Ag Transportation Summit Presentations

Sonny Perdue came by his knowledge of agriculture the old fashioned way: he was born into a farming family in Bonaire, Georgia. 

Perdue served his country in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of Captain.  After earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia, he put that training to use in private practice in North Carolina.  As a member of the Georgia State Senate for eleven years, he eventually ascended to the position of President Pro Tempore as elected by his senate colleagues.  As a two-term governor of Georgia, he was credited with transforming a budget deficit into a surplus, dramatically increasing the student performance in public schools, and fostering an economic environment that allowed employers to flourish and manufacturers and agricultural producers to achieve record levels of exports.  He followed these accomplishments with a successful career in agribusiness, where he focused on commodities and transportation in enterprises that have spanned the southeastern United States. Uniquely qualified as a former farmer, agribusinessman, veterinarian, state legislator, and governor of Georgia, he became the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture on April 25, 2017.

Wednesday July 25 • Summit Keynote Address

Ann Begeman was designated Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board by President Donald J. Trump, on March 19, 2018. Ann had been Acting Chairman since January 23, 2017. She is serving her second, five-year term as a Member of the Board following her nomination by President Barack Obama on December 7, 2016, and her unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate on December 9, 2016. Ms. Begeman first joined the Board on May 2, 2011, bringing over 20 years of transportation policy experience to the agency. Her current term expires December 31, 2020.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Begeman held Senate staff positions on Capitol Hill, playing a key role in the crafting of major transportation legislation, including the ICC Termination Act, which sunset the Interstate Commerce Commission and created the STB.

Ann is a native of Humboldt, South Dakota. She earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of South Dakota.

Wednesday July 25 • General Session 

Julie works at Cargill headquarters in Wayzata, MN as a CIF Corn Export Merchant. She started my career with Cargill in 2011, spending two years in Des Moines, IA as a soybean meal merchant and then about a year in Evansville, IN as the grain merchandising leader for 4 Cargill grain elevators, and 2 years trading KCS rail corn in Minneapolis. 

Julie graduated with a Supply Chain and Operations Management major and a finance minor from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • Innovation Session #2 • VIEW PRESENTATION

Sean M. Duffy, Sr. assumed the duties of Executive Vice President – Maritime Advocate with the Louisiana Maritime Association in 2011 and was hired to promote improvements beneficial to maritime stakeholders along the Lower Mississippi River. He also currently serves as the Executive Director of the Big River Coalition. Mr. Duffy served as the President and Chief Executive Office for the Gulf States Maritime Association from 2005 to 2011. During his previous tenure, Sean became a proponent for local industry and specialized in lobbying Capitol Hill for supplemental funds for maintenance dredging and waterway maintenance.

As the third generation of his family to work in the maritime industry, Sean began working the on the docks in the Port of New Orleans in his early teen years during breaks from school. Previous employment experiences include various management duties, Boarding Agent, Deckhand, Stevedore General Superintendent and Marine Surveyor. Mr. Duffy is intimately familiar with obstacles faced by the maritime industry, both nationally and those specific to Louisiana, and he has become an expert on coastal restoration and maintenance dredging.

Wednesday July 25 • General Session • Port Panel • VIEW PRESENTATION

Dr. Ellis is a Senior Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute with the Infrastructure Investment Analysis Program.  He received his undergraduate degree in agricultural economics (1979), a Master’s in Urban Planning (1990) and a doctorate in Urban and Regional Science (1995) from Texas A&M University.  He has 34 years of experience in transportation economics and finance, demographics, the economic impacts of transportation investment, and tax policy.

His recent work at TTI includes research on transportation supply, demand and finance, transportation tax policy, modeling and forecasting fuel tax and other transportation revenue sources, benefit/cost analysis of transportation improvements, and the effect of fuel price changes on vehicle miles traveled.

Prior to returning to Texas A&M to work for TTI he was a lobbyist in Austin, representing a number of clients in the construction materials industry before the Texas Legislature and various state boards and agencies.  Following that, he served as Director of Research for the Texas Department of Commerce.  In that capacity he also served as Director of Research for both the Strategic Economic Policy Commission and the Rural Economic Development Commission.

Thursday July 26 • USDA Workshops Panel VIEW PRESENTATION • USDA Workshop VIEW PRESENTATION

Mr. Eriksen is the head of the Informa Economics IEG Client Advisory and Development group, and Energy and Transportation Services. In this capacity, he directs the group’s efforts in client advisory and development, risk management, consulting and events. Since joining Informa Economics IEG in 2001, Mr. Eriksen led the Informa Economics IEG Transportation, Industrials and Energy Services team and co-led the Informa Economics IEG project consulting practice. Mr. Eriksen regularly speaks on commodity, transportation and infrastructure issues and developments and is an expert witness in the area of transportation, logistics and supply-chain matters.

Prior to joining the company, Mr. Eriksen worked for USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service as an agricultural statistician. In that capacity, he conducted national surveys and set national estimates in agriculture. Also while at USDA, he worked for the Agricultural Marketing Service on its transportation and marketing program, conducting research and analysis on domestic and international transportation issues. He also worked as an international longshoreman for the Pacific Maritime Association in Tacoma, Washington. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agribusiness and agricultural economics from Washington State University. While working on his master’s degree there, Mr. Eriksen was a transportation economist for the Department of Agricultural Economics, performing economic transportation data analysis and modeling.

Wednesday July 25 • General Session • Conditions and Challenges Confronting Ag Transportation • VIEW PRESENTATION

Mr. R.D. James was confirmed by the Senate on January 30, 2018 and sworn in as the 12th Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works on February 5, 2018.

As the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, he establishes policy direction and provides supervision of the Department of the Army functions relating to all aspect of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program. These responsibilities include programs for conservation and development of the nation’s water and wetland resources, flood control, navigation, and shore protection.

Prior to his appointment, Mr. James was a self-employed farmer and manager of cotton gins and grain elevators for the A.C. Riley Company in New Madrid, Missouri. President Ronald Reagan appointed Mr. James to the Mississippi River Commission on Commission on December 1, 1981. Mr. James was reappointed to the Mississippi River Commission by Presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama, serving a total of 37 years on the Commission.

 Wednesday July 25 • General Session

Dr. Eric Jessup is an Associate Professor in the School of Economic Sciences at Washington State University.  He’s spent most of his career focused on freight transportation, a career that has included extensive academic and private sector experiences in the U.S., Asia and Europe.  Prior to his current position at WSU, he was Vice President of the Transportation, Industrials and Energy group at Informa Economics.  Prior to that he was an Honorary Professor within the Faculty of Environmental Sciences at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Freiburg, Germany.  He has authored or coauthored 29 peer reviewed journal articles and presented more than 145 academic papers at professional conferences, both domestic and abroad.

 Wednesday July 25 • USDA Workshops Panel VIEW PRESENTATION • USDA Workshop VIEW PRESENTATION

Daniel LeGrande is the Director of Inland Inland Terminals and Sales Support, a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, and a U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Captain. Daniel begin his career at the Port of Virginia in 2002, working with the analytics team. Currently, Daniel overseas all commercial aspects of Virginia’s Inland ports in Richmond, and Front Royal Virginia.  These inland facilities play an intricate role in the overall portfolio of the Port of Virginia, allowing for freight to move closer to our customers, and becoming economic engines for these regions. Daniel also overseas the Port of Virginia’s Sales Support team, which provides data and tools, to the 15 members of sales team worldwide. Daniel is a native of Hampton Roads, and resides in Virginia Beach with his wife and two children. 

Wednesday July 25 • General Session • Port Panel • VIEW PRESENTATION

Aaron Lieber is the Program Director for Trade Solutions Offering Management in IBM’s Industry Platforms business unit.  He is responsible for developing and bringing to market solutions that digitize and transform global supply chains, and he’s currently leading offering management for blockchain-based visibility and document management platform for containerized cargo in collaboration with Maersk.  Prior to joining IBM’s Blockchain Solutions team, Aaron has held a range of positions within IBM’s software and cloud business units, spanning engineering management, consulting, and software development, as well as leadership roles at venture-backed startups.

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • Innovation Session #2 • VIEW PRESENTATION

 Mr. Litrico is CEO for APCT, and is a member of the APH Executive Management Team. Mr. Litrico graduated from the State University of New York Maritime College in 1977, with Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Transportation Management, a commission as Ensign in U.S. Navy, a license as Third Mate Oceans Unlimited Tonnage, and a Master’s license for 1600 GRT Vessels.

Upon graduation, he sailed in various licensed deck officer positions, including Master, with American Export Lines and Interstate & Ocean Transport until 1983, when he moved to Tampa to join the shore staff of Maritrans as Port Captain. He held numerous professional, management and executive positions in Safety and Vessel Operations. Mr. Litrico became Vice President of Maritrans in 1990.

In 2004, he became President and Chief Operating Officer of TECO Transport, later selling the fleet to United Maritime Group. He became President and Chief Executive Officer for the United Maritime Group with management responsibility for three distinct operating fleets.

In 2010, Mr. Litrico retired from the United Maritime Group and formed Charlie Echo Group in Tampa Florida. He now works as a subject matter expert and consultant for Business Development, leadership training, risk management and litigation support.

 Wednesday July 25 • General Session • Innovation Session #1: Containerization on the Inland Waterway System • VIEW PRESENTATION

Jannine Miller is honored to serve as Senior Advisor for Rural Infrastructure to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. She leads comprehensive, data-driven analysis to optimize effectiveness of infrastructure-related policies, programs, regulations, and budgets. Her responsibilities at USDA include supporting rural prosperity, developing new infrastructure investment options, enhancing rural broadband connectivity, and evaluating efficient transport of agriculture commodities.

Prior to her service at USDA, Ms. Miller was Director of the Center of Innovation for Logistics, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, where she led
transportation infrastructure analysis to guide private-sector investment in the manufacturing, retail, and agriculture & food processing industries.

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • USDA Workshops Panel 

Senior Commercial Manager North Amercia, Global Trade Digitization Team, A.P. Moeller – Maersk, has been with Maersk since 2013 as a Key Client Manager.  Her 30+ years in the transportation industry has been with freight forwarders, as a Global Account Manager, selling supply chain solutions in both consolidation, air, and ocean.  During her tenure, she has served on the boards of the Regional CSCMP and North Carolina Trade Association boards.

A graduate of Indiana University and a native Hoosier, Annette and her husband reside in Greensboro NC. 

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • Innovation Session #2

Luis has over 15 years of experience in the areas of risk analysis; international marketing and international trade analysis, including the efficiency of food and product distribution systems; the design and implementation of export market programs; formation of strategic alliances; and the analysis of market entry strategies. He has extensive knowledge of the design of market studies and surveys, including data collection, market analysis, market intelligence in decision making, and economic modeling.

Luis has published has published over 100 articles in the field of international trade policy and risk analysis, and he has been principal investigator and co-principal investigator on over 50 funded research and extension projects totaling more than $27 million.

 Wednesday July 25 • General Session • USDA Workshops Panel • VIEW PRESENTATION

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • VIEW PRESENTATION

Thomas Sorel was appointed Director of the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) in August 2017 by Gov. Doug Burgum.

Sorel served as Minnesota Department of Transportation commissioner from 2008-2012, overseeing a workforce of 5,000 employees with a $4.3 billion annual budget and a $1.4 billion annual transportation program. Prior to that, he had a 30-year career with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, serving as administrator of its St. Paul Division from 2005 to 2008 and receiving a presidential honor for his leadership related to the I-35W bridge collapse response, recovery and rebuilding.

Sorel most recently served as chief operating officer of the Minnesota Trucking Association. He previously ran his own transportation consulting firm in Woodbury, Minn., and served as vice president of surface transportation for Serco North America, working on intelligent transportation systems and other areas.

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • State DoT Directors Panel

 Kirk T. Steudle began his career with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in 1987. A registered professional engineer, he rose through the ranks of the department to his current position. Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Steudle state transportation director on Jan. 1, 2011. He also served as state transportation director from 2006 to 2010.

Steudle oversees MDOT’s $4.7 billion annual budget and is responsible for the construction, maintenance and operation of nearly 10,000 miles of state highways and more than 4,000 state highway bridges. He also oversees administration of a wide range of multi-modal transportation programs statewide. MDOT currently has 2,500 employees.

Steudle was the 2014 chair of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee and has served on the TRB Executive Committee since 2004. He also chaired the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Oversight Committee for TRB. He was president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) from 2011 to 2012 and he has been a member of the AASHTO Board of Directors since 2006.

 Thursday July 26 • General Session • State DoT Directors Panel

Bruce Summers serves as the Administrator for the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.  The Agricultural Marketing Service provides the agriculture industry with valuable tools and services that help create marketing opportunities. As Administrator, Mr. Summers leads the Agency, including overseeing program areas that provide services such as the grading of meat, produce, dairy, and cotton; the USDA Market News service; research and promotion programs; commodity procurement; various grant programs; and the National Organic Program. 

Mr. Summers is a long-time employee of the Agricultural Marketing Service with more than 30 years of experience.

Mr. Summers has a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Maryland. He and his wife reside in Midland, Virginia.

 Wednesday July 25 • General Session 

With more than 30 years of federal government expertise, Mike Toohey serves as WCI’s President and CEO and joined the association in August 2011. Prior to joining WCI, he served as Consultant with The Livingston Group’s Transportation, Shipbuilding, Shipping and Ports practice area.  Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Ashland Inc., a global chemical, energy and construction company. During his 19 years with Ashland, Mr. Toohey served as the principle representative to the federal government and also supervised state government relations for this Fortune 500 corporation. His responsibilities also included leadership positions as the Chair of the American Chemistry Council’s Federal Legislative Roundtable and Chairman of the Board of the American Highway Users Alliance, and board positions with WCI, and the Danny Thompson Memorial Foundation.

President George H. W. Bush nominated Mr. Toohey as Assistant Secretary of Transportation, where he served from 1992 to 1993 following confirmation by the United States Senate. Mr. Toohey also served as Staff Director for the Republican Staff of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation, and the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries during his 14-year tenure with the U.S. House of Representatives.

 Wednesday July 25 • General Session • VIEW PRESENTATION

Mark Wilson previously served as Deputy Director and  has worked his way through the Port ranks. He was first hired 30 years ago as a high school student on the summer maintenance crew and has spent the majority of his tenure on the Port’s development activities.

Wilson has managed a number of projects significant to the Kalama community. His vision for the area includes attracting businesses that provide stable, family wage jobs, and the development of recreational areas to benefit the community as a whole. Wilson envisions the continuation of operating within a budget that does not require the collection of property taxes from those residing in the Port district.

Wednesday July 25 • General Session • Port Panel • VIEW PRESENTATION