The Freight Insider

In this episode of the Freight Insider, Page Siplon speaks with René Diaz, the President & CEO of The Diaz Group LLC. René shares how his mentors and role models shaped him into the business leader he is today and the importance of giving back to the community.

René Diaz has over 40 years of experience running the Diaz Group, LLC, as its President and CEO. The Diaz Group, LLC is the management company for Diaz Foods, Diaz Produce, Tortillas de Casa Manufacturing Co., EDUA Holdings, La Cena Fine Foods NJ, and International Imports, whose total combined revenues exceed $200M. He serves on several corporate boards including Ryder Systems Customer Advisory Board and Young Harris College, as well as community boards such as the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce, Emory University Center for Ethics, and the Georgia State University Robinson College Board.

René relates how his journey is influenced by freight and overcoming the supply chain challenges his businesses face today, including:

• Driver and labor shortages, and the importance of retention
• The number one enemy of freight and how to manage it
• Keeping customer service levels strong during supply chain challenges
• Equipment challenges and the key to keeping your trucks running
• Encouraging younger generations to pursue trucking and logistics as careers by changing the perception of professional driving

Connect with the Diaz Group:

Diaz Foods: https://www.diazfoods.com/

La Cena Fine Foods: https://www.lacenafinefoods.com/

Tortillas De Casa: http://www.tortillasdecasa.com/

In this episode of the Freight Insider, Page Siplon speaks with Christian Fischer, President & CEO of Georgia-Pacific. Christian relates how his time on a cargo vessel made freight come alive for him and what he learned on that journey that influences his perspective today.

As the leader of Georgia-Pacific, Christian oversees one of the world’s largest consumer and forest products companies, based in Atlanta, Georgia, with nearly 30,000 employees.

Christian shares the focus of the Georgia-Pacific, including:

· The role of business in society, which for Georgia-Pacific means improving the lives of their customers through products and services that are highly valued, while consuming fewer resources

· How embracing perpetual transformation allows Georgia-Pacific to adapt to the changing world and to serve customers and partners with better alternatives

· How partnering with providers in transportation and logistics offers mutual benefits as well as various avenues to respond to customer needs

In this episode of the Freight Insider, Page Siplon speaks with Rick Blasgen, former President and CEO of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). Rick shares how his experiences in distribution and logistics led him to his work for the betterment of the industry and the careers of its professionals.

Starting his career with Nabisco, Rick worked his way to vice president of supply chain and continued working in supply chain and logistics for Kraft and ConAgra Foods. Rick’s expertise in furthering supply chain management programs and initiatives led him to become president and chief executive officer of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), where he retired last year. Rick was designated by the US Department of Commerce to serve as the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness (ACSCC) to provide counsel on issues that affect the supply chain sector. Rick currently serves on this committee and continues to offer solutions to industry concerns.

Rick shares his journey in freight and supply chain and the challenges facing the industry today:

• How to attract younger people to the industry as a destination career
• Methods to embrace technology to strengthen efficiencies
• The role the CSCMP serves in advancing logistics and supply chain and the careers of the professionals in this industry
• How the ACSCC serves to improve the supply chain competitiveness of the U.S. on the global stage

Connect with Rick:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-blasgen-9a9aaa1/

Connect with CSCMP:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cscmp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSCMPorg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cscmp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cscmporg/

Website: https://cscmp.org/

More on ACSCC:

https://www.trade.gov/advisory-committee-supply-chain-competitiveness

In this episode of the Freight Insider, Page Siplon speaks with Frank Hurst, President of Roadrunner. Frank shares how his fascination with logistics and the movement of goods led him to fall in love with freight.

Today, Frank serves as President of Roadrunner, a position he has held since 2017. In this role, Frank led the transformation of the company’s unique service offering in the national LTL market. With Frank at the helm, Roadrunner has transformed into an award-winning, service-first LTL freight carrier, specializing in long-haul, metro-to-metro shipping.

Frank shares how Roadrunner has transformed into a company focused on service to its customers and drivers, including:

• How new leadership, investors, and technologies transformed the company’s operations
• How Roadrunner focuses on their drivers from comprehensive onboarding to ongoing support
• The impact of Roadrunner’s Veterans and Women in trucking initiatives
• Roadrunner’s method to empower entrepreneurs and ensure the success of their independent contractor drivers
• How Roadrunner engages with driver priorities and offers support, like in the Trucker Final Mile program

Connect with Roadrunner:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/roadrunner-freight/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Roadrunnerltl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runforroadrunner/

Website: https://www.shiproadrunnerfreight.com/

In this episode of the Freight Insider, Page Siplon speaks with Craig Camuso, the Regional Vice President, State Government Relations of CSX Transportation. Craig shares his freight journey and how his start in the textile industry led him to a career in railroad.

In his role at CSX Transportation, Craig oversees government relations and public affairs activities in a seven-state region. The CSX network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. Overall, the CSX Transportation network encompasses about 20,000 route miles of track in 23 states, the District of Columbia, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It also links more than 230 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike.

Craig shares how CSX Transportation plays a critical role in the nation’s economic expansion, including:

• How inland ports serve as major growth points for both rail freight and ports while relieving stress on roads and bridges

• How CSX Transportation invests in its infrastructure as a privately owned company, and how legislation influences the investment for publicly owned roads and infrastructure

• How rail freight leads to the industrial development of small towns while moving a large variety of goods and commodities

• What new technologies are playing a key role in the future of rail freight