Great careers are built by people who show up, work hard, and take pride in what they do. And across the trucking industry, young professionals are doing just that.
At the Next Generation in Trucking Association, one of our favorite things is hearing about young people who are building successful careers in trucking. From professional drivers delivering the goods our communities depend on to diesel technicians keeping trucks running safely, these individuals are making a difference every day.
That’s why we created the NEXT Top Talent Awards, recognizing outstanding professional drivers and diesel technicians under the age of 30.
This year, employers from across the country shared stories of young professionals who are stepping up, learning new skills, helping their coworkers, and showing tremendous potential.
We’re excited to celebrate our 2026 NEXT Top Talent Grand Champions and finalists!
Meet Our 2026 Grand Champions
Professional Driver Grand Champion: Christopher Mauricio
Crawford Trucking | Des Moines, Iowa
Christopher Mauricio isn’t someone who waits for opportunities to come his way. He looks for ways to grow, takes initiative, and continually challenges himself to improve.
That attitude is one of the reasons Crawford Trucking nominated him for this year’s award.
“Chris does not wait for someone else to determine their next step. He wants to learn, improve, and contribute more,” shared Crawford Trucking in his nomination.
Christopher represents exactly what we hope to see in the next generation of trucking professionals: someone who takes pride in their work, wants to keep learning, and recognizes the opportunities a career in trucking can provide.
Congratulations, Christopher!
Diesel Technician Grand Champion: Greydon Souza
Advantage Truck Group | Raynham, Massachusetts
Today’s trucks are more advanced than ever, and keeping them on the road requires talented technicians who are willing to learn, solve problems, and take pride in their work.
Greydon Souza of Advantage Truck Group is one of those young professionals.
As our 2026 Diesel Technician Grand Champion, Greydon represents the skilled technicians who are essential to the trucking industry.
While drivers are often the most visible part of trucking, the technicians working behind the scenes are just as important. Their expertise keeps equipment safe, reliable, and ready for the road.
Congratulations, Greydon! We look forward to following your career and seeing what you accomplish next.
Celebrating Our 2026 NEXT Top Talent Finalists
One of the best parts of these awards is reading the nominations submitted by employers. Each one tells a story about a young person who is making an impact.
Our finalists represent companies large and small, from local and regional carriers to some of the largest transportation companies in the country.
We are proud to recognize the following young professionals.
Professional Driver Finalists
- Derek Hilliard — Ben E. Keith Foods
- Colton Ignoffo — Cargo Transporters
- Christopher Mauricio — Crawford Trucking
- Jadarius Truss — Fastenal
- Edwin Martinez — FedEx Freight
- Connor Dent — FedEx Freight
- Luis Saucedo — FedEx Freight
- Daniel Falcao — FedEx Freight
- Ariel Preston — Garner Trucking, Inc.
- Noah Schumaker — Garner Trucking, Inc.
- Carmine Galtieri — Ginsberg’s Foods
- Zach Stivers — Horizon Freight Lines, Inc.
- Blaine Aikn — Keystops LLC
- Kaleb Holtsberry — Logisticize, LTD.
- Joseph Thibodeaux — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Riley Whitcomb — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Jeffrey Chavez — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Gerardo Cortez Moreno — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Kamyron Jones — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Jaxson Hannan — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Lekendrick Jones — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Desmond Johnnie — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Hannah Kaminski — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Tylan Tatum — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Lorenzo Branson — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Said Ramirez-Villa — Performance Food Service
- Kevin R. Allard — Performance Foodservice
- Jaden Wright — Performance Foodservice
- Coel Foley — Performance Foodservice
- David Pellot — Performance Foodservice
- Davonn Hopkins-Phelps — Performance Foodservice
- Christopher Martin — Ruan Transportation
- Felipe Villa — Smith Ready Mix, Inc.
- Dakota Osmer — Smith Ready Mix, Inc.
- Juan Pablo Aguirre Cota — Southwest Truck Driver Training
- Makaila Brown — Thomas E. Keller Trucking
- Aaron Webb — Thomas E. Keller Trucking
- Janpool Torres Pacheco — Thomas E. Keller Trucking
Diesel Technician Finalists
- Greydon Souza — Advantage Truck Group
- Calan Vasser — Ascendance Truck Centers
- Creed Hawthorne — Ben E. Keith Foods
- Landon Wolfe — Boyd CAT
- Miguel Ramirez — Boyd CAT
- Luke Adkins — Boyd CAT
- Colton Tackett — Boyd CAT
- Chris and Josh Hernandez — Cargo Transporters
- Seth Brown — Gordon Food Service
- Corbin Huntzinger — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Orlando Cabral — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Isaac Mayes — Old Dominion Freight Line
- Bryce Lundin — Roehl Transport
- Olivia Gutierrez — Roehl Transport
- Connor Almada — Roehl Transport
- Tyler Pachal — Roehl Transport
- Noah Wolff — Roehl Transport
- Matthew Clark — Ryder
- Corey Coots — Usher Transport
Every Finalist Deserves to Be Celebrated!
While only two individuals are named Grand Champions, we believe every finalist deserves recognition.
Each finalist will receive a personalized NEXT Top Talent banner recognizing their achievement and their company.
We hope employers will proudly display these banners in their facilities, share them with their teams, and celebrate these young professionals.
Recognition goes a long way, especially for someone early in their career. We want these individuals to know that their hard work is being noticed and appreciated.
Thank You to Our Selection Committee
Selecting our Grand Champions from such an impressive group of young professionals is no easy task!
We want to extend a special thank you to the six industry professionals who volunteered their time to review nominations and help select this year’s winners:
- Natalie Williams — Ancora
- Beth Tattershall — Isaac Instruments
- Toby Karlitz — Centerline Drivers
- Reed Loustalot — Truck Parking Club
- Keaton Klepper — Klepper Law
- Hans Galland — Beyond Trucks
We appreciate your time, thoughtful consideration, and commitment to recognizing the next generation of trucking professionals.
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors!
We couldn’t do this without the support of our industry partners.
A special thank you to Fullbay and Advanced Training Systems (ATS) for sponsoring the 2026 NEXT Top Talent Awards!
Their support allows us to shine a spotlight on talented young professionals and celebrate the career opportunities available throughout trucking.
We’re grateful to have partners who share our commitment to building and recognizing the industry’s future workforce.
The Future of Trucking Is Already Here
When we talk about the future of trucking, we’re not just talking about students who might enter the industry someday.
We’re also talking about young professionals like Christopher, Greydon, and all of this year’s finalists who are already making a difference.
They’re learning, growing, taking on new responsibilities, and building careers they can be proud of.
We also want to thank every employer who submitted a nomination. Taking the time to recognize a young employee sends an important message: We see your hard work, we value what you do, and we’re excited about your future.
To all our 2026 NEXT Top Talent finalists and Grand Champions, congratulations!
We can’t wait to see what you accomplish next.
The future of trucking is in great hands!