Grace Liang joined OOCL at the Hong Kong head office in 1980 and began her career in container shipping following her two bachelor degrees from the University of Western Ontario and University of Windsor in Canada. After two years of service, she returned to Canada to pursue her MBA degree and upon completion of her post-graduate education, she rejoined OOCL in Hong Kong and worked in the Trans-Pacific Trade marketing department. This role in the Trade department gave her an excellent opportunity to build a strong foundation and knowledge base in container shipping which greatly helped to shape her career path in both the company and industry.

Canada has a special place in Grace’s heart. She returned to the country where she married her husband in 1985 and continued her career in container shipping with Manchester Liner Canada in Toronto which was then a wholly own company under the Group. Manchester Liner was later renamed to OOCL Canada Inc. in 1988. Grace continued to pursue her career in Marketing and Sales by taking on various roles in this area within the company and was appointed to her current role as President of OOCL Canada Inc. in October 2012.

She is an officer of OOCL Logistics Canada and Maritime Deliver Services (the trucking arm of OOCL) and also serves on the Board of Maritime Employers Association and Shipping Federation of Canada.

Ken Rosenau has fined tuned his skills in transportation and logistics for nearly 30 years. Ken, has an active role on a number of industry boards such as Alberta Motor Transport Association and the Canadian Trucking Alliance, which focus on promoting the industry, improving performance and encouraging innovation.

Ken joined the organization on a full time basis in the spring of 1988. He has held various positions from a Forklift Operator, Driver, Dispatcher, Sales Executive, Terminal Manager and the Director of Operations. In January of 2017, Ken was appointed as President of the Rosenau Transport Ltd.

Ken continues to grow the organization and represent the Rosenau brand that his Grandfather and Father created before him. He recognizes that surrounding yourself with great Team members, is the key to success. Ken has been married to his wife Robynn for 12 years and they have a 16 month old son named Hunter.

Keith Reardon was appointed Senior Vice-President, Consumer Product Supply Chain in August 2018, based in Toronto. He is responsible for the execution and expansion of CN’s intermodal and automotive businesses, leading the commercial teams and non-rail operations in his supply chains, and adapting all last-mile services for customers. Mr. Reardon oversees all aspects of the Company’s domestic and international intermodal and automotive activities, as well as freight forwarding services in North America and Asia, and CN’s Supply Chain Sales groups, corporate revenue planning, and business development. Prior to his appointment, he had been Vice-President of Intermodal and Automotive since January of 2017. In 2012, Mr. Reardon was named Vice-President of Intermodal Services. In 2009, Mr. Reardon was appointed Vice-President of Supply Chain Solutions, where he was responsible for the Automotive and Iron Ore business units and CN’s non-rail transportation services including transloading, freight forwarding and warehousing, just to name a few. He also directed many supply chain and business development initiatives for CN – working closely with CN customers and partners. Previously, he was Assistant Vice-President of CN Transloading Operations, where he managed more than 80 CN-owned warehousing and distribution facilities.

Passionate about logistics, Mr. Reardon has more than 25 years of experience in the field; he also held senior positions with outside firms in the world of logistics for a number of years. Mr. Reardon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and an MBA from the University of North Florida.

Philip Davies is a transportation economist who has over thirty five years of experience in market research, freight planning and intercity passenger transportation. He is Principal of Davies Transportation Consulting Inc., a Vancouver-based firm providing a broad range of transportation consulting services in diverse fields including industrial economics, drayage, port operations, goods movement and land use, intermodal facilities, shortline railways, economic analysis and program review.

Mr. Davies holds an MA in Economics and a BA Hon. in Economics and Political Science from the University of Saskatchewan, and received a CITT Diploma in Transportation Management in 1995. Mr. Davies is a member of the International Trade and Transportation Committee at the U.S. Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences. He served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Transportation Research Forum from 2009 to 2016, and is Past President of the Vancouver Transportation Club.

James Baker  has been working as a business journalist for 25 years. He edited Containerisation International/Lloyd's List Containers for five years and is now Containers Editor for Lloyd’s List, writing about carriers, terminals, shippers, regulation and technology.

Maria E. Celis has worked in Customs and international trade for over 20 years, and is a partner in the New York office of Neville Peterson LLP. She is a graduate of Columbia College and Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School. She practices in the areas of international trade, Customs, export law, Food and Drug Administration, and other federal regulatory matters. She is admitted to practice before various federal courts, including U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Ms. Celis has been asked to speak before numerous groups regarding trade and compliance, including: Cargo Logistics Expo in San Diego, California and Vancouver, BC, Canada; the Mediterranean Anglo-American Business Network (MAABN) in Aix-en Provence and Marseille, France; the International Compliance Professionals Association (ICPA); the Midwest Global Trade Association (MGTA), in Minneapolis, MN; the Knowledge Group (webinars); and China Shanghai Free Trade Zones, on such issues as FDA Compliance, Exporting and Business Strategies During a Recession, INCOTERMS, Free Trade Agreements, Essentials in Commercial Contracts, and Payment Terms in International Commercial Contracts; United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement; and China 301 Tariffs.

Christian Sivière has a 30 year career in international logistics in Europe and in Canada. Christian Sivière started a Montréal-based import-export consultancy in 2010, Solimpex, active in two areas: - consulting to help SMEs grow internationally; and - training on the Logistics, Customs and Regulatory aspects of International Trade, Importing, Exporting, Free Trade Agreements, Supply Chain Management and related issues. Christian is subject-matter expert and lectures for CIFFA and FIATA, gives seminars and webinars for various trade organizations like the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, Laval Economique, Export Québec, Invest in Ottawa and similar, and personalized training for importers and exporters. He publishes articles in Inside Logistics and Supply Professional.

Eric Beckwitt is founder, CEO, chief architect and system developer of the Freightera platform. His passion is to work at the intersection of multiple disciplines and technologies, bringing people together to solve complex problems and create win-win solutions that are highly efficient, profitable, and sustainable. He has successfully arranged funding for, designed, engineered, and managed diverse IT projects, ranging from reports to Congress and the President of the US to global online business systems for international organizations and businesses for 25 years. He is an internationally recognized author and speaker on emissions reduction from freight transport. Eric wrote about “A Green Future for Freight” in the 2016 and 2018 G7 Summit editions of Climate Change: The New Economy and was invited to speak at COP22, the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakesh. He is the recipient of over 18 grants and awards, including the 2016 Technology Impact Award and 2019 Clean50 Award. His work and Freightera have been in Forbes, Fortune, Inc Magazine, and Entrepreneur, among over 300 news sites worldwide.

Mark Hemmes is President of Quorum Corporation, an independent subsidiary of the Quorum Group of Companies, of which he is a founding partner. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Quorum Corporation has been responsible for monitoring Canada’s Prairie Grain Handling and Transportation System on behalf Transport Canada and Agriculture and Agri-food Canada since June 2001. Quorum reports to the Government and industry on changes in the efficiency, reliability, structure and operation of the grain handling and transportation system as well as the impacts these changes have on producers. Quorum and its sister companies have also completed studies in the area of container movements and the role of inland container terminals in Western Canada, the provision of analytical and research services for the review of rail freight service in 2008 and 2009 and an examination and assessment of the Canadian Grain Supply Chain.

Mark has extensive experience in the transportation industry. During his 23 years with the rail industry he held a variety of senior positions in the fields of marketing, intermodal, and operations. Mark attended post-secondary schools in Edmonton at the University of Alberta and the University of Western Ontario.

Sergei Beliaev is a transformational technology leader with 25+ years of experience in consumer retail, financial services and tier 1 management consulting firms. He has led information strategy for companies such as LCBO, Canadian Tire and RBC. Most recently Sergei was the CIO at Walmart Canada & Walmart Labs before leaving to join DLT Labs as EVP & Chief Strategy Officer. Sergei was an integral member of the project team at Walmart Canada during the design of the invoice reconciliation project. He has a deep understanding of the challenges that exist between shippers and carriers and appreciates how distributed ledger technology helps solve these problems.

 

Mr. Karim has over two decades of global technology leadership experience internet of things, telecommunications and high tech sectors driving change on how enterprises use business technology. He has taken several software platforms through full commercial use with large clients such as TELUS, Wind Mobile, and Macdonald Dettwiler. In the second half of his career, Mr. Karim furthered his portfolio by focusing on start-ups that disrupt enterprise software & consulting companies with AI, blockchain and leading emerging technologies in the supply chain. With his balance of start-up and enterprise platform industry commercialization experience, Mr. Karim brings the right strategy and tactical focus to this business.

 

Don Krusel is a 30 year veteran of the Canadian port and cargo logistic Industries. During that time, he has witnessed many dynamic shifts in the industry. Mr. Krusel has played a leading role in many of the transformative changes that have taken place. During his long tenure as President and CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, he was credited as being the architect behind the creation of a new and innovative North American intermodal trade corridor through the northern gateway that transformed west coast logistics. He is now on the east coast, working on a similar project with the Port of Quebec that promises to innovate the St. Lawrence logistics chain. In September 2018, he was appointed the Managing Director of the Port of Quebec’s “Laurentia” initiative to promote and develop a new deep-water container terminal. Before that, he served as an Advisor to the Port of Quebec as well as several other transportation organizations.

Mr. Krusel holds an MBA degree from the Ivey School of Management at the University of Western Ontario, is a Chartered Professional Accountant and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors. Mr. Krusel is currently a Director of the British Columbia Assessment Authority and Ocean Networks Canada and is a past Director of the Western Transportation Advisory Council, the Business Council of British Columbia, the British Columbia Trade Development Corporation, and several other industry associations.

Jason Tse currently holds the position of Manager, Commercial Leasing – Cargo at YVR. In this role he manages the cargo portfolio at YVR, to acquire new air services, expand facilities, and promote YVR and BC to the rest of the world from a goods and cargo perspective.

Jason has been with YVR since 2000 working previously in Air Service Development, Corporate Finance and Simplified Passenger Travel. In 2015, he took a 3-year secondment from YVR to join HQ Vancouver, a private public partnership intended to attract the establishment of foreign head offices in BC.

He holds a degree in Economics from UBC, an MBA from the University of Saskatchewan, as well as the Canadian Investment Manager and Chartered Financial Analyst designations. He is also the Regional Director for MAPLE Business Council, a bilateral trade organization between Southern California and Canada. In addition, Jason is an Advisory Council Member for the World Trade Centre Vancouver, which manages the Trade Accelerator program to assist small and medium sized companies to export internationally. He is also on the Alumni Advisory Council for the University of British Columbia and has also held previous board positions with the Hong Kong Canada Business Association and Tourism Richmond.

Jason enjoys playing softball, volleyball, and skiing and as a father of one boy, is also active in coaching youth baseball and football locally.

Joshua Collingwood is a Regional Marketing Director, Market Analysis for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. In this role, he focuses on air cargo traffic forecasting and markets and contributes to Boeing’s biennial World Air Cargo Forecast. Additionally, Joshua is responsible for air cargo market trends and their impact on Boeing and the marketplace.

Prior to his role with Boeing, Joshua held positions within United Airlines cargo division focused on forecasting revenues and developing sales and pricing strategies for the commercial and revenue management functions.

Joshua has worked within the air cargo industry for nearly 10 years, and has enjoyed his work experiences with both a major carrier and an OEM. The opportunity to be a part of a continuously evolving industry while interacting with a diverse group of people from around the world continues to be a rewarding experience.

Solomon Wong was appointed in May 2018 as President & CEO of InterVISTAS. He oversees a group of experts with insights in market development, planning and business transformation, and strategic analyses in transportation and tourism.

Solomon is an expert on regulatory and technological change and has advised federal ministers on a range of policy files. Among his accomplishments, he has overseen studies impacting the barriers for free-flow of cargo between the United States and Canada in trucking, rail, air and maritime sectors. In addition to overseeing the firm and global expansion of strategic consulting products, he continues to help clients improve processes for goods and passengers. From re-engineering flows of people and goods through a journey to newer ways of navigating through a risk-managed environment, Solomon has helped to implement solutions for a range of private/ public sector clients. He is a past Board Member of the Airport Consultants Council and the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance. As well, he is active on several committees for Airports Council International (World) and IATA. Solomon has a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto.

Beth Carroll is the founding partner of Prosperio Group, a business consulting firm that focuses on the strategic management of compensation for global transportation & logistics companies. Beth is based in Chicago, IL and has over 20 years’ experience developing incentive compensation plans for companies across the globe in a variety of industries. Prosperio consultants have completed projects with more than 175 Transportation & Logistics companies.

Beth holds a BA from Bucknell University, an MA from The University of Chicago, an MBA from Northwestern University, and is a World at Work Certified Sales Compensation Professional. Beth has been or is a member of the AFA, ATA, CLDA, NPTC, TCA, TIA, TMSA, FIATA and the CSCMP, and is a frequent author for the 3PL Perspectives Magazine and numerous other industry publications.

Beth is the author of Taming the Compensation Monster: Using Freight Broker Compensation to Drive Urgency, Performance, and Profits which is available on Amazon in soft cover, kindle and audio editions.

Tony Boemi joined the Montreal Port Authority (MPA) as Vice-President, Growth and Development in May of 2008. Prior to joining the MPA, his entry into the Maritime industry dates back to 1975, when he first joined Canadian Pacific Ships (CP Ships). He completed his studies in information technology from Control Data Institute, and also obtained management, and marketing certificates from Concordia University. Throughout his tenure with CP Ships, he held several senior management positions within the company’s different brands, and gained extensive experience in the areas of IT, sales management, marketing, and commercial trade services.

Following the acquisition of CP Ships by Hapag-Lloyd AG in 2005, he was appointed Director, Sales and Marketing, Canada for Hapag-Lloyd, a position he held until May 2008, when he joined the Montreal Port Authority's management team.

His current responsibilities with the MPA include developing the commercial strategies in the sectors of containers, general cargo, liquid and dry bulk commodities and the cruise sector, and also oversees the Port of Montreal`s representatives, based in the USA, Europe, and Asia. He is a board member of the Chamber of Marine Commerce, and is also President of the St. Lawrence Cruise Association. He is an active participant to several other industry associations.

Ryan Dermody, Vice-président, Contrecoeur, possède une formation pluridisciplinaire acquise ici et à l’étranger dans les domaines des valeurs mobilières et de l’investissement, du milieu diplomatique, portuaire, politique et militaire. Il possède une expérience variée et une vaste connaissance des opérations portuaires, logistiques et de la chaine d’approvisionnement, dans le montage de financement complexe et la gestion des relations avec les parties prenantes dans la réalisation de grands projets. Avant de se joindre à l’APM, il a été, entre autres, à l’emploi d’Investissement Québec à titre de directeur sénior pour les dossiers d’infrastructure dans les domaines énergétiques et de la logistique. La création de ce nouveau poste au sein de la haute direction de l’APM témoigne de l’envergure de ce vaste projet.

Mathieu Charbonneau holds a BA in Urban and Social Geography from the Université de Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and an MBA from UQAM’s School of Management Sciences. After teaching geography at Collège de Maisonneuve, he joined the Association Québécoise du Transport et des Routes (AQTr) in 2004 as Technical Director. In 2007, he became Director of TransForm, the AQTR Training Centre, and then became the Assistant General Manager of AQTr in 2009.

In December 2012, Mr. Charbonneau was appointed Executive Director of the Logistics and Transportation Metropolitan Cluster of Montreal, CargoM. He sits on a number of committees, including Greater Montreal’s municipal (CCM) committees on urban mobility and employment and was recently appointed to the Multisector Strategic Taskforce of the Palais des Congrès of Montreal.

Lou Smyrlis is the Managing Director of the Newcom Trucking and Supply Chain Group. The nation’s largest media outlet serving the needs of Canada’s transportation professionals, it includes Canadian Shipper, Inside Logistics, Today’s Trucking, Truck Tech, Transport Routier, Road Today, Solid Waste & Recycling as well as trucknews.com and several other websites and newsletters, a Web TV show and a research division. Lou has been reporting on transportation issues for over 30 years and is a winner of several writing awards. A frequent speaker on industry issues, he is a leading authority on industry trends, having pioneered several industry research projects. His work has been published by the Harvard School of Business, translated into Spanish and Chinese, referenced in university research papers and included in a university textbook on management practices. He is an avid researcher of Byzantine history and enjoys riding and training his three horses.

Alan Taliaferro is a partner and the Canadian logistics and distribution leader in Deloitte Inc., based in Montreal, Canada. He has over 25 years’ experience in robotics and automation, distribution center design and implementation, as well as distribution network design. He is a leading industry speaker on automation and other logistics and distribution topics.