We are pleased to announce that Thomas (Tom) J. Adamski has been named the first recipient of the John F. Winchester Award. The John F. Winchester Award is presented to a member that has a long record of service and dedication to the association and has made significant contributions to promoting the welfare of the New Jersey trucking industry. This is the highest honor to be bestowed upon an association member.

John F. Winchester was one of the founding members of the New Jersey Motor Truck Association and was in attendance for the first meeting held in December 1914. He was the association's first Secretary/Treasurer serving from 1914-1916. In 1920 he was elected to his first two-year term as President and would go onto serve a second term from 1929-1933 and a last term from 1933-1938. Winchester became the association's historian and thanks to his efforts he provided an oral history and a collection of association memorabilia. His dedication to the association and the trucking industry was a life-long endeavor.

Tom Adamski, president of First Coast Logistics, exemplifies the spirit of John J. Winchester. Tom has been a member of NJMTA for over 30 years and has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee, went through the chairs and became President of the association from 1996-1997. He was one of the founders of the Bi-State Harbor Carriers Conference (BSHCC) a subgroup of NJMTA dedicated to issues facing carriers serving our State's ports. Tom served as the BSHCC Chairman from 1985 ' 1997 and then again from 2002 to the present time. He also represents the NJMTA on the American Trucking Association's Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference. Tom is a fierce fighter for the association and the trucking industry and is known for going the extra yard.

The John F. Winchester Award will be presented to Tom at an Awards dinner in his honor on the evening of Saturday, April 29, 2006 during the NJMTA Annual Convention at the Crystal Springs Golf Resort & Spa in Vernon, NJ.