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Anthony Bedell
Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director of Becker & PoliakoffAnthony Bedell currently serves as Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director at Becker & Poliakoff. He advises his clients on how to a bipartisan and diverse approach to achieve successful public policy initiatives strategically and tactically with federal, state, and local governments.
Some notable clients include the Virginia Port Authority, the City of Virginia Beach, Norfolk International Airport Authority, Transurban, Hitachi USA, 3M, UPS, National Association of Waterfront Employers, NTT, Rekor Inc, and Railspire.
On May 1, 2017, he was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and Tribal Affairs by U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao. Secretary Chao then promoted Bedell to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs. The number two governmental affairs position in the Office of the Secretary on March 31, 2019.
His duties included acting as Secretary Chao’s liaison and surrogate to the U.S. Congress, executive branch departments and agencies, all 50 state Governors, state legislatures, state departments of transportation, regional transit authorities, ports, airports, mayors, county boards, city councils, tribal councils, and national trade associations such as AASHTO, APTA, National League of Cities, and the National Association of Counties. He also served as one of the Department’s appointed representatives on the Northeast Corridor Commission and NETT Council.
Bedell’s experience and unique understanding of the Executive Branch, Congress, States, Localities, and the business world have translated into successful results working on numerous public policy initiatives over the last 25 years.
Before joining U.S. DOT, Bedell was President of Red Five Strategies, a prominent government
relations firm, which he started in 2014.
He was also the former Director of Federal and State Government Affairs for a Fortune 500 software company. In that role, Bedell was responsible for the operation of the company’s Federal and State government relations programs, as well as contributing to the growth of several of the company’s software programs.
Bedell also has additional executive branch experience. In 2001, he was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao as Senior Legislative Officer for Congressional Affairs handling a variety of legislative matters for the U.S. Department of Labor. In 2003, he was appointed Associate Administrator for the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs by U.S. Small Business Administrator Hector V. Baretto, where he served as chief advisor to the Administrator.
Governor Robert F. McDonnell appointed Anthony Bedell to serve a four-year term on the Board of Visitors of Radford University. He was elected Rector of the Board of Visitors for the 2015 and 2016 academic year and led the successful Presidential Search Committee responsible for hiring the former President of Radford University (2016). He also served as the Chairman of the Governance, Athletics, and Administration Committee 2014-2015.
Bedell is a product of Virginia’s public-school systems, Bedell attended West Springfield High School (1986), and Virginia Commonwealth University (1996).
He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force (1990-1996)
Anthony currently resides in Ashburn, Virginia with his wife Kalia, and has four children.
Deputy Administrator Maritime Administration/MARAD Tamekia Flack
U.S. Department of TransportationTamekia Flack, a native Californian, spent many years in New Orleans, LA, graduating from Dillard University and earning her Juris Doctorate from Tulane University School of Law. She launched her federal government service as a member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps where she served in several capacities, including as a Special Assistant United States Attorney with the Eastern District of Virginia. Ms. Flack spent nearly16 years as a civilian attorney with the U.S. Coast Guard, ending her time with that agency as Senior Legislative Attorney. In December 2021, Ms. Flack was appointed Chief Counsel of the Maritime Administration (MARAD). In that role, she led a team of attorneys committed to supporting MARAD’s mission to foster, promote, and develop the maritime industry of the United States. On July 3, 2023, Ms. Flack was sworn in as Deputy Administrator of MARAD, where she is responsible for all matters not requiring the Administrator’s direct oversight.
As Chief Counsel, Ms. Flack led a team of attorneys committed to supporting MARAD’s mission to foster, promote, and develop the maritime industry of the United States. Her principal practice areas include admiralty law, government acquisitions and grants, and administrative law.
Prior to her appointment as MARAD’s Chief Counsel, Ms. Flack was a civilian attorney for the United States Coast Guard. During the latter part of her tenure there, Ms. Flack, as Senior Legislative Attorney, oversaw the development of the Coast Guard’s legislative agenda. She also co-founded and co-chaired the Judge Advocate General’s Leadership, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee.
Ms. Flack launched her federal government service as a member of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps providing legal assistance to soldiers and their dependents. She also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney with the Eastern District of Virginia. A graduate of Dillard University, Ms. Flack earned her Juris Doctorate from Tulane University School of Law.
Jeremy Harsin
Global Construction Market Director of CummingsJeremy has been at Cummins in the Off Highway Business for 15 years, holding various positions. His career path started in new product service engineering for Tier4 interim, followed by leading the customer care function for Tier4 final introduction, transitioning to product strategy & management for Stage V including program leadership for the 6B/L products, and eventually transitioning to the role of Global Construction Market Director. He has been in his current role since 2019. He is currently responsible for segment strategy development & execution, digital connectivity leadership for construction, global OEM collaboration.
Matt Hillyer
Director of Engineering at Taylor Machine WorksMatt Hillyer is the Director of Engineering for Taylor Machine Works, Inc.. Taylor is a Mississippi-based producer of heavy-duty forklifts and cargo handling equipment specializing in customized solutions for customers in a variety of industries. Matt directs all product development and research activities at Taylor and has enjoyed a 28-year career with the company.
Jack Jensen
Chairman at Jensen CompaniesJack Jensen is the Founder and CEO of Transportation Consultants Inc. Jack recognized the need for a New Orleans trucking and warehousing services company in 1983. Beginning with just one truck, TCI quickly rose over the next pair of decades to become the industry standard in logistical services. Today, TCI operates five US locations and three Central American offices dispatching over 200 trucks per day. Going forward, TCI plans to grow in the communities it has served while providing opportunity for its shareholders.
Jensen has over 40 years of experience in the transportation, logistics, supply, value-added, import/export, port development and trucking industries. He’s a graduate of Holy Cross High School and the University of New Orleans.
Katie Jensen
CEO of TritonKatie Jensen was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Minor in Entrepreneurship.
She and her family saw an opportunity to be a part of the rebuilding process of New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina, offering locals a trustworthy vendor with business roots that run deep in the community. As a result, Triton Stone Group opened in August of 2006 and is now an industry leader using stone and its ancillary products to create more beautiful gathering spaces for humanity by connecting the heart of the mountain with the heart of the most intimate gathering spaces of America. Katie’s drive and determination to build a company focused on doing what you love in the service of people who love what we do has resulted in cross-country success. Triton now has 26 showroom locations across 17 states in the Southeast and Midwest, 2 fabricator supply centers and 5 regional distribution centers.
Beyond being the CEO for Triton, Katie takes pride in being an active leader in her local community and a guiding voice in the stone industry. She serves on the Natural Stone Institute’s R.I.S.E Committee for the Gary Sinise Foundation, was named the 2020 Person of the Year for her commitment to the advancement of the stone industry, has been a Mentor in The Women in Stone Mentorship Program, was awarded the Pioneer Award for Women in Stone in 2022 for her contributions to promoting women and was most recently elected to serve as the 2023-2024 President of the Natural Stone Institute.
Coach Jay Ladner
Head Coach at The University of Southern MississippiFormer Southern Miss student-athlete and 1988 graduate Jay Ladner is entering his fifth season as the head men's basketball coach of his alma mater.
Ladner took his alma mater to the next level during the 2022-23 season, guiding the Golden Eagles to a Sun Belt regular season title and NIT berth. After a seven-win season in 2021-22, Ladner aided Southern Miss to 25 wins during his fourth year at the helm. It was the biggest turnaround in Division I basketball history. The Golden Eagles enjoyed a 15-0 mark at Reed Green Coliseum and had a sellout crowd against Louisiana on Feb. 9, 2023. It was the first sellout since Memphis in 2008.
Ladner was named the Joe Gottfried Sun Belt Coach of the Year and NABC District 23 Coach of the Year. He was a Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year finalist as well. He helped coach Austin Crowley, Felipe Haase and DeAndre Pinckney to All-Sun Belt honors, while Crowley was the Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year.
Under Ladner's leadership, Southeastern improved from nine wins his first year to win 12, 16 and 22 contests in succeeding years. It was the school's first 20-win season since reaching the 2005 NCAA Tournament and the third in its Division I era. The 2018-19 squad featured two First-Team, All-Southland performers in Marlain Veal and Moses Greenwood, just the third time in school history that two Lions earned that distinction. Overall, Ladner mentored eight All-Conference performers in his five years.
The famed NIT championship team defeated Ole Miss, Saint Louis, Vanderbilt, Nebraska and La Salle en route to the title in Madison Square Garden under legendary coach M.K. Turk.
Ladner's coaching credentials feature a 511-189 record in the high school ranks, from St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis to his alma mater, Oak Grove. He led St. Stanislaus to 10 state tournament appearances, including the 2011 title for which he was named the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Coach of the Year.
Ladner then took his talents to the collegiate ranks, spending the 2012-14 seasons as head coach at Jones County Junior College. The Bobcats were 17-8 in his first season, finishing second in the MACJC's South Division, and during the 2013-14 season became the first Mississippi junior college to win a national title. JCJC set a school record for wins at 28-5 and became the lowest-seeded school to win a NJCAA basketball title in any division, as well as the first school in tournament history to win five games in five days for the title.
The Hattiesburg native received his bachelor's degree in pre-medicine/biology, with a minor in chemistry, from Southern Miss in 1988. While at Southern Miss for his undergraduate degree, he played baseball in the '85 and '86 seasons, but played basketball from '84-'88, playing a part as a member of the NIT Champion team in '87. Upon graduation, he entered the pharmaceutical sales business, covering the Mississippi Gulf Coast out to Covington, La., before beginning his high-school coaching career at St. Stanislaus in 1992. He received his master's degree in educational administration from Southern Miss in 1999. Ladner graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1984.
Ladner has two children, Chelsea and Luke. Chelsea is an attorney in Jackson, Miss. and Luke currently plays basketball for Loyola in New Orleans.
Robert Murray
President at NAWE- Welcome from NAWE Chairman Tom Saunders and Report from NAWE President, Robert Murray
- Conversation on Leadership, Identifying Talent, and Bringing out the Best in Others with NAWE President, Rob Murray with Jay Ladner, Head Coach, Southern Miss Golden Eagles Basketball
Rob has served as the President of the National Association of Waterfront Employers and Executive Director of the National Maritime Safety Association since June of 2022. He has raised the profile of the marine terminal operating industry on Capitol Hill and with the Executive Branch while increasing the membership base of both organizations.
Rob spent 11 years on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Roger F. Wicker (R-MS), starting in January 2012 as Special Assistant to the Senator and Chief of Staff and Legislative Correspondence Manager, then Senior Legislative Assistant and finally Legislative Director from 2018-2022. In that capacity, he was the top policy advisor and political strategist for the Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, second ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senior Member of the Environment and Public Works and Rules Committees.
Rob was the lead policy strategist for Chairman Wicker during the consideration and passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the bipartisan infrastructure law that provided $1.2 trillion in spending to improve our nation’s roads, bridges, ports, and broadband infrastructure. Murray also developed and drafted what would become known as the RESTAURANTS Act that established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund at the Small Business Administration (SBA) which provided $26.8 billion dollars in COVID-relief to small, independent restaurants to prevent businesses from folding, saving 10s of millions of jobs.
He received a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and was a 4-year starter on the Men’s basketball team. Murray also has an MBA from Webster University in St. Louis, MO.
Rob and his wife Kristen live on Capitol Hill with their two children, Brooks (6) and Adaline (4).
Joaquin Mújica
Deputy Chief, Operations Division at US Army Corps of Engineers
Aaron Newtown
Vice President of Sales at Mi-Jack ProductsAaron is Vice President of Sales for Mi-Jack Products. Aaron has had a successful career in sales and business development. Aaron started as a Management Trainee at Tropical Shipping in 2000. Aaron then worked as an Intermodal Freight Transportation Analyst at SAIC before becoming a Business Development Manager. In 2007, he joined Navis as a Regional Sales Director. He has been with Mi-Jack since 2013.
Aaron Newton attended Culver Academies from 1992 to 1996. Aaron then went on to study at the United States Merchant Marine Academy from 1996 to 2000, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation. Aaron further pursued his education by enrolling in the University of Maryland from 2002 to 2004, where he obtained a Master's in Business Administration (M.B.A.) with a focus on Supply Chain and Logistics.
The Honorable Lucian Niemeyer
Building Cyber SecurityThe Honorable Lucian Niemeyer has served in the White House, the Pentagon, and in Congress providing budget, policy, and management leadership for U.S. national security programs. While at the Pentagon, he served as an Assistant Secretary of Defense responsible for the largest real estate portfolio in the world with over a trillion dollars in assets. He currently serves as the CEO of Building Cyber Security, a private sector, non-profit organization enhancing global safety through the development of cyber security protections for the built environment.
Stephen Peranich
Principal at Blank Rome Government Relations, LLCStephen Peranich is a proven leader, strategist, and problem-solver with a diverse background and substantial experience in politics and government service—bringing more than 20 years of experience working in the U.S. House of Representatives to Blank Rome Government Relations.
He provides strategic guidance to a broad spectrum of clients on advocacy, legislative issues, and crisis management matters. His primary areas of policy and regulatory expertise are: national security and defense, transportation and infrastructure, maritime, shipbuilding, shipping, offshore, and passenger vessel services.
Stephen served as chief of staff and primary adviser to the Office of Congressman Gene Taylor (D MS), where he worked on developing and implementing policy objectives, strategies, and operating plans for Congressman Taylor.
During his tenure in the House of Representatives, Stephen also served as the lead staff member assisting Congressman Taylor in his capacity as a member of the House Committee on Armed Services and Merchant Marine and Fisheries, the Coast Guard Caucus, the National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus, and the Shipbuilding Caucus.
Stephen received his masters in national security and strategic studies at the Naval War College.
Tuomas Saastamoinen
Senior Vice President at KonecranesTuomas Saastamoinen is the Senior Vice President at Konecranes. He has more than 30 years of experience in port industry covering global positions in engineering, project execution and sales. Mr. Saastamoinen holds a master’s degree in industrial energy technology.
Konecranes is the world's 39th largest crane builder. Close to one-third of its $3.5 billion in sales is generated in the U.S., where Konecranes has 2,600 employees, over 60 branches, and three crane manufacturing facilities in Texas, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Konecranes has delivered over 1,500 container handling cranes to U.S. terminals.
Tom Saunders
Director of Government Affairs at Ports America- Welcome from NAWE Chairman Tom Saunders and Report from NAWE President, Robert Murray
- Lunch, sponsored by Ports America and Fireside Chat on Leadership in the Maritime Supply Chain Industry
Ports America is one of the largest marine terminal operators and stevedores in the U.S., with operations in 70 locations and every major port in the country. Ports America handles all types of cargo, including container, bulk, breakbulk, auto/RoRo, military, and cruise. The company has been operating for over 100 years and hires more than 12,000 union workers annually to operate its ports.
Since January 2017, Mr. Tom Saunders has been the Director of Government Affairs for Ports America. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the company’s government relations program, including strategic business/commercial development initiatives.
Before accepting his role with Ports America, Mr. Saunders served as a policy advisor to the late Congressman Donald Payne, Sr. (NJ-10) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Homeland Security Committee. In his various roles on Capitol Hill, Mr. Saunders achieved favorable bipartisan policy outcomes through strategic partnerships, relationship building, and stakeholder outreach. His diverse experiences have resulted in an intimate understanding of the federal legislative and regulatory processes and deep industry knowledge.
Mr. Saunders is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a New Jersey native. He serves on various Boards, such as the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (2018-present), the National Association of Waterfront Employers (2018-present), The Propeller Club of the Port of Washington, DC (2019-present), and the New Jersey State Society (2015-present). His charitable affiliations include but are not limited to, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and the New Jersey Community Food Bank. In his precious spare time, Tom is an avid football and basketball fan and looks forward each summer to a trip to the Jersey Shore with family. He and his wife, Elizabeth, split their time between Stanardsville, Virginia and the Capitol Hill neighborhood of the District of Columbia.
Commissioner Max Vekich
Federal Maritime CommissionCommissioner Max Vekich was nominated by President Biden on June 24, 2021, and again on January 4, 2022, to a term expiring on June 30, 2026. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on February 10, 2022, and he was sworn into office on February 15, 2022. Commissioner Vekich was previously a longshoreman and union official with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. He served as a Member of the Labor Relations Committee for ILWU Local 52, as President of the ILWU Local 52, and on the International Executive Board.
Between 1983 and 1991, Commissioner Vekich served in the Washington State House of Representatives representing the 35th Legislative District. He also served as a Commissioner on the Washington State Maritime Bicentennial and the Governor’s Industry Safety Board.
Commissioner Vekich has earned numerous recognitions for his work, legislative, and community service. He earned his A.A. from Grays Harbor Community College and his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Puget Sound.
Jeff R. Vogel
Member at Cozen O'ConnorJeff focuses his practice on strategic and operational matters affecting the United States maritime industry and on government contracts across all industries. In the maritime space, Jeff routinely represents ocean carriers and maritime stakeholders in regulatory and financial matters before the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).
He provides counsel on a wide range of federal maritime programs, including the Maritime Security Program (MSP), Cargo Preference, Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program, Capital Construction Fund (CCF), Construction Reserve Fund (CRF), and Deepwater Ports licensing. He regularly advises vessel operators regarding regulatory and contractual issues arising under the Jones Act, Passenger Vessel Services Act, Dredging Statute, and American Fisheries Act (AFA), ensuring compliance with U.S. citizenship and vessel documentation requirements in complex financing transactions.
In his government contracts practice, Jeff represents clients in a range of industries, including aviation, defense, engineering, health care, information technology, maritime, security services, and translation services. He has successfully prosecuted and defended bid protests before defense and civilian agencies, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), state courts, and local appellate public contract tribunals. He routinely counsels businesses on compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), executive orders, Small Business Administration (SBA), statutory, and regulatory provisions incorporated into each federal contract. He also guides buyers and sellers through the M&A process by conducting due diligence to assess risk associated with the acquisition or sale of government contractors, negotiating appropriate protections, and obtaining mandatory government approval and contract novations.
Prior to joining the firm, Jeff worked at MARAD as the acting assistant chief counsel for Maritime Programs and lead attorney for Maritime Support Programs, where he led a team of attorneys overseeing all legal aspects of MARAD’s national security and financial programs. Jeff earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his law degree and Master of Arts in Marine Affairs and Policy from the University of Miami. He was also the first MARAD attorney ever selected to attend the United States Naval War College, where he earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.