TDA's Mission and History

transportation development association of wisconsin

Mission Statement

The Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin is a statewide nonprofit organization that advocates building and maintaining an efficient, reliable and interconnected transportation system that addresses our state’s needs for safe mobility and economic growth.

History

In 1971 several Wisconsin transportation leaders banded together out of a common appreciation for the ways in which an effective, efficient and safe transportation system fosters our quality of life. The result was the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin.

In the beginning, TDA was a one-person operation that produced an occasional newsletter for several handfuls of the transportation faithful. The nature of the association’s mission and its role as a meeting ground among various transportation modes and sectors gradually attracted a larger and larger membership. In the intervening decades, TDA – primarily and organization of organizations – grew in size, respect and influence. Today, TDA has come to serve more than 400 member organizations spanning the state and all modes of transportation.

TDA Presidents

TDA’s officers are drawn from among its member organizations and are headed by a president who serves a one-year term. TDA presidents have come from virtually every mode and interest area represented among the association’s member organizations. Each president is listed below by the year in which his or her term began. (The positions and organizations noted pertain to the time of the presidential term.)

2007	Sheldon Johnson, NW Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (current)
2006	Kristine Scott, Hoffman Construction Company
2005	Scott Sharp, Treasurer, Wisconsin Council 40, AFSCME
2004	Lee Crook, Director of Wisconsin Transportation Services, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.
2003	Ernie Stetenfeld, Vice President of Corporate Relations, AAA Wisconsin
2002	Doug Pearson, Executive Director, CHAMCO/Oshkosh Ind. Dev. Corp.
2001	Ken Graham, President, HNTB Corporation
2000	David Mumma, Transit Director, City of Janesville
1999	Donald Hoeft, Airport Director, Austin Straubel International Airport
1998	Mary Ellen O'Brien, President, Transportation Environmental Management
1997	William Welch, President, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
1996	William Kennedy, President Rock Road Co. Inc.
1995	Michael Korby, Marketing Director, Cooper Engineering
1994	Kenneth Theine, Executive Director, East Central Wisconsin Regulation and Planning Committee
1993	Kenneth Warren, Deputy Director, Milwaukee County Transit System
1992	Mark Artensen, Administrator, Village of Plover
1991	Michael Marsden, Director, Outagamie County Department of Public Works
1990	James Malloy, Executive Vice President & CEO, Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.
1989	Harvey Hammond, Partner, HNTB Corporation
1988	Michael Soley, Sr., President, Miller-Bradford & Risberg Inc.
1987	Donald Walker, Program Director, U.W. Madison
1986	W.A. Schullenberg, President, Ayres & Associates
1985	Thomas Pilgrim, President, Bublitz Inc.
1984	Robert Henken, Commissioner, Dodge County Highway Department
1983	Ronald Fiedler, Marketing Vice President, Donohue & Associates
1982	Donald Stone, Executive Director, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
1981	Earl Skagen, Commissioner, Racine County Highway Commission
1979-1980	John Keyes, Editor/Publisher, Western Builder Publishing Company
1978	Dale Dresel, President, Dresel Construction Co.
1977	Bruce Wencel, President, Nagle-Hart Inc.
1971-1976	Charles Aring, Jr., President, Ahlgrim Explosives Corp.

Transportation Service Awards

Since 1987, TDA has annually bestowed its highest award, the Transportation Service Award, upon deserving representatives of member organizations or upon public officials who have greatly advanced the cause of Wisconsin transportation. Usually one or two such awards are made each year at the association’s annual meeting. The individuals so honored – listed below – were each presented a plaque, which typically read:

In Recognition and Appreciation
for Distinguished Leadership
and Significant Contributions
to Wisconsin Transportation

2007	Ken Warren -- Milwaukee County Transit System
2006	Lee Crook -- SEH, Inc.
2005	Wisconsin Senator Roger Breske Wisconsin Representative Jeff Stone
2004	Tom Boguszewski -- Rock County Highway Department Tom Kujawa -- Milwaukee County Transit System
2003	Jean Jacobson -- Former Racine County Executive
2002	Terrance Mulcahy -- Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary (retired) Phil Scherer-- TDA Executive Director (at retirement)
2001	Donald Hoeft -- Austin Straubel International Airport Ernest Stetenfeld -- AAA Wisconsin
2000	Wisconsin Representative David Brandemuehl Charles Thompson -- Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary
1999	Emmer Shields -- Ashland County Highway Department Henry Ellison -- Wisconsin Earth Movers Association

1998	Mike Marsden -- Outagamie County Department of Public Works John Keyes -- Western Builder Magazine Congressman Thomas Petri
1997	Kurt Bauer -- Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
1996	Wisconsin Senator Joe Andrea Harry Lindberg -- Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
1995	James Rooney -- Racine County Department of Public Works Edward Burkhardt -- Wisconsin Central Ltd. Railroad
1994	Marilyn Hardacre -- Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry Don Stone -- Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry
1993	Don Walker -- UW Transportation Information Center
1992	Governor Thompson Wisconsin's Congressional Delegation
1991	Ron Fiedler -- Wisconsin Department of Transportation
1990	James Peterson -- James Peterson & Sons
1989	Ed Strese -- Burnett County Highway Department William Redmond -- Wisconsin Association of Manufacturing & Commerce
1988	George Bechtel -- Bechtel & Associates
1987	Robert Paddock -- Federal Highway Administration Tom Walker -- Wisconsin Department of Transportation

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TDA of Wisconsin