Each week, TruckNews.com lists notable moves, promotions and awards in the trucking industry.

This week, Leanne Drummond took on the role of Private Motor Truck Council of Canada board of director’s first chairwoman, and Melody Drummond Hansen was named FMCSA’s chief counsel. Meanwhile, Andrew Grose joined Grote Industries’ executive team.

FMCSA appoints Drummond Hansen chief counsel  

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced Melody Drummond Hansen as the agency’s new chief counsel.  

Drummond Hansen will work with and advise the FMCSA’s acting administrator and senior staff on legal policy for agency programs, according to a news release. She will lead a team of more than 50 attorneys responsible for providing legal support on regulatory and legislative affairs, adjudications, enforcement and litigation, procurement and grants, ethics, and employment matters.

Drummond Hansen brings a decade of experience of advising clients across the automotive and transportation industry and 20 years of experience in emerging technologies.

Prior to joining FMCSA, Drummond Hansen was a partner at BakerHostetler where she was a co-chairwoman of the automotive and mobility industry. She advised clients on transportation and technology matters, including automated and connected vehicles, avionics, fleet management, electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, telecommunications standards, data privacy and security, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence.

“Melody is a great addition to the FMCSA leadership team,” said FMCSA acting administrator Vinn White. “This is an exciting time for the agency, and I have no doubt that Melody’s dedication and proven track record in transportation and technology will help advance FMCSA’s mission and improve safety for everyone traveling the nation’s roadways.”

Drummond named PMTC’s first board chairwoman  

Leanne Drummond from CPC Logistics Canada was named as a chairwoman of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada (PMTC) board of directors. She took on the role on July 1, as the first female to head the PMTC board, according to a news release.

Drummond has been involved with the PMTC since 2019, part of the Young Leaders Group board from 2019-2024, and has been a director with the main PMTC board since 2020.  She’s been a part of the industry for over 20 years, starting out in the family trucking business before moving to her current employer in 2021.  

This year’s first vice-chairwoman is Angela Munsterman from Coca-Cola. She first joined PMTC as a member in 2017 and has served on the board of directors since 2021.

“I look forward to working with both of them and the PMTC board on initiatives that will positively serve our industry in the short- and long-term,” said PMTC president Mike Millian.

Grose joins Grote Industries

Grote Industries hired Andrew Grose to its executive team as a vice-president of Grote Networks.

With a background in engineering and strategy, he will lead the newly formed Grote Networks Business Division, which is comprised of, in part, the 4SEE smart trailer solution and Guardian businesses.

Grose has more than 14 years of experience at Whirlpool Corporation, where he held various leadership positions, most recently as chief operating officer and general manager of Yummly, a software company and Whirlpool subsidiary.

At Whirlpool, he spearheaded initiatives in product development, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, sales strategy, and operations. Before joining Whirlpool, Grose spent five years at Nissan Automotive in various engineering roles for passenger vehicles.

“Andrew is a seasoned executive with a diverse background in engineering, business strategy, and operations,” said Dominic Grote, chief executive officer of Grote Industries, in a news release. “This positions him well to use his blend of technical expertise and business acumen to drive our organizational growth and innovation.”