Austin, Texas – Today, the American Trucking Associations’ Trucking Cares Foundation recognized Phil Byrd, President and CEO of Bulldog Hiway Express, with the 2023 Trucking Cares Foundation’s John Lex Premier Achievement Award.

“Phil has led at a level few dream,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “His family, his church, his company and our association are stronger because of him. He’s led with faith, conviction and an unyielding commitment to improving people’s lives. He has experienced personal loss… and through God’s grace, rediscovered the joys life can miraculously provide – and he has and will continue to lead through this conference as our foundation’s first Chairman.”

Byrd, who was chairman of ATA from 2013-2014, was one of the founding members of the Trucking Cares Foundation’s Board of Directors and has served as the organization’s chairman since 2018.

“Phil has been a true leader and partner helping build the Trucking Cares Foundation into what it is today,” said TCF President John Lynch. “We were beyond fortunate to have him as our first chairman. I am truly blessed and honored to work closely with Phil. One will be hard pressed to find another individual who carries himself with such class, compassion, grace, dignity, and humility. I’m beyond delighted that he has been given this prestigious honor for his service and I look forward to working with him more in the future.”

The Trucking Cares Foundation is the trucking industry’s charitable arm, focusing on several core areas, including humanitarian and disaster relief, eradicating human trafficking, leadership development, strengthening the industry’s relationships with law enforcement and military and veterans’ organizations, and safety and research opportunities.