Allen Clifford, Executive Vice President, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company
Allen is Executive Vice President, Commercial, of Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc. He joined Containership Agency in 1981, the agency that first represented MSC in the United States. He was instrumental in building the company’s U.S. client base and initial business practices, along with Nicola Arena, as the company evolved to become MSC (USA) Inc. in 1990. He started in the industry with Freight Base Inc. as a freight forwarder/custom house broker.
Nick Fafoutis, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, CMA CGM (America) LLC
Nick is responsible for Sales and Marketing activity for CCA. He brings 29 years of extensive experience in international container shipping. Nick’s sales and operations management experience have included progressive leadership positions with P&O Nedlloyd and Damco.
He joined CMA CGM in 2009 in the role of Regional Vice President of Sales, West Coast. He then held a position as Vice President, Import Sales for four years.
Nick holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California along with a Master of Business Administration, Information Systems from California State University, Long Beach.
Bob Fredman, Director – Global Logistics, Big Lots Stores, Inc.
Bob Fredman is the Director of Global Logistics at Big Lots Stores, Inc., with responsibility for the flow and visibility of product from Big Lots’ overseas suppliers which encompass international transportation, intermodal and drayage to the domestic distribution network, import and overseas processing centers, and import compliance.
Prior to joining Big Lots in 2013, Bob was involved in transportation consulting and research first with Battelle Memorial Institute and then as Principal of SF Global Insights. He has held various global logistics leadership roles in the U.S. and overseas with Limited Brands from 1990-2007 and, prior to that, Distribution Centers, Inc.
Bob has also been active in various working groups and advisory committees related to port productivity, transportation and international logistics, including the Port of New York New Jersey Council on Port Performance, Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach Supply Chain Optimization Working Group and WCMTOA PierPASS Advisory Committee. He has been a speaker and panelist at industry conferences, including IANA, RILA, TPM, JOC Port Performance, Transportation Research Board, the Columbus Logistics Conference and Ohio Conference on Freight.
Bob holds a B.S. from The Ohio State University and MBA from the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management.
Big Lots (NYSE: BIG) is a community retailer operating more than 1,400 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states, dedicated to friendly service, trustworthy value, and affordable solutions in every season and category – furniture, food, décor, and more.
Jonathan Gold, Vice President – Supply Chain & Customs Policy, National Retail Federation
Jonathan Gold is vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. In this role, Gold is a primary spokesperson and is responsible for representing the retail industry before Congress and the administration on supply chain, international trade, product safety and customs-related issues impacting the retail industry. While with NRF, he has been a leading advocate of the value of trade and global value chains to the U.S. economy.
Prior to joining NRF, Gold served as a policy analyst in the Office of Policy and Planning for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He joined CBP in May 2006 and was responsible for providing policy guidance on issues surrounding maritime cargo security and trade-related matters. Gold also worked on implementation issues surrounding the SAFE Port Act and other issues within the agency including CBP intelligence reform, pandemic flu and trade facilitation.
Before joining CBP, Gold spent nearly a decade with the Retail Industry Leaders Association holding several government relations positions including director and then vice president of international trade policy before being named vice president of global supply chain policy in January 2005.
Gold currently serves on the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness. He has previously served on the Department of Homeland Security’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee and on the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Advisory Committee on Distribution Services.
Gold holds a bachelor’s degree in international business with a concentration in finance from American University in Washington, D.C.
Sara Mayes, Chief Executive Officer, Gemini Shippers Group
Sara Mayes, President and CEO of Gemini Shippers Group, started her career in shipping and logistics in 1966, while working for a chemical importer in Queens, New York. After working for the chemical company for several years, she went into the garment import field and, from there, into the accessories industry. In 1985, she became her company’s representative to Fashion Accessories Shippers Association. In 1989, she was named FASA’s president.
From 1985 to 2001, while volunteering as FASA’s president, Sara also worked in the accessories industry, running her company’s international shipping and customs compliance departments. Along the way, she got her customs brokers license. In 2001, she went to work full-time for the association, which, by then, was doing business as Gemini Shippers Group.
Sara was lucky enough to have great mentors and also smart enough to realize that, if you surround yourself with smart people, you look good and your work gets easier.
Under Sara’s leadership, Gemini quickly rose to be a leader in the fashion accessories and garment import category. Volumes and membership more than quadrupled and, today, Gemini Shippers Group serves over 250 member companies, covering all commodities. Sara has set apart Gemini as the most technologically innovative shippers association in the United States.
Sara is a graduate of Queens College in New York with a B.A. in philosophy.
Uffe Ostergaard, President, Hapag-Lloyd (America) LLC
Uffe Ostergaard has worked in the container shipping industry during the past 27 years. He spent the first 20 years with Maersk, predominantly in the Copenhagen head office but also in various management positions in Europe, Africa and Asia. During this period Uffe worked in trade management, served as Managing Director in various countries and held positions as Senior Director for Strategy and Head of Global Marketing.
In 2013, Uffe joined UASC as Chief Commercial Officer and member of Executive Management in Dubai, with responsibility for all global commercial activities. As part of that role Uffe also held Board positions and was Chairman of organizations in China, India and U.S.A.
As part of the merger with Hapag Lloyd in 2017 Uffe became member of the Executive Committee and from April 1, 2018, he took over the position of President of Hapag-Lloyd (America) LLC responsible for all activities in U.S.A. and Canada.
Uffe Ostergaard is married with two children.
Part 2 – Creative Solutions for the Operational Challenges Brough on by COVID-19 – Panelist Bios
John Atkins, President, Global Container Terminals, USA
John Atkins is a 35-year maritime executive with extensive experience that has spanned both Marine Terminal and Ocean Carrier operations alike. In his current role as President of Global Container Terminals USA, he is responsible for the strategic oversight and daily operations of GCT’s two container terminals in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his career he has held senior management positions including posts at CMA and NYK. He maintains a distinctive hands-on approach with a focus on customer service.
John is a member of the Board of Directors/Trustee of the Metropolitan Marine Maintenance Contractors Association and New York Shipping Association. In addition, John is on the Board of several charities in the Staten Island and Hudson County communities which reinforces his corporation’s philosophy of being a good corporate citizen.
John’s leadership role is also extended into the Port Community. He is Chairman of both the Confidential Discussion Agreement and the Sustainable Terminal Services Agreement, which are two entities that help to further the services of the terminals in the Port of New York/New Jersey. He is also on the Council for Port Performance which was established to improve service levels within the Port of New York.
Val T. Noel, Executive Vice President & Chief Operations Officer, TRAC Intermodal
Val T. Noel joined TRAC Intermodal as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in November 2013. Mr. Noel is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company. Before joining TRAC Intermodal, he held several senior leadership positions at Pacer International, Inc., and its affiliate, Pacer Cartage, most recently as Executive Vice President of Intermodal Operations and President, respectively. Prior to Pacer, Mr. Noel worked at CSX from 1983 to 2004 where he held several
management positions to include drayage, terminal operations, equipment management, and President of the Intermodal Division. Mr. Noel is active in the intermodal industry and has been a past board member of TTX and IANA, the past chairman of the IANA Operations Committee and currently participates on the IANA Scholarship Committee.
James Overley, Chief Executive Officer, East Coast Warehouse & Distribution
Jamie Overley has been Chief Executive Officer since December of 2010. Jamie joined East Coast in 2008 as Chief Financial Officer.
Jamie has more than 20 years of logistics experience in key leadership roles, and has raised, restructured or refinanced more than $1.1 billion in capital throughout his career. Prior to joining East Coast Warehouse, he was a Partner at Grisanti, Galef and Goldress, where he led several successful corporate turnarounds.
Jamie has held key executive positions in logistics including Chief Operating and Chief Financial Officer for large transportation providers ranging in size from $300 million to $400 million. As a result of this work, he is a two-time winner of the Large Corporation Turnaround of the Year Award from the Atlanta Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association. Jamie is a member of the Seton Hall University Stillman School of Business Customer Experience Certificate Program Advisory Board and sits on the Board of Directors of the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ and the New Jersey Motor Truck Association. Additionally, he is a member of the NY/NJ Freight Forwarders Association, Bi-State Motor Trucking Association, Traffic Club of New York, and the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce.
Jamie began his career at KPMG, serving public and private companies in the banking, savings and loan, mortgage banking and real estate sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Indiana University, is a two-time Ironman Triathlon finisher and has completed more than 20 half Ironman Triathlons.
Sam Ruda, Director – Port Department, Port Authority of NY&NJ
Sam Ruda was appointed Director of the Port Authority’s Port Division on April 15, 2019.
Sam joined the Port Authority of NY & NJ as the Assistant Director, Port Business Development, in August of 2015. In that role, Sam had oversight for the retention and growth of the Port’s maritime business segments: auto, bulk, containers, and cruise.
Additionally, this role had oversight of the Port’s marine property and leasing division. In December of 2016, Sam was named Deputy Director with additional responsibilities covering port performance initiatives and innovation. In October of 2018, Sam was named Acting Port Director.
Prior to joining the Port Authority of NY & NJ, Sam was Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for the Port of Portland (Oregon). In this role, Sam had responsibility for the maritime and aviation business activity in addition to the Port’s industrial real estate portfolio. From 2003 to February of 2012, Sam was the Director of Marine and Industrial Development at the Port of Portland.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Sam began his career as a management trainee with the global container carrier Sea-Land Service. He has also held sales and management positions with American President Lines and NYK Line. From 1997-2001 Sam was Coordinating Manager for NYK’s North American Liner division based in Tokyo, Japan and later had responsibility for North Asia Marketing and Pricing based in Hong Kong, PRC.
Prior to joining the Port of Portland, Sam was Director of Global Transportation for Nike Inc, overseeing international logistics for the Beaverton, Oregon based athletic footwear and apparel company.
Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in economics (1985) from Rutgers University.
Lisa Yakomin, President, The Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers
Lisa Yakomin is the President of the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers, a non-profit membership organization representing the intermodal trucking community at the Port of New York & New Jersey. She spearheads the organization’s communications and advocacy efforts, acting as the group’s liaison with its trucking members, allied members, port community stakeholders, state and federal legislators, and regulatory agencies. Lisa represents the Bi-State as a member of the Council on Port Performance and participates in the Port Authority of NY/NJ Workforce Development Implementation Team.
In addition to her work with the intermodal community, Lisa is the Managing Director for Parkstone Media, a full-service strategic communications company. She holds a degree in Media Studies from Fordham University, and has been writing for national and international websites, magazines, and newspapers for over 30 years on a wide range of topics. Lisa also provides pro bono advocacy for crime victims and their families as the Executive Director of the Keep New Jersey Safe Foundation [KNJSF], a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2009. She has assisted in the drafting and final passage of several public safety laws in New Jersey, including Alyssa’s Law (mandates panic alarms in all NJ schools), Dusty’s Law (enacts protections for Seeing Eye dogs), and the expanded version of Joan’s Law (mandates Life in Prison without Parole for offenders convicted of murder during the course of a sex crime against minors under the age of 18). Prior to joining the Bi-State, Lisa served as the Chief of Staff for a two-term NJ State Assemblyman.