June, 2007

Obituary

John C. Emery Jr., a major architect of expansion in the air freight industry who saw his bid for greater growth cut off by the even greater growth of the integrated package carriers, died in April at his home in Connecticut. Emery, who was 82, was chairman of the company that bore his name from 1969 to 1988. He worked for the company his father, John C. Emery Sr., for years before taking over what was called Emery Air Freight and turning it into the largest heavy freight airline in the United States. He changed the name to Emery Worldwide and, facing tight capacity as passenger airlines pulled down freighters following deregulation, created an airline operated more than 60 freighters from a Dayton, Ohio, hub. But facing heavy competition from Federal Express, Emery added a small package business by buying Purolator Courier for $323 million in 1987, a disastrous purchase that sent the company's finances spiraling downward. Emery's board replaced John Emery Jr. in December 1988 and sold the company a few months later to trucker Consolidated Freightways when the airline was rumored to be only days from liquidation.

David L. Siegfried, a longtime air express industry leader who was president of Burlington Air Express and TNT Express, died in February at his home in Little Rock, Ark. He was 57. A graduate of Brown University, he was a vice president at Airborne Express as well as president of Burlington, the carrier that later became known as BAX Global. He was president of Mail Contractors and was with TNT from 1995 to 1999. He was also president briefly of North American Aeroflot. He later left the air cargo industry to become president of Chemlawn Services.

Airlines

Lufthansa Cargo: The German airline named Thomas Eggert managing director of cargo counts. He was currently Lufthansa Cargo's regional director for Southeast Asia and Australia, based in Singapore. Eggert, 43, has been with the Lufthansa Group since 1988, and succeeds Georg Midunsky, who is retiring after 36 years with the Lufthansa Group.

Atlas Air: Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings named Gregory T. Guillaume vice president of financial planning and analysis at the parent of Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo. Guillaume, 43, had been vice president of finance and controller at ASTAR Air Cargo and earlier held financial management positions at US Airways.

Dragonair: The Hong Kong airline named May Lam-Kobayashi head of corporate communication. She had been manager for overseas corporate communications at Dragonair owner Cathay Pacific Airways. She is a former radio host and producer for stations in Hong Kong and Vancouver who joined Cathay in 1999.

Swiss WorldCargo: The freight division of Swiss International Airlines named Urs Stulz managing director for Europe, replacing Hans Nilsson, who left the company. Stulz has been cargo director for Switzerland and has been with the airline since 2002.

ABX Air: The all-cargo airline made several appointments to its management staff. ABX promoted Jim Taylor, a 28-year veteran of the company's ground department who started as a ramp worker, to senior director of day operations. Doug Rudy, who joined ABX in 1984 as a part-time sorter, was named night operations director of ramp and transportation. And the airline promoted Rex Gunning, a 27-year veteran of the company, to director of flight technical training and compliance. ABX also named Brian Schlise manager for the East region. Schlise has been with ABX Air since 1996. ABX also appointed 15-year in industry veteran John Millen manager of its Providence, R.I., regional hub. Millen started with UPS in 1992 as an unloader and was more recently a manager at Brinks Armored Car in New England and a manager for the Laidlaw Educational Services Transportation Department.

Thai Airways: Thai Cargo named Vorapravat Suebsaeng managing director for cargo and mail. He replaces Chanchai Singtoroj, who was promoted to executive vice president of human resource development.

Integrators

DHL: DHL Express named Ben Gordon operations and implementations manager of its express logistics centers in the United Arab Emirates. He will oversee sites in Dubai at the airport and the Jebel Ali free zone and at express centers in Abu Dhabi and Al Quoz.

UPS: The carrier named Vivian Chuah managing director for UPS Malaysia. A 20-year logistics industry veteran, she joined UPS in 2006.

Third Parties

Panalpina: The Swiss forwarder named Mario Kropf regional CEO for the Africa, Middle East and Central Asia division. Kropf has been with Panalpina since 1975 and has been managing director for Central Asia since 2001. He also has led Panalpina operations in Africa and India, including logistics for the Swiss Disaster Relief Corps and the Red Cross.

BAX Global: The subsidiary of DB Logistics promoted Bill Sawtell to vice president of IT infrastructure and service delivery. With the company for eight years, Sawtell had been director of network and integration services.

George Henderson: The United Kingdom-based firm, named logistics industry veteran Larry Woelk managing director of its Henderson International Recruitment unit. A Kansas native, Woelk has spent most of his career in Europe for companies including Airborne Express, LEP International, BAX Global and Menzies. He was president for Europe and Asia at Pinkerton Security.

Samuel Shapiro & Co.: The forwarder named David Harlow branch manager for its flagship office in Baltimore. Harlow has been in transportation for nine years, most recently as international sales executive at forwarder Phoenix International Freight.

Ground Handling

Skycooler: The recently established temperature controlled container leasing company named Philip Hill chief executive officer as of Oct. 1. He replaces interim CEO Graham Walters, who will resume his duties as sales director. Hill was a founder of Unitpool and was CEO of the global company.

Airports

Memphis: Tom Schmitt, president and chief executive of FedEx Supply Chain Solutions, was named chairman of the Memphis Regional Chamber business group and named head of the group's 15-member "aerotropolis committee." The panel is aimed at making the city's airport, the world's largest cargo airport for nearly two decades, a larger role in transport and logistics. With private and public funds, the group will pay consultant John Kasarda $5,000 a month for six to 12 months, according to local reports, to set growth plans for Memphis, which handled nearly 3.7 million tonnes of cargo in 2006.

Frankfurt-Hahn: The German airport, managed by Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport, named Udo Preisner head of marketing and sales, replacing Maria Muller, who moves to the management of the Rostock Laage Airport department. Preisner, 32, had been in Vienna as manager of controlling and finance at Fraport Ground Services. Trained in tourism business administration, he started in marketing at the Stuttgart airport.

Consultants

Airline Capital Associates: The New York-based firm appointed George W. Hamlin managing director. The 35-year aviation and aerospace veteran headed his own firm before coming to Airline Capital. He's also held senior positions with other consultancies, including MergeGlobal and Global Aviation Associates. He earlier held management positions at Airbus North America and Lockheed, and worked earlier at Continental Airlines predecessor Texas International Airlines and TWA.

Trucking

Sterling Transportation: The Los Angeles-based air freight trucker appointed Richard Garcia to regional manager for the Southeast at the expedited LTL carrier specializing in transport between California and Florida. Garcia had been vice president of sales and marketing at TransPro Logistics.

Forward Air: The air freight trucker named President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce A. Campbell chairman of the board, succeeding Richard W. Hanselman, who assumed the new position of lead independent director. Campbell served as director since 1993, president of the company since 1998, and CEO since 2003. At the same time, the board appointed Gary L. Paxton, president and CEO of the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, a non-management member of the board.

Education

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: The aviation education institution named Daytona Beach, Fla., Mayor Glenn Ritchey and Jeffrey Feasal, president and chief executive of Halifax Community Health System, to the board of trustees. Ritchey is also president and CEO of the Jon Hall Automotive Group.