Description
Seasoned air cargo and air freight forwarder specialist with with extensive public relations, media, regulatory, and legislative experience as leader of the preeminent United States airfreight forwarder trade association.
Education and Certifications Background
University of Phoenix • Oct 2009
Masters in Business Administration
Syracuse University • June 1979
Bachelor of Arts, Policy Studies, Business minor
Professional Experience
Executive Director, The Airforwarders Association, Washington, D.C. 2005 – Present
The U.S. freight forwarding industry’s national trade and advocacy organization
- Internationally recognized air cargo expert frequently called upon to provide opinion, analysis and guidance on security, policy and governmental transportation issues
- Called as an expert to testify twice before the U.S. Congress House Committee on Homeland Security, providing guidance on pertinent industry security issues
- Testified before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee providing guidance on critical air cargo security issues
- Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Homeland SecurityDepartment of Homeland Security Secretary to serve on the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) air cargo working group in counsel to the Transportation Security Administration
- Appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve on the Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness
- Appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security to serve on the Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations of Customs and Border Protection
- Recipient of the Jim Foster Award for Airfreight Excellence presented by the Airforwarders Association
- Oversees an extensive media and public relations program that generates weekly quotes in trade publications and major news outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg News, CBS Marketwatch and USA Today. Media exposure during the 2010 attempted Yemen terrorist bombing incident resulted in over 151 million impressions on behalf of the Airforwarders Association.
- National television and radio appearances on CNN, WTOP Radio, BBC Radio, Al Jazeera Television, C-Span’s Washington Journal, and National Public Radio’s Morning Edition
- Recipient of The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals Gold Hermès Award for crisis communications response
- Represents Airforwarders Association members before the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration concerning policy issues affecting the airfreight forwarding and air cargo industries
- Recognized Washington coalition builder known for bringing stakeholders together to develop rational regulatory and legislative trade policies on behalf of the air cargo industry
- Generated over 200% membership growth in less than two years
- Established and manages the association’s social media strategy using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to communicate industry updates and to provide a forum for industry discussion
- Responsible for Association budgeting, cost containment and fundraising
- Travels to, coordinates and conducts Board of Directors and membership committee meetings
- Manages the forwarding industry’s most popular annual trade conference
- Authors a monthly editorial prominently featured in the industry recognized international air cargo trade publication
- Publisher of FORWARD Magazine, the internationally award-winning publication of the Airforwarders Association
- Appointed and serves on the Advisory Board of Cargo Network Services, an International Air Transport Association (IATA) company to represent forwarder interests
- Industry speaker and panel moderator who has addressed more than 150 large groups worldwide addressing air cargo issues concerning security, airline capacity, customs policy and trade facilitation
Chief Operating Officer, Adcom Worldwide, Washington, D.C. 1980-2005
An international freight forwarding company with 26 offices worldwide
- Began, owned and operated the Washington, D.C. office of an international freight forwarder specializing in time-definite delivery of all sized cargo
- Generated over $6 million dollars in annual sales
- Recruited and managed a forty person staff including a six-person sales force achieving the top station revenue ranking in the system for over ten years
- Active in trade groups including the Airforwarders Association, serving as Chairman for two consecutive terms and presiding over significant events after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Assisted in the development and implementation of the firm’s international delivery network, frequently visiting agent offices worldwide negotiating performance and payment agreements