METRANS Transportation Center joined California State University, Long Beach’s College of Continuing and Professional Education and Center for International Trade and Transportation co-hosted the 2016 CITT State of the Trade and Transportation Industry Town Hall Meeting, Partners in Innovation, on Wednesday March 30, 2016 at the CSULB Gerald Daniel Recital Hall.

The event began with a reception, followed by a town hall-style meeting. The main purpose of the event was to discuss how new supply chain partnerships are changing the way we move goods and to provide a space for participants to learn about innovative best practices arising from collaboration and cooperation in supply chain management.

Thomas O'Brien, Executive Director of CITT and Associate Director of METRANS CSULB Programs, Jeet Joshee, Dean of CSULB’s College of Continuing and Professional Education (CCPE), and Congressman Alan Lowenthal (D- Long Beach) provided opening remarks to a large audience of students and professionals who attended the event. This was followed by a tribute to Domenick Miretti, a founding member of the METRANS Advisory Board, who passed away earlier this year.

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor of the Journal of Commerce, then provided an introduction, discussing the question, “What drives the need for innovation and better coordination along the supply chain?” He went on to moderate a roundtable discussion with panelists Tracy Burdine, Director of Client Services, Yusen Terminals, Michael Christensen, Senior Executive Lead, Supply Chain Optimization, Port of Long Beach, Fred Johring, President, Golden State Express/Logistics, Steve Miller, Chief Procurement Officer, P.F. Chang's, and Paul Trani, President, ILWU Local 63, Marine Clerks Association.

The roundtable was opened for a question-and-answer session with the audience. Genevieve Giuliano, Director of the METRANS Transportation Center, summarized the discussion and ended the session.

Denh Chu, a student at East Los Angeles College, pursuing her Associate’s Degree in Technology and Logistics, was especially excited about the event because it was her first time attending a panel.

She notes, “Each leader on the panel represented different areas within the supply chain. They recognized that although each person had different perspectives, they all agreed that cargo turn-time efficiency would benefit everyone involved in the industry.”

Dynah Hok, a California State Long Beach student pursuing her GLS Professional Designation and interested in pursuing a career in supply chain management logistics, shares, “METRANS events help to expose me to other aspects and visions that I would have not have access to otherwise. The people I meet here are very inspiring and motivate me to create and work towards my goals.”

Arpita Sharma

Arpita Sharma is a dual Master of Public Policy and Master of Planning Candidate at the USC Price School. She is interested in issues of health inequities, sustainable land use development and active transportation.  She expects to complete her degrees in May 2017. She can be reached at arpitasharma.net or at [email protected].