2011 Driver of the Year

James Heaton
  Con Way Freight, Inc.
 
James Heaton is a consummate professional.  He represents himself and Con Way Freight in a manner that any employer would long for.  A career truck driver, James has demonstrated his ability to continuously work safely and to treat all customers and coworkers with a great deal of dignity and respect.  James is a motorcycle enthusiast, who if not accessorizing or modifying his Harley, can be found out on the open road enjoying the life for which he lives.   Humanistic man, James raised his children as a ingle parent and has acted as  Foster Parent in the upbringing of 3 children.  Without James’s direction and demonstration, these children would not be able to experience the good things that life can offer.  James Heaton, a humble, upstanding citizen and employee has earned the honor of MCM Driver Of the Month.

2010 Driver of the Year

Robert Leroy “Sparky” Ellinger has been an Owner/Operator with Sammons since 1996.  Since that time he’s received 13 safety awards, a Safe Operator of the Month award, 10 Silver Fleet Awards, a High Miller Award and two Million Mile Awards.  Sparky has been driving for 40 years and has over 6 million total miles, 2.5 million of which have been with Sammons Trucking. Oout of 27 Level 1-3 roadside inspections, he’s only had one out of service.  Sparky is continuously improving his knowledge of the trucking industry and has completed first aid/CPR courses and hazardous materials training.

Sparky is Vietnam Veteran.  After serving our country he started his trucking career in the oil fields of Idaho, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah.  He is a “highway hero” and has assisted many truckers and stranded motorists over the years.  Sparky is a true professional on the road – it’s people like him that improve the image of truck drivers everywhere.
       
  Sparky and his wife, Joan, live in Hamilton, MT and have four children: Brian, Shane, Boyd and Brad.

2009 Driver of the Year

Larry Spiekermeier of Plains, MT was awarded the Driver of the Year at the MOTOR CARRIERS of Montana Convention held September 9-11, 2009, in Missoula.  Larry is an Owner Operator for Whitewood Transport in Billings, MT.  Larry joined the Whitewood fleet in May 1999.  He has served the trucking industry for 41 years, logging a total of over 4,500,000 miles.  Larry is a valuable member of the Whitewood team of Owner Operators.  He has traveled 1,011,875 accident-free miles with Whitewood, and he has received 8 safe driving awards.

The criteria for selection of the Driver of the Year is to select a driver who will, by past and future record, exemplify the type of career driver whose high standards of conduct and ability are both an asset to themselves and a credit to the trucking industry in the state of Montana.  Larry meets and exceeds this criterion.  Professional, courteous, knowledgeable, conscientious and safe are a few of the descriptive adjectives that one would use to describe Larry.

Larry’s career in trucking began in his early twenties.  He started trucking to pay for college but realized he could make a good living driving truck and chose to make it his profession.  Larry was an award winner early in his career when he placed 6th in the National Truck Driving Championship in the 1970’s. Early in his career he hauled cement, produce, hot oil and logs.  He now specializes in hauling heavy equipment with a payload of 100,000 to 130,000 pounds. 

Larry and his wife, Mary Anne, have three grown children.  Larry is an avid sportsman and enjoys hunting big game in northwestern Montana.