The NCLTL’s Annual Conference 2024 is officially in the books. This three-day event connected hundreds of warehousing and distribution professionals at the Hilton Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Cargo Integrated Logistics is a proud sponsor of the North Carolina League of Transportation and Logistic Events, with many of our professionals in attendance from June 6 through 8. It was an honor to attend each exciting presentation and connect with other thought leaders in the warehousing and distribution industry.
We learned a great deal from NCLTL 2024. Today, we’re looking forward to integrating our knowledge in more practical, customer-centric applications.
If you are a business owner or operator who was unable to attend this year’s events, we have decided to share the highlights with you below.
Experiencing the NCLTL Annual Conference
The Annual NCLTL Conference connects the best and brightest in the North Carolina warehousing and distribution industry. With its first-ever meeting in 1929, the organization continues to bring value to the Greater Charlotte area via annual meetings, lobbying education, and transportation scholarships for members of the trade.
Vice President Mark Andrews at Cargo Integrated Logistics Warehousing is proud to serve as The NCLTL’s Co-Executive Director. “It’s my goal to develop a meaningful event where professionals can share stories, absorb information, and build meaningful connections,” he said.
Mark and the NCLTL board packed this three-day event with meaningful speakers, panel discussions, and key events. The ultimate goal was to inform working professionals and further the cause of the warehousing and distribution professional.
Annual Conference Speakers
This year’s annual conference began with a bang. On Thursday, attendees visited the welcoming reception to network with peers and set the tone for the conference. Individuals received generous gift bags from sponsors and enjoyed live music in the Plantation hall.
Friday kicked off multiple speaking engagements with some of the best and brightest in the warehouse distribution industry. They included:
- Tom Albrecht, Chief Revenue Officer at Reliance Partners, who provided a detailed analysis of the Trucking State of the Union. By presenting quantitative evidence regarding consumers, capacity, and supply and demand, Albrecht reminded listeners that ‘chaos is normal’ and the climb back to equilibrium could be both abrupt and fast.
- Barbara Melvin, President and Chief Executive Officer for SC Ports, presented on Strategic Priorities and Performance Metrics. There are exciting developments in the future for SC Ports, including a large expansion of port capacity. Considering the Southeast region will continue to grow at 2x the US port market, SC Ports will substantially impact logistics professionals in North Carolina.
Attendees had positive things to say about both of these speaker’s presentations. Many expressed gratitude for the candid conversations and expressed further interest in returning for next year’s events.
“I am forever grateful to attend, learn, and network with those a part of the NCLTL. It is humbling and inspiring to see the networking and lifelong relationships that are built at these events. Every meeting I have attended I have learned something new as well as made new connections and friendships.”
Anonymous Attendee
Panel on Warehouse Distribution: Industry Trends and Insights
With individual presentations concluded for the day, the topic of the hour shifted towards “The March Back to Equilibrium and Beyond.” This was a question-and-answer discussion moderated by Tom Albrecht and facilitated by outstanding panel members:
- Joe Castain, Director of Logistics at Honeywell (Americas)
- Kevin Dyer, Senior Director of Logistics & Transportation at National Gypsum Corp
- Lauren Foley, Mid-Atlantic Sales Manager at Ports of Virginia
- Marina Ivanov, Co-Founder at Apex Transit & Logistics
- Mark Andrews, Vice President at Cargo Integrated Logistics Warehousing
The panel discussed numerous key challenges facing the industry, including how they affect the 3PL warehouse, freight management companies, and just in time manufacturing. Several provided insights based on their specific areas of expertise and encouraged industry professionals to ‘prepare to thrive.’
After the Panel: Key Events
Speakers and panelists are a core part of the annual conference, but they are by no means the only draw.
One of the most popular events is the annual NCLTL golf outing. Approximately 60 golfers visited the green this year to network with peers in a laid back, relaxed setting. Several participants received rewards for their performance, including:
- 1st Place: Chase Baldwin, Drew Walker, Russ Barbee, Stevie Cannady
- 2nd Place: Jim Badovinac, Thom Albrecht, Kevin Perry, Nick Brock
- 3rd Place: Ryan Owens, Rick Owens, Mike Gebhard, Michael Moore
- 4th Place: Mark French, Mike Wise, Rodney Brockwell, Tracy King
- 5th Place: Phillip Jacobs, Mack Leonard, Fred Piercy
Next in line was the dinner banquet, which concluded with the awarding of the Bill H. Teague Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Tom Turner of Atlanta-Pacific Express (retired). Several individuals shared heartfelt stories of Tom, including Ms. Irene Brotherton and Mr. Tom Clark of the “Tom & Tom Show.”
Saturday morning left room for an additional speaker: Joe Andruzzi, former NFL player at The New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, and Cleveland Browns. Mr. Andruzzi encouraged attendees to ‘pay it forward,’ both in their personal lives and professional callings. Many attendees felt moved by the speech, saying it was a meaningful capstone at the end of the event.
“Thanks for having us at the conference. The speakers were very informative, and it was nice reconnecting with some folks I hadn’t talked to in a number of years, as well as connecting with some new people in the industry. I definitely look forward to attending this conference again in the coming years.”
Anonymous Attendee
Looking Forward to the NCLTL Annual Conference 2025
With the 96th conference in the rearview mirror, Cargo Integrated Logistics looks forward to sponsoring the 97th annual conference. The dates are set for June 5th, 6th, and 7th of 2025, and will again be held at the Hilton Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Special thanks to the conference sponsors who make these annual meetings possible, including the NC Trucking Association, the Port of Virginia, T-Mobile for Business, and many more. As a sponsor in close partnership with the NCLTL, Cargo Integrated Logistics looks forward to the opportunities to come.
If you are interested in learning more about the NCLTL Annual Conference, you may contact Kevin Perry, Co-Executive Director, at 704-858-0860 (or email info@ncltl.org). If you would like to learn more about Cargo Integrated Logistics, as well as our solutions for warehouse distribution in the Greater Charlotte Area, you may contact us at 828-469-2401.
