2024 Highlights

Cheryl Fee

Trainer

Dr. Ferenc Pasztor

Head of Ports and Specialised Shipping Research

Drewry

Dr. Ferenc Pasztor is Head of Ports and Specialised Shipping Research at Drewry with more than 13 years' experience in academic research and shipping. Ferenc oversees research and related business development in the areas of ports & terminals, shipping containers, breakbulk and reefer shipping, manning and ship operating costs. Prior to his current role, he worked in market research and consulting at Maritime Strategies International, focussing on offshore wind, oil & gas and other, niche sectors.

Drewry is a leading international provider of research and consulting services to the maritime and shipping industry. From its origins in 1970 London to a 21st century maritime and shipping consultancy, Drewry has established itself as one of the most widely used and respected sources of impartial market insight, industry analysis and advice. Offering a unique combination of sector knowledge, rich market insight and commercial awareness, Drewry is able to consistently deliver the performance and competitive advantage its clients seek. 


 

Taylor Dickerson

Vice President of Project Management

Kirby Corporation

Lars Schoennemann

Managing Director

BBC Chartering Singapore Pte Ltd

Lars Schoennemann began his journey with BBC Chartering when joining APC, the joint venture between BBC and Clipper, in Singapore in 2004. In 2006, Lars relocated to the BBC head office in Leer, where he took on a position as Chartering Manager. In 2011, he moved back to Singapore, assuming the role of the Managing Director of BBC Chartering Singapore, which had emerged from the APC joint venture in 2009.

Karsten Behrens

Managing Director

SAL Engineering GmbH

Dipl.-Ing. Karsten Behrens, managing director of SAL Engineering, the engineering entity within the Harren-group, a family-run shipowner group being specialized in heavy lift transport, maritime engineering and ship management.

With a background in the development of lifting appliances and over 17 years of experience in managing heavy lift and offshore installation projects, Behrens works at the interface between sales, development and realization in close cooperation with vessel crews, operators, clients and business partners.

Kristin Homsi

Manager of Supply Chain, Manufacturing & Technology

Bechtel Corporation

Kristin Homsi is the Manager of Supply Chain for Bechtel’s Manufacturing & Technology (M&T) division. In this role, she is responsible for all subcontracts and supply chain activities for M&T’s semiconductor, electric vehicle (EV) value chain, and data center customers. 
 
Kristin initially joined Bechtel procurement 20 years ago as a university graduate, then held roles of increasing responsibility within the multiple functions including Procurement, Six Sigma, Proposals, and Corporate Strategy. 

Kristin earned a bachelor’s in project management from Stephen F. Austin State University and a master’s in business administration (MBA) from Baylor University.  
 

Marco Poisler

Adjunct Professor, University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering

COO – Global Energy & Capital Projects, UTC Overseas, Inc.

Marco Poisler, a key figure in global logistics, serves on UTC's Global Executive Management Team and Board of Directors. Born in Jersey City, he studied economics at Georgetown University and earned a Master's in Transportation from SUNY Maritime. Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, with working knowledge of Ukrainian, Mr. Poisler has been instrumental in establishing strategic Global Energy & Capital Project offices worldwide.

As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston's Cullen Engineering Supply Chain & Logistics Technology Program, Marco teaches "Project Logistics" developed by Margaret Kidd. He is currently pursuing an Executive Doctorate in Business Administration at UH Bauer, focusing on the intersection of AI and logistics under the guidance of Dr. Meng Li, founder of the Human-Centered AI Institute. This cutting-edge research complements his extensive industry experience, bridging theoretical advancements with practical applications in global supply chains.

Mr. Poisler’s community involvement includes serving on the Houston Maritime Education Center board and various trade associations. He co-authored the textbook "Project Logistics: The Universal Transportation Course."

With a strong background in economics, transportation, global logistics, and insights into emerging technologies, Mr. Poisler continues to make significant contributions to UTC Overseas and the industry. His leadership, combined with his commitment to education, innovative research, and community involvement, positions him as a key figure in shaping the future of global transportation and logistics.

Gretchen Sheirr

President of Business Operations

Houston Rockets

John Amos

President

Amos Logistics

Miller Wells

International Maritime Manager/Carbon Market Specialist

Global Factor

Miller Wells is the International Maritime Manager and Carbon Market Specialist at Global Factor. Using his background in international business, he has moved into the carbon market with a particular focus on the decarbonization of the maritime sector. He specializes in the EU and UK ETS, analyzing the latest legislation, market trends, and price evolution.

 

Suresh Vasan

Senior Investment Advisor

Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office (LPO)

Suresh Vasan has held various roles in capital advisory and principal investing in his 25+ year career. He is currently a Senior Investment Advisor at the Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office (LPO). His role is to accelerate the deployment of billions of dollars to spur private sector investments across low/zero carbon energy assets across the US. 

Prior to the DOE LPO, he was a Partner at Energy Power Partners (EPP), a middle market renewable energy fund, responsible for general investment management, business development, capital solutions, and a member of the investment committee. At the direction of the managing partners and the IC, he led the sale of funds to NextEra for $1.2BN yielding significant return outcomes for its LPs. Prior to EPP, he spent ~3 years as Managing Director at Lazard focused on capital advisory for the energy and infrastructure sector. Suresh also spent ~12 years at GE Energy Financial Services, the energy principal investing arm of GE Capital, responsible for origination, risk management and board representation. 

In his career as a principal investor, Suresh successfully originated, underwrote and closed several billion dollars of transactions with simultaneous sell downs to investor groups across the energy and infrastructure value chain, including Power & Renewables, Fleet Electrification and Oil & Gas Infrastructure. He has global exposure, having worked overseas for ~ 9 years in London, the Hague, and Dubai. Suresh started his career at Enron, holding junior level positions in energy trading and principal investing.

Suresh received his Bachelors in Business Administration from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, with a focus on finance and a concentration on electrical engineering. He resides in Houston and is married with three children.
    
 

Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum

Martha Castex-Tatum, a dynamic community advocate, won the May 5, 2018, special election, to fill the unexpired term of the late Council Member Larry Green for District K, which stretches across southwest Houston into Fort Bend County. Breaking barriers, Martha started her public service journey as the first African American female on the San Marcos, TX city council, earning the role of Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem.

A native of District K, Martha entered her first full four-year term in January 2020, and was unanimously elected as the City of Houston's Vice Mayor Pro-Tem by Mayor Sylvester Turner and her Council peers. In January 2024, Martha was appointed Mayor Pro-Tem by Mayor John Whitmire. Martha's dedication extends nationally, where she serves on the National League of Cities’ Transportation and Infrastructure Services Committee, recently appointed as Vice Chair, and is a member of the National League of Cities 2024 Presidential Election Task Force.

As the Immediate Past President of the Texas Municipal League, Martha oversees services for 1,150 member cities, reflecting her unwavering passion for public service. Martha is a Leadership Houston Class XXXVI graduate, a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a member of the Missouri City Chapter of Links, Inc. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas State University.

Beyond her impressive professional journey, Martha is the proud mother of one son, Jacob Paul Tatum. Her desire is to restore faith in government and foster a stronger, connected community at local, state and national levels.

She aims to restore faith in government and foster a stronger, connected community at local, state, and national levels.

Luke Mace

Senior Vice President

GEODIS Project Logistics

Luke has been with GEODIS for over 14 years, spending the last seven years in his current capacity of Global Senior Vice President for Project Logistics. Starting his logistics career in his home country of Australia more than 25 years ago, Luke then moved to Singapore where he joined GEODIS and took the role of Director for South-East Asia.

After five years in the region, including serving as the Managing Director of GEODIS Indonesia, Luke and his wife moved to Houston in 2014 where he is still based today. Luke has a comprehensive understanding of the industry and is passionate about exploring different cultures and systems and their connection to logistics.

In his role as SVP, Luke leads a team of more than 600 full time staff, located in 36 countries. He is also a member of the GEODIS Freight Forwarding Board
 

Richard Seeg

President

Intermarine Carriers

Richard Seeg is the President of Intermarine Americas, LLC. He has worked in the international transportation industry for 30 years, focusing on the project, breakbulk and heavylift shipping.
 
Richard started his career in Vietnam working for trading and forwarding companies in the mid-90’s, and then joined Intermarine’s New Orleans office in 1998. In 2001, he moved to Seoul, South Korea, to develop Intermarine’s chartering and sales activities in Asia.  Relocating to Shanghai, China in 2004, Richard expanded Intermarine’s Asian presence to include several offices and a fleet of vessels trading within and out of Asia, India and the Arabian Gulf.
 
Richard returned to New Orleans in 2010 to oversee Intermarine’s North Coast South America and Caribbean line. Subsequently, he took over the entirety of Intermarine’s activities in the Americas. 
 
Mr. Seeg earned an MBA from the AB Freeman School of Business at Tulane University. Prior to earning his MBA, he served as an officer in the US NAVY for four years onboard a forward deployed vessel based in Asia.
 
Intermarine Americas, LLC as agent for Intermarine Carriers, LLC, is a leading provider of reliable liner services for the transport of project, breakbulk and heavylift cargo in the Americas. With offices in Houston, New Orleans, Sao Paulo, Bogota and Caracas, and a wide network of agency offices throughout the region, Intermarine operates vessels worldwide and provides regular sailings between Houston and the Caribbean, East Coast South America, and West Coast South America.
Since early 2024, Intermarine is a member of the JSI Alliance with Jumbo Maritime and SAL Heavy Lift, specialized in heavy lift and breakbulk cargo.
For more information, please visit www.intermarine.com



 

Juliana Gibbons

Vice President

Swire Shipping

Juliana Gibbons is Vice President Commercial North America at Swire Projects - the heavy lift and project cargo division of Swire Shipping.  With over 20 years of global experience in breakbulk, heavy lift, and project logistics, she leads business development efforts, delivering customized shipping solutions through Swire's fleet of multipurpose vessels.

Prior to joining Swire, Juliana served as Vice President Projects at Rohde & Liesenfeld, where she oversaw multimillion-dollar projects across various industries. She is recognized for her expertise in business development, market analysis and building strategic partnerships. 
 

Cyril Varghese

Global Logistics Director

Fluor

Based in Houston, Cyril Varghese leads Fluor Corporation’s global logistics function. He is a qualified Naval Architect from the Cochin University of Science and Technology and holds an MBA from the Management Development Institute of India. Prior to joining Fluor, Cyril worked in leading international freight forwarding companies, focusing on industrial project logistics for the oil and gas, mining and metals, petrochemicals and power industries.

Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR) is building a better world by applying world-class expertise to solve its clients’ greatest challenges. Fluor’s nearly 34,000 employees provide professional and technical solutions that deliver safe, well-executed, capital-efficient projects to clients around the world. Fluor had revenue of $15.5 billion in 2023 and is ranked 265 among the Fortune 500 companies. With headquarters in Irving, Texas, Fluor has provided engineering, procurement and construction services for more than a century.
 

Dr. Gulshan Singh

Adjunct Professor, University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering

Global Procurement Data Analytics Manager, Huntsman Corporation

Dr. Gulshan Singh has 17 years of experience in the field of engineering, technology and data. Born in India, he earned master’s from Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur and doctorate from Wright State University Dayton Ohio. His experience includes working in USA, Germany & India and managing international diverse teams (USA, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, China, Costa Rica & India). He is fluent in English, Hindi and Punjabi, with a working knowledge of German.

His top 3 projects are (1) used Natural Language Processing to update maintenance policy and saved $8.7M in maintenance cost, (2) used Electronics lifetime prediction to reduce failures and saved $9M (3) Developed & deployed a health monitoring system, saved $10+M and generated additional $1M/month revenue. Currently he leads an international team of data professionals and is responsible for developing & deploying artificial intelligence, data science/analytics/visualization solutions in the Procurement Function at Huntsman. 

Dr Singh has 2 patents, 3 patent applications and 25 publications. In addition, he teaches, as an adjunct professor, Quality System and Data Applications in Supply Chain courses at Cullen College of Engineering, University of Houston. 
 

Thomas Skellingsted

President

4D Supply Chain Consulting

Thomas Skellingsted joined 4D Supply Chain Consulting in 2021. He is President of the company and based out of London, UK and Houston, Texas, USA. 

He has a proven track record of both theoretical and practical experience. He gained a degree in Strategy Management from IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland, and a degree in Management Execution. 

Thomas Skellingsted has more than 30 years of experience within transport and logistics—starting in the transport industry as a freight forwarder trainee in 1988 in Denmark and since then holding various management roles. 
 

Leslie Schilsky

Chartering Primary

Bechtel Global Logistics

Leslie Schilsky is a Chartering Specialist at Bechtel. In her role she supports projects in the procurement of ocean freight services for oversized and heavy-lift cargo where she leads the bidding process, negotiates with carriers, finalizes contracts and supports the execution process. 

Leslie began her slow pivot into the maritime industry after a five-year career in management consulting. In 2020, she began graduate school in the pursuit of understanding how supply chains can become sustainable. With some light prodding from her father, she became more interested in the maritime industry and eventually focused her studies on maritime decarbonization. While in graduate school, Leslie worked part time at Skyline America, gaining experience in warehousing, trucking, and breakbulk shipping. 

Leslie holds two Bachelors of Arts degrees from Rice University in Economics and Policy Studies and a Master of Science in Environmental Policy at the University of Denver. 

 

Jordan Bowen

Logistics Specialist

Fluor

Jordan is currently logistics lead on LNG projects through Fluor’s Energy Solutions business line. In 2+ years with Fluor, he has also supported domestic projects in Advanced Technologies and MPG lines as well.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, Jordan began his career in transportation and supply chain planning. His experience in planning, strategy, and execution helped prepare him to move into project logistics and pivot to international logistics management.

Jordan holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.