Becker Logistics

Monthly Newsletter:

Becker Logistics has been busy. Produce season is picking up while our team gets ready for one of our biggest summers yet. Despite everyone working so hard, we have had much to celebrate this month. We would like to recognize Julie’s birthday that was celebrated on June 8^th, and an upcoming birthday for Cheryl on June 25^th. In other news, the CEO Jim Becker will be traveling to Washington D.C. next week for his first TIA Board meeting; he was elected by the 1,300 members of the TIA last April.

California Air Resources Board:

Check out our latest YouTube Video…

Learn more by watching the whole video here.

Visit our YouTube page today.

In October of 2011, the California Air Resources Board (known as CARB) permitted a group of amendments to be allowed that would alter the regulations on transporting refrigerated goods in the state of California. One of the amendments approved would regulate emissions of refrigerated units operating in California and would therefore affect freight forwarders, shippers, receivers, motor carriers, and their drivers. Learn more about how this will affect your business from our employee Jeff Payne: Click here.

June Dates and Events:

June 21st marks the summer solstice – the longest day of the year for those living north of the equator.

In ancient times solstices and equinoxes were important in guiding people to develop and maintain calendars, as well as helping them plan how to grow crops.

Father’s day is celebrated on June 16th.

While not everyone in America is a fan of Father’s Day, nearly 75 percent of Americans plan to celebrate or acknowledge Father’s Day.

Estimated number of fathers in the United States: 70.1 million.

Facts found at Wikipedia and US Census Bureau.

Featured Employee:

Ben

Ben is our featured employee of the month. He has worked in our sales department for the past 2 years after we recruited him from Northern Illinois University. Ben graduated in May of 2011 with a degree in Marketing with a special certificate in Sales. Over the past 2 years, Ben has shown dedication to this company and the customers that he works with. Right out of college, he has steadily improved his performance in regards to load count and increasing his customer base. Due to his hard work he has been recognized and has gained membership into the million dollar sales club at Becker Logistics. Outside of the office, Ben is involved in various intramural basketball and baseball clubs. Some other hobbies of his include recording music and playing guitar. He demonstrates his passion not only in his work here at Becker but also in his personal interests as well.

What do you like best about working at Becker Logistics?

I would say the people I work with. Whether it is my customers or co workers I enjoy the relationships that I have developed while working at Becker Logistics.

What goals do you have for yourself while working at Becker Logistics?

My goal is to expand and build my customer base while continuing to contribute in making our company more efficient.

Outside of work, how do you spend your time?

Outside of work I love spending time with my dog Alfie, taking him for walks and such. He will be turning 11 years old.

What plans do you have this summer?

Nothing big, just enjoying the summer festivals in the city and hanging with friends, I recently went to the Blues Festival in Chicago which was awesome!

Ben is not only a talented salesman but a pleasure to have around the office. His energetic and friendly personality make him easy to get along with. He is also the current ping-pong champion!

Stanley Cup Finals:

* *The Stanley Cup stands 35.25 inches tall and weighs 34.5 pounds.

**The Stanley Cup has been around the NHL longer than any other team, player or coach.

Only 2 teams left standing for the Stanley Cup final, The Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins. Both teams are part of the ‘original six’ and are very evenly matched. The Blackhawks took the first game of the series in a thrilling 4-3 overall win. They need 3 more wins to bring the Stanley cup back to Chicago.

Let’s go Hawks!!

Jeff Payne presents on CARB Regulations – Watch our YouTube video by clicking here

In October of 2011, the California Air Resources Board (known as CARB) permitted a group of amendments to be allowed that would alter the regulations on transporting refrigerated goods in the state of California.  One of the amendments approved would regulate emissions of refrigerated units operating in California and would therefore affect freight forwarders, shippers, receivers, motor carriers, and their drivers.  The primary purpose of this new regulation is to limit the pollution from various distribution centers that could be located near public places such as schools and other community landmarks.   A large congregation of trucks would be force to stay stationary for long periods of time with their engine on to refrigerate their shipment thus resulting in more polluted air.   These new requirements went into effect in January of this year.  The regulators from CARB have discovered that carriers hired by brokers or shippers are more likely to break these regulations then those that use private fleets.  We aim to educate and prevent the penalties for breaking these regulations which can start at $1,000 for every occurrence.

What is the requirement for Brokers?

To fully understand the details of these new laws, go online at https://arber.arb.ca.gov/publicTruSearch.arb

Here is a brief understand of what is required : For any refrigerated transport of goods in a truck, trailer, or rail car require that any carrier that is hired must comply with Air Resources Board TRU (Transport Refrigeration Unit) and ATCM (Airborne Toxic Control Measure) performance standards.  In addition shippers must also provide contact information to the broker so that the carrier can present it to authorized enforcement personnel upon request.  The information provided must include the company name, street address, state, and zip code along with a contact person from the company and a business phone number.  This new rule applies to any shipper that hires any carrier that will ultimately travel on a California highway or railway, even if the shipping company is based out of another state.  The one exception to this new regulation is if a driver chooses to enter California by choice rather than required to travel through California due to route.

These new guidelines by CARB exercise that brokers and freight forwarders should be able to verify their carriers compliance and reference to Air Resources Board Equipment Registration (ARBER).  CARB suggests certain strategies for brokers and forwarders that could ensure they are hiring compliant carriers.

• Send an annual notice to carriers in the companies ‘data base notifying them that moving forward the company will only work with 100 percent compliant carriers when traveling on California highways or railways.
• When advertising the load on a load board – specify that since the load will be traveling through California the carrier that takes the load must be 100% CARB compliant.
• Document the steps that show the broker company took steps to notify the carrier that they require working only with carriers that comply to the CARB rules and regulations.
• If the carrier agrees to use TRU equipment then document it and have the carrier sign it for further coverage of any liability towards the broker or freight forwarder.
• Require proof from the carrier.

Any violations or failure to comply may be penalized of $1,000 per occurrence.  As a shipper, let your carriers or brokers know that you won’t use carriers that aren’t compliant.  You could also require that any carrier or broker that your work with provide a current Arber certification page.

Time Management in the Workplace:

Watch out YouTube video: click here

Top tips for managing your time while at work:

1. Question yourself:  Everyone gets caught in the day-to-day mundane ‘busy’ tasks.  Ask yourself if this is the best possible use of time at the moment.  If it isn’t then direct your attention to bigger projects that have been put aside and should be addressed.  To understand what tasks are important or what you should work on, ask yourself some simple questions: What do I want to accomplish today?
2. Plan it out:  Take the first 30 minutes of every day to plan. Don’t start working until you complete your time plan. The most important time of your day is the time you schedule your day.  If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.
3. Take five: Take five minutes before every call and task to decide what result you want to attain. This will help you know what success looks like before you start.  Take five minutes after each call and activity to determine whether your desired result was achieved.  If not, what was missing?  How do you put what’s missing in your next call or activity?
4. Shut your door: Sometimes it can be difficult to stay on track when there are ‘drop-in’ visitors.  Simply shut your door to deter other people from interrupting or disturbing your production.  This is mostly effective when you have a open-door policy especially if you are a manager.  When the door is shut for an hour or so, others are aware of how busy you are.   You could also put a “Do not disturb” sign when you absolutely have to get work done.
5. Plan for Interruptions:  Schedule time for interruptions.  Plan time to be pulled away from what you are doing.  Take, for instance, the concept of having ‘office hours.’  The idea is basically planning for interruptions.
6. Tame the technology: Send your calls to voicemail and turn off your email notification.  Every few hours check your email and phone to see if you need to respond to something important.   This will clear your mind to focus on the task at hand rather than constantly pealing your eyes and focus to other issues that can be addressed at a later time.  Practice not answering the phone just because it’s ringing, and e-mails just because they show up.  Disconnect instant messaging.  Don’t instantly give people your attention unless it’s absolutely crucial in your business to offer an immediate human response.  Block out other distractions like Facebook and other forms of social media unless you use these tools to generate business.  This includes cell phones – make sure you turn them off or silence them!
7. Clear the clutter: Some people find it difficult to focus on their project when their office or workspace is cluttered with loose papers and folders that signal ‘ongoing work’.    The best way to defeat this beast is by taking some time to organize and ‘clean’ your workspace and keep the single thing you are trying to work on visible.  An organized work place is an organized mind!
8. Write it down:  Carry a schedule and record all your thoughts, conversations and activities for a week. This will help you understand how much you can get done during the course of a day and where your precious moments are going. You’ll see how much time is actually spent producing results and how much time is wasted on unproductive thoughts, conversations and actions.  You won’t have to fear forgetting something important while trying to work.   Make sure you write neatly and in such a way that you can read and understand at a later date.
9. Schedule it: Often many of us create lists of things to do but then fail to find the time to actually accomplish these tasks.  Make it a point to schedule each thing in your calendar with an appropriate amount of time cut out to complete each task.  Any activity or conversation that’s important to your success should have a time assigned to it. To-do lists get longer and longer to the point where they’re unworkable.  Appointment books work.  Schedule appointments with yourself and create time blocks for high-priority thoughts, conversations, and actions.  Schedule when they will begin and end.  Have the discipline to keep these appointments.
10. Consolidate routine actions: Jumping from project to project or even amongst tasks can be a huge waste of time.  For every direction you head, your brain has to switch gears and catch up with your body.  Instead try completing one item at a time, for example, check all emails and then complete all calls – it might quicken your pace and your work may be done faster.  Research has shown that only about 2.5% of the populations have the rare ability to attend to two tasks simultaneously.  Multitasking means you do not do either task to its full potential.

All of these tasks combined contribute to a greater efficiency of managing valuable work time.  But, remember that it’s impossible to get everything done.   Also remember that odds are good that 20 percent of your thoughts, conversations and activities produce 80 percent of your results.

Monthly Newsletter

Jim Becker with wife Laurie and daughter Sydnie.

Happy Birthday to Becker Logistics! May 16th we celebrated 16 years in business.  The company catered lunch from Portillo’s to commemorate the occasion.  Looking back, it is hard to believe that the company has developed so much and come so far. In 16 years Becker Logistics has grown tremndously.  We have so much to be grateful for and we thank all of our wonderful  customers and carriers that have made our success possible. We value and appreciate your support and will continue to provide the best quality service in the industry.

Featured Employee:

Brenda

Brenda is our featured employee of the month. She has worked in our Operations Department for over a year now. Prior to Becker Logistics, Brenda worked at Freight Quote in Kansas City. Originally from the Chicago land area, she moved here with her husband and daughters to be closer to her family.  Brenda has been the top operations person every month since December of 2012! The management team is very happy to have her on board.

 

What do you like best about working at Becker Logistics?

I like the team environment. Everyone here is working together towards the company’s common goals.

What goals do you have for yourself while working at Becker Logistics?

I would like to help the company grow. My goal would be to do my part to increase business and the relationships that our company has with carriers.

Outside of work, how do you spend your time?

My two girls: Izabel – 4 and Hailey – 2, keep me very busy. When I am not at work I am trying to keep up with them! Other then family life, my husband and I recently volunteered our time towards a project building a playground at a small grade school outside of Chicago. The company he works for was very involved in donating supplies and efforts towards the production of this playground. We had fun working on the project and it was gratifying knowing that this school would now have a place for the kids to play during the day.

How did you celebrate Mothers Day?

At home being pampered by my husband and kids.  They made breakfast, dinner and dessert for me!

What plans do you have this summer?

I plan to enjoy the nice weather and spend as much time with my kids as possible. We may take a family camping trip later this summer.

Brenda is a highly valued employee.  Her strong work ethic is a great example to all of us at Becker Logistics.  Not only is she one of the hardest workers at the company but her logistical knowledge and experiences make her a leader in her department and in the company as a whole. 

Summer Sports in Chicago:

Employee Poll:

       

Chicago Cubs VS. Chicago White Sox

Cubs 76%   Sox  24%

Sales Manager, Joe Valaitis has a few tips for a more productive workplace:

Accountability:

Accountability at work is important to a business’s success as a whole.  All employees should have a clear understanding of their job and its requirements.    Every employee, no matter what level of seniority is equally responsible for aiding in the success of the company. In order to achieve the goals of the company, long and short term, it is important that all people within the company work together and share accountability. Employees, who work together towards the same overall goal help their workplace to become more accountable, in turn make the business more productive and efficient.  If you are a manager or in a management position, displaying personal accountability will help build a culture of accountability in your company. Your employees will watch as you create an acceptance and understanding of accountability, and will more than likely follow your actions. Knowing that personal accountability is something that even the management is responsible for will help employees feel balanced and bonded through that shared responsibility.

Strong management without micromanaging:

While it is in most manager’s nature to hover over their employees it is often counterproductive causing a bigger detriment.    Every large pool of employees does need to be managed, given direction and assistance; however they must also be trusted.  An employee that is hired is given trust by being offered a job; managers must keep this in mind and give freedom to their employees to operate in their own style as long as they are delivering the results required of them.  The freedom to act as they deem fit will keep your workers encouraged, motivated, and happy in the belief that they are trusted by their employer.

Encourage, motivate, reward, and recognize.

The employer must ensure that on his part he always has words of encouragement for his staff.  Encouraging your employees helps them move forward and do even better, and makes the worker feel happy.  Innovative ways of motivating them spurs them even more.  For example, holidays or conferences paid for by the company have been found to motivate employees immensely.  Rewards, and other ways of keeping employees happy makes them feel that their effort is being recognized and that they are needed by the company.  Without incentive, employees may soon start looking for greener pastures and new jobs.

Demand realistic targets

Employers need to set realistic goals that are within the limits of achievement.  While an aggressive employer may want his people to outstretch to achieve farfetched goals, it may also burn them out.

Teamwork

For years now, organizational leaders have recognized the added value that comes from having employees work in formal or informal teams. However, over the last two decades, even greater emphasis has been placed on working together in a team. Team-building and team-work skills are essential in the workplace and highly desirable skills to possess when seeking a new job or promotion. Teams working at their potential generate more productivity and offer better solutions than if all of them work independently.

Provide opportunities for additional training.

Employees are delighted when they can enhance their skills and get additional learning opportunities sponsored by the employer.  This helps them learn, feel indebted for the money being spent on them, which also adds to their resume, and are obliged to perform better by applying all the knowledge gained in these courses.

Spend less time on meetings and more time on action.

Having more meetings and discussion rather than spending time working to results, leads to precious productive time lost.  In theory, meetings are a wonderful tool. You get together with your colleagues, spitball ideas, pin down agendas, and have some quality face-to-face interactions. They’re as much an opportunity to get work done as to team build. But in reality, they can be a colossal waste of time where mostly what you do is daydream about what you’re going to have for lunch.

Provide a happy work environment.

We will end with happiness in the workplace because it is the single most important tool to creating productivity in your office!

When employees feel that the company takes their interest to heart; then the employees will take company interests to heart,” says Dr. Nelson, a clinical psychologist, bestselling author and business trial consultant.  Studies found that 89% of employees with high levels of well-being reported high job satisfaction and nearly two thirds of those employees reported consistently putting in extra effort at work. Again, happy employees are more productive employees, which positively effect’s the bottom line.  How to create a happy employee?  Treat your employee’s right! This doesn’t always mean giving a raises, this can mean you provide more paid vacation time or paid work outings.  In 2011 after wrapping up a record-setting year, new Apple, Inc. CEO Tim Cook rewarded employees by giving them paid vacation through the week of Thanksgiving. In a memo to employees Cook wrote, “In recognition of the hard work you’ve put in this year, we’re going to take some extra time off for Thanksgiving. We will shut down with pay on November 21, 22 and 23 so our teams can spend the entire week with their families and friends.”

Monthly Newsletter

April has been a busy month at Becker Logistics!  We ended the 1st quarter with a 13% rise in revenue and load volume compared to the same quarter last year.  Our team has been working hard shipping freight for our customers: we are grateful for the ongoing opportunity to be a trusted carrier for your logistical needs. Next month we will be celebrating our 16th year in business and without our valuable carriers and customers, Becker Logistics would cease to exist. We are appreciative of your business and we will continue to provide the best service in the industry!

Thoughts and prayers for Boston – the families and friends of those lost, injured, and traumatized.

Featured Employee:

Eric

Eric is our featured employee this month. He has been working at Becker  Logistics for almost 2 years.  Eric was recruited by the owner after graduating from Southern Illinois University. He started in the operations department and moved over to sales last summer. Since Eric switched departments at Becker Logistics, he has consistently been one of our best salesmen. He regularly works with 25 accounts and this past month has helped move more loads in a day than any other of our sales representatives.

What is your favorite part about working at Becker Logistics?

What do you enjoy doing outside of the office?

I love to stay active. I work out as much as possible and regularly sign up for yoga classes. We even have a group of guys at Becker Logistics that will play Racket Ball every week after work.   I am also a huge Chicago sports fan and I am really looking forward to watching the NHL and NBA playoffs.

Any big summer trips planned?

Nothing planned yet, but I just got back from St. Louis with a few of my buddies from college. We traveled to watch the Blackhawks defeat the Blues and check out Busch Stadium.

Eric is a talented salesman. He is hardworking and completely committed to his customers. Not only is he a valuable employee of Becker Logistics, but his co workers would agree that his good-humored, pleasant demeanor makes him a fun person to work with!

 

Jim with Congressman Sam Graves (MO) Chairman of the House Small Business Commitee.

Becker Logistics

Monthly Newsletter

March 2013

Dear Niki,

Spring forward means spring into action. Becker Logistics has exciting news for this season. Read below to meet our featured employee Julie and to learn about our CEO Jim Becker’s nomination to the Transportation Intermediaries Association Board. In other news – we have two birthdays this month; special birthday wishes to Niki and John!

Energy and Focus Matrix:

In case you missed our webinar…

The marketing and sales departments collaborated and produced a WebEx presentation -’Focus and Energy in the Workplace.’ Our goal is to provide our customers and carriers with tools to enhance their productivity and show a greater return on their work efforts. The presentation is only 15 minutes long to accommodate busy schedules. Many of you may have watched the presentation live during the first week of the month. In case you missed it click the link below to watch the recorded presentation.

Focus and Energy in the Workplace

To watch our 5 minute video on YouTube click the link below:

Becker Logistics Superior Solutions

Featured Employee:

Julie

Featured this month is Julie from our operations department. Julie has been working at Becker Logistics since December of 2010. Her dedication and hard work have made her a leader not only within the department but in the whole company as well. I sat down with Julie to ask her a few questions about her job at Becker Logistics and her goals moving forward.

What is your favorite part about working at Becker Logistics?

My favorite part is all my co-workers; we have a good time and are still able to get the job done. I also enjoy the fact that every day is different. In logistics, there is always an opportunity to learn something new.

What goals do you have for yourself while working at Becker Logistics?

I was the top operations person in 2011; this gave me the opportunity to be the operations lead within the department for the 2012 year. My goal is to be the top operations person once again for 2013.

Outside of work how do you enjoy spending your time?

I love spending time with my nephew Ryan – he is only a year and half. He is so fun! We love to dance to music and he gives me the chance to feel like a little kid again.

Do you have any plans for St. Patrick’s Day this weekend?

I will probably find a green beer somewhere…

While only being in logistics for a couple of years now, Julie has proven the depth of her transportation knowledge. She is a talented person and we value her very much at Becker Logistics!

Fun Facts

Did you know…?

Spring Forward

* Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country’s electricity usage by about one percent EACH DAY in March and April with Daylight Saving Time.

St. Patrick’s Day Facts:

*At the annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day parade, participants march up 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street. Each year, between 150,000 and 250,000 marchers take part in the parade, which does not allow automobiles or floats.

Vote Jim Becker to the TIA Board:

Jim has been a member of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) for over 10 years. He lobbied for the highway transportation bill in June of 2012 and is an active member of the Education Committee and the 3PL Policy Committee.

Outside of the TIA, Jim sits on the Executive Advisory Council for McLeod’s software. He has also spoken at McLeod Software’s Users Conference. Jim has also written two articles; both have been featured in the logistics journal, ‘How to protect your Small Business from Hackers, and ‘What You Need to Know about Identity Theft in the Brokerage World.’ Jim will also be speaking about his experiences with corporate identity theft at the upcoming TIA convention in Las Vegas on April 10-13th. The TIA will announce the newly elected board members on Saturday of the convention.

Read the rest of the article by clicking the link below:

Blog Article

Sincerely,

James Becker

GO BECKER

800-GO BECKER

(800) 462.3253

Becker Logistics

Monthly Newsletter

February 2013

Dear James,

Becker Logistics is pleased to announce that our marketing and sales departments have collaborated and produced a presentation called ‘Focus and Energy in the Workplace.’ This is a new project that will begin this March and will continue forward. Our goal is to provide our customers and carriers with tools to enhance their productivity and show a greater return on their work efforts. The presentation is only 10 minutes long to accommodate busy schedules. We hope all of you will join us the first week in March and make our WebEx premiere a success! Contact sales@beckerlogistics.com to reserve your spot in the webinar today.

The Superior Solution:

YouTube Video

We invite you to visit our YouTube page and watch our latest video to find out the 4 biggest struggles our customers face on a daily basis. Click the link below:

Becker Logistics – The Superior Solution

Featured Employee:

Vern

The Featured employee in February is Vern. He is our most recent addition to the Sales team. Vern was promoted within the company when he made his transition from Operations to Sales in the beginning of October. After several months, Vern has done a great job of adapting to his new role and has been working very hard. Vern has just returned from his honeymoon in Costa Rica with his wife Julie. The two were married in September of last year. They enjoyed hiking and whitewater rafting, as well as sightseeing and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

What do you like best about working at Becker Logistics?

I like that our team has great camaraderie and rapport. I consider my co-workers to be my friends. All of us get together outside of work on a regular basis.

What do you like about your new position in sales?

There are more personal interactions with customers then in operations. I enjoy with them the opportunity to build stronger relationships with my customers.

What are some of your goals moving forward?

I am always striving to be a top sales performer and in addition I work towards increasing the relationships I have with my customers.

What are you interests outside of work?

I have a passion for animals – we just adopted a dog and I enjoy walking and playing with him. I love to play golf when the weather is nice and I am also a competitive dancer- West Coast Swing and the Hustle are my specialties. I will be dancing at the Chicago Classic on March 8th.

Do you have any special plans for Valentine’s Day?

I plan on cooking my wife’s favorite dinner. She loves snow crab.

February Fun Facts

Did you know…?

*Groundhog’s day is on Feb 2nd. The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This year the groundhog did not see his shadow which signals an early spring.

*Valentine’s Day began with Saint Valentine who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire

*According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first “valentine” greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl–possibly his jailor’s daughter–who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still in use today.

*Approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.

*30% of the chocolate that is produced during the year is sold on Valentine’s Day.

Facts found at Wikipedia, valentineblogspot.com, and U.S. Census site

CEO Jim Becker nominated for the TIA Board:

“It is with passion and integrity that James Becker, President and CEO of Becker Logistics, hopes to “create possibilities” for professionals working within the 162 billion dollar market place of the Third-Party Logistics industry. Jim has been chosen by the Nominating Committee of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) to run for election to a 3 year term on the 2013 TIA Board of Directors. It is through election to the Board that Jim hopes to continue to create these “possibilities” by assisting in the management of the many committees operating within the TIA, as well as lending his expertise to the overall business operations of the association…”

Read the rest of the article by clicking the link below:

Blog Article

Sincerely,

James Becker

GO BECKER

800-GO BECKER

(800) 462.3253

It is with passion and integrity that James Becker, President and CEO of Becker Logistics, hopes to “create possibilities” for professionals working within the 162 billion dollar market place of the Third-Party Logistics industry. Jim has been chosen by the Nominating Committee of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA) to run for election to a 3 year term on the 2013 TIA Board of Directors. It is through election to the Board that Jim hopes to continue to create these “possibilities” by assisting in the management of the many committees operating within the TIA, as well as lending his expertise to the overall business operations of the association.

As you may know, the Transportation Intermediaries Association is an organization which unites professionals within the industry of third-party transportation, and provides them with a forum to affect growth, education and excellence. The TIA is comprised of approximately 1,300 members and is the governing body which oversees the third-party logistics industry within North America. The TIA offers its members resources, education, mediation, and networking opportunities through which 3PL’s, shippers, vendors, and carriers can unite and make the process of freight transportation a more efficient and effective process while always holding to the strong code of ethics put forth by the TIA.

Jim has been a member of the TIA for almost 10 years. He brings with him 23 years of experience to the organization. In June 2012, Jim traveled to Washington and was an integral part of the policy forum which helped to successfully pass the Highway Transportation Bill signed in July by President Obama. The signing of the $109 billion dollar bill HR 4348 will bring $420 million dollars to rebuild highways in 2013. This bill also brought new legislation to the 3PL market, whereby bonds that are required to be held by 3PL’s would be increased from 10K to 75K. In addition, Jim is an active member of the Education Committee of the TIA, which brings to light issues relevant to the 3PL industry in today’s society. The Education Committee helps members of the TIA move forward with resources, education, and integrity to address these issues through the unification of 3PL’s, vendors, shippers, and carriers at the TIA’s yearly convention and tradeshow. Jim is also a member of the 3PL Policy Committee and the Government Freight Committee.

Jim has had two articles published in the “Logistics Journal”, the monthly publication of the TIA. The strongest platform on which Jim could stand is his desire to help others around him by sharing the knowledge and expertise he has gained through experiences both good and bad within the industry. It is through these publications that he hopes to provide others the tools through which they can learn from his experiences.  Jim’s articles addressed topics such as fraud and information hacking within the industry. It is said that “knowledge is power”, and Jim ultimately hopes that through sharing his experiences of how he was able to prevent the disastrous consequences of fraud and hacking within his own company, he may be able to help others to avoid falling victim to such unethical practices which jeopardize not only the integrity, but the very core of the third-party logistics industry. In addition to his publications, Jim will be addressing the topic of identity theft and how to protect your brand from it when he speaks at the TIA convention in Las Vegas, NV this April.

Jim holds strongly to his belief in commitment, integrity, and the power of knowledge. It is his adherence to these values that have allowed him to successfully operate his company for over 15 years, and these beliefs that would accompany him as a member of the TIA Board of Directors. Jim hopes to work together with others in the organization in an effort to develop policies designed to advance and improve the industry, as well as to continue to place a strong emphasis upon the importance of education and resources. Above all else, Jim hopes that these contributions will open up “possibilities” to all those involved in the third-party logistics industry.

To view Jim’s publications, follow the links below:

What You Need to Know about Identity Theft in the Brokerage World

Protecting Your Business from Hackers

James Becker