Just minutes after being officially sworn in as the President of MCAA, Chris MacKrell, of Custom Courier, sat down for a short interview. He spoke of the MCAA's health going into 2011, predictions about future concerns and developments in Washington, D.C.
Courier Magazine: Can you give your assessment, so far, of the 23rd Annual MCAA Convention.
Chris MacKrell: The convention is going very well. Attendance is just shy of 400, which is a little bit up from last year. We have a very strong education process focused on KPI's (key performance indicators) and the industry is changing fairly significantly. The focus is on teaching and informing people on what professionals need to watch out for on a day-to-day basis to make sure their business is going strong. A key cornerstone (of the convention) happened earlier this afternoon with the Courier Round tables. Folks from around the industry were invited to sit around a table and share their ideas about what they are doing.
Courier Magazine: Talk about the health and stability of the MCAA.
MacKrell: The MCAA is very, very strong. Even though our revenue is at the highest level that it has been (opposed to recent years) we have a substantial amount of money in the bank to support us in the event of any type of hard time. We have a very strong, seasoned board and the membership has stayed consistent over the years. The organization continues to be strong and it has a big upside looking forward. We're going to be re-energizing the industry from a couple of perspectives to bring people in going forward. We were successful when we merged with the NTLA (National Transportation and Logistics Association) and that consolidated the industry a little bit more, but we are working with other associations for the common good for the industry.
Courier Magazine: What is a big issue that you and the MCAA will have to deal with in the coming year?
MacKrell: Two big issues that I see over the next two years are the continued efforts to defend the rights of the industry so business owners can use the models they choose at both the federal and state level. I've been involved in that (process) for the past seven years as a member of the government affairs committee. So you'll really see that come to a head.
The other challenge is working with industry participants as the industry changes. Banking has gone on the wayside with Check 21 and home delivery is becoming even more important. More and more companies are doing that. As a result, it's going to change the shape of the industry.
For the entire transcript of the interview, check out the July-August issue of Courier Magazine.
Vincent Brennan
Assistant Editor
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