An association chairman is stepping down and a COO, chief legal officer and sales manager are joining teams in Chicago, Scottsdale and London.
Sebastiaan Scholte will step down as chairman of The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) following his departure as chief executive officer of Jan de Rijk Logistics on July 1.
Scholte (pictured above) has headed TIACA’s board since 2017. Previously he served two and a half years as vice chairman.
He has been working with the current Vice Chairman Steven Polmans, head of cargo and logistics for Brussels Airport Company, on a new vision for the association since last January.
“The organization is financially healthy again and is strategically on the right track. Moreover, we have a great team of board members and management,” Scholte said. “I would like to thank all members, staff, and board members for their faith and support over the years. TIACA remains the only organization that truly represents the interests of the whole air cargo supply chain.”
TIACA’s bylaws state that board members must be trustee members of the association, which means that Scholte can no longer serve after leaving Jan de Rijk. Vice Chairman Polmans will therefore take up the chairmanship on July 1, a few months earlier than planned, at TIACA’s annual general meeting in Budapest, Hungary, in November.
“I ran for vice chairman of TIACA in close cooperation with (Scholte) and with a clear interest to work closely with him,” Polmans said. “Together we came up with a clear strategy and four-year action plan for the association and I am proud to be able to take over a healthier and stronger TIACA. I am determined to continue working with the board, the chairman’s council and our members to deliver the action plan we started at the beginning of Sebastiaan’s chairmanship.”
Chicago-based cross-border freight solutions startup Forager Logistics has hired Jessie Essman as chief operating officer.
Essman will lead the HR, recruiting, marketing, compliance and IT departments and will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations.
“Jessie joins Forager with a wealth of operational and project management experience at successful businesses inside and out of our industry,” said Forager co-founder and CEO Matt Silver. “We are thrilled to have a steady hand at the operational helm as we continue to scale our business and broaden our customer base.”
Prior to joining Forager, she was the project manager of business transformation for Stepan Company, a $2 billion chemical manufacturer headquartered near Chicago. During her tenure there, she oversaw the acquisition of a large chemical manufacturing plant in Mexico and a global IT rollout.
Before joining Stepan, Essman rose through the ranks at Coyote Logistics. She gained experience in LTL operations before focusing on special projects including ISO 9001 certification, quality control and standard operating procedures. She also was a project manager in IT and worked in the managed transportation division.
Eric Lee will join APL Logistics (APLL) as chief legal officer effective April 2.
Based in Scottsdale, Ariz., Lee will lead APLL’s global legal department, with responsibility for teams in the Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Middle East.
A supply chain, logistics and transportation attorney, Lee previously was a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight.
“Eric has played an integral role in growing our brand and reputation among the transportation, infrastructure and logistics sectors worldwide,” said David Whitestone of Holland & Knight. APLL is “very fortunate to have such a talented lawyer on their team.”
KVH Videotel, a provider of training films, computer-based training and e-learning, has appointed Jason Barreto as European sales manager.
Prior to joining KVH Videotel, he was the head of sales and business development for OSM Maritime Group’s crew management business.
Barreto will be based in KVH Videotel’s London office.
“I am really excited about working at KVH Videotel, especially during such an innovative period where new technology is changing the way we can develop training programs, such as using virtual reality and gaming techniques, so seafarers can learn through task-based exercises,” Barreto said.
