.
“I am honored to represent TA Truck Service in being the first recipient from our company. Regardless of gender, it is just an honor to be recognized in the trucking industry,” Lorie said. “I appreciate the efforts of my teams, the sacrifices of my family and the leadership of my supervisors. I am only one person without all of them. With them, we can make a difference.”
Lorie started her career with TravelCenters of America as a server at a TA restaurant in 1994. During her tenure in our restaurants, Lorie was promoted to assistant manager and then manager and trainer, becoming certified in several fast food franchises. She held a position as a site general manager for quite a few years, but moved to the truck service side of the business in 2006. After working as a truck service general manager and a truck service recruiter, Lorie became a TechOn-SITE district manager.
Lorie’s recognition comes as no surprise to the individuals that work closely with her. She is known for her team player mentality and her dedication to helping her employees maximize their strengths while working through and overcoming their weaknesses.
“All I can do is build great teams,” Lorie said. “It is my job to be the oil in the engine and to remove obstacles so my team can do the work.”
As for Lorie’s reaction to winning the award, she was humbled and speechless, which she admits does not happen often.
We are grateful for Homer and Lorie’s hard work and commitment to the industry, and for representing TA Truck Service with professionalism while earning these incredible recognitions along the way.