Preliminary Agenda!
BALTIMORE
CONFERENCE AGENDA
SPRING 2025 – APRIL 9TH-11TH
WEDNESDAY APRIL 9TH
11:00am – NEARS TopGolf Extravaganza!
TopGolf, 1411 Warner Street, Baltimore MD
3:00pm – Conference Registration Opens
5:00pm – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
Sponsored By American Truck and Rail Audits, Inc
6:30pm – Dinner On Your Own in Fabulous Baltimore
7:00pm – NEARS Speakeasy Hospitality Lounge Opens
THURSDAY APRIL 10TH
7:00am – Breakfast Starts (Available until 08:15am)
7:30am – Conference Registration Re-Opens
8:00am – Welcome to NEARS, Safety Briefing, Housekeeping, Special Presentation
8:45am – How We Overcome Rail Challenges in 2025 and Beyond
Farrukh Bezar, Managing Partner, Littlejohn & Co.
Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
9:45am – Mutual Sustainable Prosperity in the Transportation Industry (FC)
Didi Caldwell, President & CEO, Global Location Strategies
Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
10:45am – Networking Break
11:00am – Interfacing with Rail Shippers – Union Pacific’s Shipping Tools – Customer Vision
Dan McLaughlin, AVP M&S Operations, Union Pacific (PP)
Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
NOON – NEARS Networking Lunch and Vendor Fair
1:30pm – The Chemical Supply Chain and the Modern-Day Challenges (PP)
Todd Tranausky, Logistics Procurement Manager, American Styrene
Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
2:30pm – Asset Intelligence and Transportation Digitalization (PP)
Kenneth Mannka, Executive Vice President of Operations, Nexxiot
Moderator: Dennis Wilmot, President, Iron Horse Logistics Group
3:30pm – Networking Break
3:45pm – The World Renowned Ever Popular and Highly Anticipated Tony and Jason Show (FC)
Tony Hatch, Principal, ABH Consulting
Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
Moderator: John Meyers, Director of Sales, DM Bowman Inc.
5:00pm – The Joseph & Eileen Gearin Networking Reception
Sponsored By American Truck and Rail Audits, Inc
6:30pm – Dinner On Your Own In Fabulous Baltimore
7:00pm – NEARS Speakeasy Hospitality Lounge Opens
FRIDAY APRIL 11TH
7:30am – Networking Breakfast Starts (Available Until 08:15)
8:00am – Opening/Announcements
8:15am – Great Things are Moving in Maryland! (FC)
Brian Hammock, VP State Government Affairs, CSX
Moderator: Jason Seidl, Managing Director Industrials, TD Cowen
9:15am – The Sweet and Not-So-Sweet Challenges of Rail Shipping (FC)
Peter O’Malley, VP Corporate Relations, American Sugar Refining, Inc.
Moderator: John Meyers, Director of Sales, DM Bowman Inc.
10:15am – The Nitty-Gritty of Rail Shipping (FC)
Kenneth Sanchez, President/CEO of Chesapeake Specialty Products
Moderator: Todd Hunter, Chief Marketing Officer, North Shore Railroad Company
11:00am – Closing Remarks and William J. Donovan Memorial Drawing
The Baltimore Orioles are playing the Toronto Blue Jays in a 3-game series Friday April 11th thru Sunday April 13th at the historic and beautiful Camden Yards, which is 0.7 miles from the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel. Please consider extending your stay over the weekend and enjoying the Inner Harbor and take in a baseball game after the NEARS conference. Also please consider bringing your family to our conference! We have a Friends and Family program that they will very much enjoy!
(FC) = Fireside Chat Format (PP) = Powerpoint Presentation Format
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In the past 6 months, I’ve used my NEARS connections to:
§ Do reference checks on a new TMS with folks who actually use the software
§ Find a location to stage railcars near a customer to reduce our lead times and better manage inventories
§ Facilitate a transload operation
§ Ask dozens of questions on railcar maintenance, repair, and design
§ Find a specialty provider for cleaning and refitting of tank cars
§ Collect estimated costs to support multiple logistics feasibility studies
§ Help me train my employees into new roles
§ Recruit new team members
§ Locate railcar capacity for short term logistical support
At the last conference, I met:
§ 4 of my Railroad Account Managers and their Directors
§ Director and VP level executives from multiple leasing companies
§ 2 Investment Analysts who provide insight into the transportation industry as a whole
§ 20 new peers (shippers who manage rail for their companies)
§ 2 Transportation Software providers, who provide services that I am in the market for
§ 2 government officials that act as consumer advocates or shipper resources
As a result of my attendance, I got:
§ Updates on the rail market place from all the speakers and contacts I made
§ Access to a full list of attendees to be able to network with them in the future
§ Access to the presentations of the speakers and permission to contact them regarding the content that I used in business presentations
There are many organizations to choose from, so why choose NEARS?
Our BOD represents all aspects of the shipping community. As we are a shippers organization, our bylaws restrict railroad employees from becoming officers.
Scott McCalla - NEARS Executive, Director
Carl Citelli - President in Memoriam
Mark Ritchey - Curry Rail Services, 1st Vice President (Acting President)
Rob Pisan - CIT Rail, 2nd Vice President
Dennis Wilmot - Iron Horse Logistics Services, Advisory Committee Chair
Mike Barbato - Retired, Board Member
Amanda Barber - NS Corp, Board Member
Don Cameron - STG Logistics, Board Member
Michael Clements - CSX, Board Member
Thomas Coleman - Shale Rail, Board Member
Jesse Fetters - Carboline, Board Member
Paul Grosche - AMTR, Board Member
Todd Hunter - North Shore Railroad Company & Affiliates, Board Member
Michael Koehler - UP, Board Member
Perry Martel - Vermont Rail System, Board Member
John Meyers - D.M. Bowman, Board Member
Stacy Ossenfort - Northeast Freight Transfer, Board Member
Roger Reynolds - Omya Inc, Board Member
Jason Seidl - TD Cowen, Board Member
2022 - 2023 Erica Breiterman
2020 – 2021 Dennis Wilmot
2018 - 2019 Jason Seidl
2016 - 2017 Don Cameron
2014 - 2015 John Meyers
2012 - 2013 Scott McCalla
2010 - 2011 Dana Burleigh
2008 - 2009 Tammy Baker-Silver
2006 - 2007 Gerald Racette
2004 - 2005 Diane El-Hakim
2002 - 2003 Michael Cella
2000 - 2001 Kathy Dalrymple
1998 - 1999 Paula Mehan
1996 - 1997 Michael Calabucci
1994 - 1995 Joe Gearin
1992 – 1993 Brenda Horne
1990 - 1991 Joe Gearin
1988 - 1989 Kenneth Enzor
1986 – 1987 Ruth Gale
1984 – 1985 Kenneth Enzor
1982 – 1983 Ken Bowers
1980 – 1981 Gene Bernard
2017 – Present Scott McCalla
· 2004 – 2016 Joe Gearin
· 1986 – 2003 William Donovan
· 1980 – 1985 John Morton