KERN TRANSPORTATION FOUNDATION - Key Persons


Dee Allen

Job Titles:
  • President and Co - Owner of Bakersfield Quality Distribution Center, Inc
Dee Allen is President and Co-owner of Bakersfield Quality Distribution Center, Inc., founded in 1993. The company is a BNSF Premier Transload Facility. He has over 35 years of designing and executing first mile - last mile multi-commodity rail/truck projects. He has served as CEO and CFO of Calvary Bible Church, and Board Chair of Kern County Teen Challenge.

GARY BLACKBURN - Treasurer

Job Titles:
  • TREASURER
Founder of Accu-Trans Inc 1981, a leading logistics company in the agriculture industry. Former Chair of the KTF 1997-2007. Current adjunct Professor at Bakersfield College, School of Business, Logistics Management Dept.

Kern COG

Job Titles:
  • Regional Transportation Planner

Melinda Brown - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman
  • Vice President of Business Development at Kern Economic Development Corporation
Melinda Brown is Vice President of Business Development at Kern Economic Development Corporation. Melinda has been with the Kern EDC for 17 years. Her primary focus with the Kern EDC is with the Logistics, Transportation, Advanced Manufacturing, Value Added Agriculture, Healthcare Services and Renewable Energy industries.

Ricardo Perez

Job Titles:
  • Transit Planner at Golden Empire Transit District
Ricardo Perez is Transit Planner at Golden Empire Transit District. He represents GET at a number of transportation organizations, including the Kern COG Regional Planning Advisory Committee.

TROY HIGHTOWER

Job Titles:
  • SECRETARY
Troy Hightower retired from Kern COG as a Regional Transportation Planner in 2015. He then founded the firm TDH Associates International. He has over 30 years' experience with transportation projects.