Logistics Management Podcast

Sizing up current freight railroad and intermodal market conditions with Tony Hatch

GUEST: Tony Hatch, principal, at ABH Consulting In this podcast, LM Group News Editor Jeff Berman interviewed Tony Hatch, principal, at New York-based ABH Consulting on various topics, including: freight railroad and intermodal volumes and service, rates and pricing, and the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, among others.  A nationally-known freight railroad and intermodal expert, Hatch also examined the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the freight railroad and intermodal sectors, railroad policy issues, and service and operations, among other topics. Tony Hatch has nearly three decades of experience in the freight railroad and transportation sectors, primarily as an analyst. As principal of New York-based ABH Consulting, Hatch has been focused on the freight transportation segment, particularly surface transportation. And he is well-known for his knowledge of the intermodal area, where the various modes of freight transport converge, on which he has held several dozen specialized conferences. Prior to launching ABH Consulting, Hatch was an analyst for Salomon brothers; proceeding to Argus, Painewebber, and most recently at NatWest Markets (USA) prior to starting his independent analyst/consultancy in 1999.

Freight railroad, intermodal, and logistics update with Paul Tonsager, CEO IMS Advisory

GUEST: Paul Tonsager, CEO IMS Advisory Topics covered in this podcast included: the current status of the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger and what it could mean for shippers; the current state of rail carload intermodal service and volumes; how intermodal can gain market share from trucking, at a time when energy prices continue to rise, due to the Iran conflict; Amazon's ongoing and emerging freight transportation and logistics presence; tariffs and trade; the impact of AI on logistics operations and where things could be going; cargo theft and fraud; the fate of USMCA; and the Federal Reserve's most recent rate pause.  Paul Tonsager is the CEO and Founder of Integrated Multi-Modal Solutions, LLC, where he advises companies and investors on building more efficient, resilient, and data-driven supply chains across global transportation networks. With more than 30 years of experience, Paul has held senior leadership roles at CN, Maersk, and Coyote Logistics. He served as Head of Procurement at Maersk, leading global sourcing and logistics strategy, and as Vice President of Intermodal at Coyote, where he focused on integrating rail and truck networks to improve service and performance. Earlier in his career, he led international expansion initiatives for CN, building and scaling logistics operations across Asia, and later led a major restructuring of its global logistics business. Today, Paul works at the intersection of operations, technology, and capital—advising startups, private equity, and corporate leaders on logistics innovation, AI-driven decision-making, and how to translate technology into real operational performance.

NRF's Gold examines the state of the retail supply chain

GUEST: Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation (NRF). Topics covered in this podcast included: tariffs and tariff refunds; NRF's Port Tracker report with Hackett Associates; the 2026 Peak Season; economic indicators; and how retail supply chain stakeholders are using AI, among others.  Jonathan Gold is vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. In this role, Gold is a primary spokesperson and is responsible for representing the retail industry before Congress and the administration on supply chain, international trade, product safety and customs-related issues impacting the retail industry. While with NRF, he has been a leading advocate of the value of trade and global value chains to the U.S. economy.  Prior to joining NRF, Gold served as a policy analyst in the Office of Policy and Planning for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He joined CBP in May 2006 and was responsible for providing policy guidance on issues surrounding maritime cargo security and trade-related matters. Gold also worked on implementation issues surrounding the SAFE Port Act and other issues within the agency including CBP intelligence reform, pandemic flu and trade facilitation.   Before joining CBP, Gold spent nearly a decade with the Retail Industry Leaders Association holding several government relations positions including director and then vice president of international trade policy before being named vice president of global supply chain policy in January 2005.   Gold has served on several government advisory committees including the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, the Department of Homeland Security’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) and on the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Advisory Committee on Distribution Services.   Gold graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in international business with a concentration in finance.

Sizing up the freight transportation and logistics M&A market with Ben Gordon

GUEST: Ben Gordon, founder and managing partner of Palm Beach, Florida-based Cambridge Capital, and managing partner of Ben Gordon Strategic Advisors. Topics covered included: the current state of freight transportation and logistics M&A; key trends and themes in the dealmaking space; how things like AI, and e-commerce and last-mile logistics are impacting the market; and a look at what may be in store down the road, among others.  Gordon has led his firm’s efforts in advising on more than $1 billion worth of transactions. Over the years, he has worked with and advised various household names in transportation and logistics, including: UPS, DHL, Echo Global Logistics, and a whole host of others, too.  He draws on a career spent investing in, advising and building supply chain and technology companies. At BGSA Holdings, Benjamin led the firm’s efforts, advising on over $1 billion worth of supply chain transactions. Benjamin has worked with firms such as UPS, DHL, Kuehne & Nagel, Agility Logistics, NFI Logistics, GENCO, Nations Express, Raytrans, Echo Global, Dixie, Wilpak, and others.

FTR's Vise provides detailed overview of the trucking market

GUEST: Avery Vise, Vice President of Trucking, at FTR. Topics covered in this podcast included: the state of the freight economy; the impact of the Iran conflict on trucking; rates and pricing; and the capacity outlook, among others.  Avery Vise is vice president of trucking for FTR Transportation Intelligence, a forecasting and data analysis firm specializing in freight transportation. He has closely studied the transportation industry for nearly 35 years as an editor, analyst, and researcher, including more than 20 years dedicated to the trucking industry. Avery Vise served as executive director of trucking research and analysis for Randall-Reilly from 2011 to 2013 after a decade as the chief editor of that company’s Commercial Carrier Journal. Before joining FTR in 2017, he held several positions related to the trucking industry including manager of public relations for Volvo Trucks North America and principal of his own transportation consulting and market research practice. Before beginning his involvement in trucking in 1998, he covered the commercial aviation industry for 13 years as a reporter in Washington, D.C.