SMC³ "Jump Start" 2009 Conference Intently Focused on the Global Supply Chain
Transportation Professionals and Industry Experts Explore Up-to-the-Minute Economic, Political and Technological Issues to Help Navigate Recession and Beyond
Atlanta, Ga.—January 23, 2009—A robust group of legal, political and economic experts; North American shippers, LTL carriers, and logistics service providers; educators; industry journalists; and other supply chain professionals gathered at the well-attended three-day SMC³ "2009 Jump Start: Supply Chain’s Q1 Conference" in Atlanta earlier this week. Amidst the excitement of the presidential inauguration and the deepening global recession, conference attendees explored the current and upcoming technological, economic, political and legal landscapes and up-to-the-minute, pressing issues that affect the LTL industry’s success. Educational topics and expert analysis focused on the world trade outlook; LTL industry consolidation; the relative value of rail, LTL, and TL; transportation mode convergence; the economy; and energy, to name a few.
“SMC³ plans our educational events to provide attendees with broad information, knowledge and takeaways they can use for both short- and long-term strategic planning,” said John Rader, director of industry and educational services at SMC³. “This conference was one of the best, considering the educational information,” added attendee Ed Guffey, director of traffic and corporate contracts, Wilson Trucking. Rusty Murray, director, field pricing, Estes Express Lines, said, “This conference is a full two and a half days of quality education that keeps transportation leaders current and up-to-date on the transportation industry.”
Conference speakers included Mark Andrews, partner-in-charge for the Washington, D.C. office of Dallas-based law firm Strasburger & Price, LLP; Paul D. Cullen, Sr., attorney, Cullen Law; Hal Feuchtwanger, managing director, i2 Technologies; Chris Jones, executive vice president, solutions and services, Descartes Systems Group; Jon Langenfeld, CFA, director and senior research analyst for Robert W. Baird & Co.; and C. John Langley, Jr., Ph.D., professor of supply chain management at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
During an especially lively Wednesday, SMC³ welcomed back its featured geopolitical update expert speakers: John Bagileo, principal, The Law Office of John R. Bagileo, who has practiced transportation law for more than 40 years; Donald Ratajczak, Ph.D., emeritus professor of the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University and consulting economist for leading businesses and governmental agencies; and Larry Sabato, Ph.D., Robert Kent Gooch professor of politics at the University of Virginia and a well-known political forecaster, who presented his analysis of the incoming and outgoing administrations and past and forward-looking U.S. political landscapes.
Said Paul White, business development, AIK Technologies, “SMC³ brings frank-speaking industry leaders together with this event. This presents an improved understanding of the economy and its effect on the transportation industry.”
New for 2009 and in keeping with its expanded educational approach, SMC³ combined its “Fundamentals of LTL Transportation” seminar with site tour of an Atlanta-area FedEx Freight facility, designed to provide both new and veteran transportation personnel with a window into the company’s LTL terminal functions and operations.
SMC³ President and CEO Jack Middleton concluded the conference, noting that the SMC³ 2009 Summer Conference promises to build on the winter conference’s topics and insights. The summer conference is scheduled for June 24-26, 2009 in Las Vegas, at an off-the-strip location that provides a more family-friendly environment plus easy access to Lake Mead, the Grand Canyon and more. For more information on SMC³ products, services and educational offerings, including the 2009 Summer Conference, visit www.smc3.com, phone 800-845-8090 or e-mail info@smc3.com.