Volume 8, Edit ion 6 March, 2014

TLS N EWSLETTER : BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

President Brandon Little

V. President Ben Freedman

Treasurer James Flannagan

Secretary Lindsey Zuccala

Directors:

Marketing Valerie Seaman

Recruitment Eddy Nguyen

Social Steven Garcia

Philanthropy Ana Mendez

Assistant Directors:

Marketing Veronica Perez

Lisa Nguyen

Recruitment Maurice Johnson

Social Mike Summers

Newsletter Staff:

Editor Lacey Greene

Staff Kelly Pennington

TLS Meeting

www.unf.edu/groups/logistics

Thursday, March 6: TLS Social at Suite 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 8: Excel Workshop sponsored by CSCMP

Wednesday, March 12: T&L Flagship Executive Spotlight

Monday, March 17-22: Spring Break

Friday, March 28: T&L Flagship Tour, Big Sea Day

Friday, March 28-29: UNF Relay for Life

Saturday, April 5: Discover the Leader in You

Wednesday, April 9: TLS Meeting (42/1020) 9:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 24: 6th Annual T&L Flagship Spring Banquet

Upcoming Events

Organized by: Lacey Greene & Kelly Pennington TLSociety@unf.edu

TLS President’s Corner

Thanks to everyone who participated in

TLS activities during the busy month of

February. The Propeller Club Social was

well-attended, and the TLS Alumni

Panel gave students valuable advice

on how to build a successful career

path while in college. TLS partnered

with the Women in Business Society

during Homecoming for a second year

to challenge our athleticism in the

Swoop the Loop 5k run and test our

construction abilities in the Can Castle Competition. All items

collected for the Can Castle were donated to the UNF Lend a

Wing pantry to benefit students in need.

In lieu of a March meeting, TLS will host a “Suite Social” on

Thursday, March 6 at Suite Jacksonville 8–10 p.m. Mark your

calendar for the TLS Bingo Extravaganza and Elections on April

9, and the annual T&L Spring Awards Banquet on April 24.

A few “Little” words of advice, “Having multiple relevant work

experiences is one of the most important things companies

look for. If you haven’t had at least two, I recommend T&L

Career Day as a great way to find new opportunities.”

Thanks,

Brandon Little

Executive Board Spring 2014

By Lynn Brown, CTL

I have a degree in Transportation and Logistics. Now what?

One of the most common questions I hear from students in the program is what kind of job will I get with a degree in

Transportation and Logistics? The answer? “It depends.” What it depends upon is unique to each individual. There are many

different options depending on personal interests and experience.

Many students begin their careers as freight brokers, dispatchers or inside sales representatives. Others start out in

customer service roles or as account executives. Customer satisfaction is a major objective in logistics so people with

creative problem solving skills and the ability to stay cool under pressure are in great demand. It is an asset to be bilingual,

and excellent phone skills are a must.

For a more hands-on approach you may enjoy working in operations; in a warehouse, distribution center, rail yard or marine

terminal. It is a fast-paced environment where people of different ages, income, and education levels work together to

achieve company goals. It may be necessary to motivate workers, operate a forklift, unload a truck, or be part of a

management team that responds to a diverse set of challenges, measures performance, and reports results. Every day is

different and with many operations being 365/24/7, it can be very demanding as well.

If you like technology and computer systems the field of transportation, logistics, and supply chain is a great place to be.

Most companies use sophisticated Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS),

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, inventory management systems and supply chain management and

optimization systems (ILOG, CAST). The Sub-Systems Analysis class builds a strong foundation for the technology used in

most companies today.

The ability to analyze data and create meaningful reports in a timely manner is a highly prized skill in the industry. It is

strongly recommended that students become proficient in Excel or Access database to be competitive in the job market.

Analyst positions in pricing, logistics, supply chain, inventory and replenishment, demand planning, operations, quality

assurance, systems and transportation are just a few of the entry-level opportunities for people with analytical skill and

experience.

The field of transportation, logistics and supply chain offers many different opportunities that are attractive to different

people for different reasons, so it is important to complement academics with practical experience. A variety of internships

throughout college will enable students to find a good fit for future employment and develop a satisfying career path. If a

position does not fit your personality, skill-set or life-style, don’t be afraid to make a change. The best way to do this is to set

goals, cultivate a professional network, stay involved with professional organizations, and develop a strong skill set through

continuing education and certifications. Above all remember that employers value team players, a strong work ethic,

common sense and integrity. Although there is no degree that awards these personality traits, it is a surefire way to prove

oneself in the workplace every day.

Life After Graduation: Grant Walker, CTL

Page 2 Volume 8, Edit ion 6

Get to Know TLS Assistant Social Director: Mike Summers

Grant Walker graduated in August 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Transportation and Logistics. During his time at UNF Grant

was involved in TLS and served as the social director on the TLS board. While a member of TLS, Grant participated in facility

tours and Career Day. Grant said, “I think Career Day was one of the best learning experiences I had during my time at UNF.”

Career Day helped Grant obtain a summer internship at Cemex, a building materials distributor. He also gained experience

working part-time at Corporate Traffic, a third party logistics (3PL) provider.

Grant currently is a Branch Specialist for Gexpro in Tampa, FL. He has been with Gexpro for about 7 months and works 45 – 50

hours a week at the distribution center. His day-to-day duties include delivery route planning, shipping, confirming/billing orders,

and syncing VMI data. Grant was excited to share that his branch was named Gexpro’s most productive in the nation for 2013.

The Tampa team earned this recognition by increasing sales while at the same time decreasing operations expenses.

Grant offered a few words of wisdom for current students in the program. “You get out of it what you put into it. There are many

great opportunities to learn, lead, network, and be challenged. You can become a member just to write something on your

resume, or you can get involved and have specific situations to talk about during an interview. That is what recruiters are looking

for.”

March, 2014

www.unf.edu/groups/logistics TLSociety@unf.edu

By Lacey Greene

Mike Summers is from Tavares, FL. He plans to graduate this summer with a BBA in Transportation & Logistics and a minor in

International Business. Mike currently holds the position of Social Director in TLS. Mike joined TLS to meet other people in the T&L major

and to expand his networking and employment opportunities. He has taken advantage of unprecedented access to many local logistics

companies by attending facility tours offered every semester. When asked what he gained from being a member of TLS Mike responded,

“The opportunity to meet and network with other members and professionals in the industry. I was offered a summer internship with

Rexel Holdings USA through Career Day and last fall attended the IANA Expo in Houston with a group of TLS board members. I learned a

lot about logistics as a member of TLS and will continue to learn about this ever-evolving industry.” He will also travel to Austria and the

Czech Republic during spring break with Coggin. Mike was last employed with Stein Mart as a Supply Chain Intern where he worked with

transportation and accounts payable teams using Stein Mart’s Transportation Management System to ensure carrier invoices are correct

and paid on time. Outside of his very busy schedule Mike enjoys playing guitar, playing with his dog, going to the beach, and hanging out

with friends.

By Kelly Pennington

Every spring the Propeller Club of Jacksonville hosts a comprehensive tour of the Jacksonville Port Authority for

the UNF Student Port (UNF Transportation and Logistics Society). It has come to be known as “Big Sea Day” and

it is the most exciting tour of the year. Big Sea Day is an action packed behind the scenes view of the port never

seen by most people, unless of course you work at the port. Students will tour Talleyrand, TraPac and Blount

Island Terminals. We will watch as crane operators deftly load and unload containers at lightning speed followed

by lunch on a Horizon Lines ship. This year Big Sea Day will take place on Friday, March 28. To register email

TLSociety@unf.edu. Space is limited and transportation is provided. You won’t want to miss out on this unique

experience!

TLS on Tour: Big Sea Day At Jaxport

By Lacey Greene

Sponsored by The Propeller

Club of Jacksonville

Mark Your Calendar: 6th Annual T&L Spring Banquet

Students and their families, UNF T&L alumni, faculty and staff and friends from the professional community are invited to celebrate the

accomplishments and achievements of the academic year at the 6th Annual T&L Spring Banquet. This event will be held Thursday, April

24, 2014 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the UNF Adam Herbert University Center. The event is free for students in the UNF T&L Flagship

program but guests are suggested to donate $25.

TLS and T&L Impact Awards, Outstanding Logistics Graduate, and CTL Certificates will be presented. Graduating seniors, scholarship

winners and case competition teams will be recognized.

R.S.V.P. by April 15 to Lynn.Brown@unf.edu or (904) 620-1961. Business professional attire.

By Lynn Brown, CTL