Watkins leading talent acquisition; Monson heading software provider; Mitchell overseeing human resources; and Coda is taking helm.
Lisa Watkins has joined AFN Logistics in Niles, Ill., as vice president of Talent.
She will focus on talent acquisition and development and retention initiatives. Most recently, Watkins was the vice president of global talent acquisition for InnerWorkings.
Callisto Agency Systems Co. has appointed Travis Monson as CEO to take its A3 product, designed to reduce the administrative workload and improve efficiencies for ship agencies, to the next level.
After 15 years with Monson Agencies Australia and more than 26 years in the shipping agency business, Monson now has taken the helm at Callisto, a London-based company that delivers a cloud-based operating system for shipping agencies in the bulk sector under the A3 brand.
Monson is credited with transforming a small family operation into an international organization of 20 offices spread across four countries by digitizing all operational and accounting systems.
The A3 operations system originally was developed by software provider Stage 3 Systems. Callisto Agency Systems is a joint venture between Stage 3 Systems and The Marcura Group, a specialist partner to the front line of the shipping industry. Callisto plans to add features and integrations to A3 that will enable agents using it to better serve the 350 shipping companies already linked to Marcura’s platforms.
Vanta E. Coda II has been named the Ports of Indiana’s next chief executive officer to replace Rich Cooper following his retirement, effective July 1.
Cooper is retiring after 16 years with the Ports of Indiana and will assist the organization with the leadership transition through the end of the year.
Coda has 25 years of experience in maritime and multimodal operations on the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico and Ohio River. He most recently served as executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority.
He began his career with the Illinois Central Railroad, eventually becoming director of marketing and sales following its merger with the CN railroad. He also has had stints with Westlake Group of Companies, American Commercial Lines, Dynegy Inc. and Nabors Industries.
Coda has been actively involved with maritime policy initiatives for the Great Lakes at the state and federal levels in his roles as president of the Minnesota Ports Association, member of the board of directors for the American Association of Port Authorities and member of the American Great Lakes Ports Association and USDOT Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee.
The Port of Oakland has promoted Michael Mitchell to director of human resources. A 12-year port veteran, he previously served as human resources manager.
He will oversee employee and labor relations, talent acquisition, classification and compensation, organizational effectiveness, worker’s compensation, employee benefits and safety and employee wellness.
Prior to joining the port, Mitchell was a senior human resource analyst with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, a department of the City and County of San Francisco.
