Cameron Roberts was featured in the Center for International Trade and Transportation recap on their 20-year history. Full article can be viewed below.
CITT’s 20-year history is rooted in its partnerships with the trade and transportation industry—not only in developing curriculum, but also in supporting students at all levels of their career, and ensuring the development of the next generation of the workforce. CITT has used this inclusive approach to launch various training and education programs, starting with the Global Logistics Specialist (GLS) program.
Since its inception in 1997, the GLS program has connected industry segments in the supply chain and earned an award-winning reputation in the process. By recruiting instructors who are leaders in their field and passionate about the subjects they teach, the GLS program puts current industry leaders in front of the students they will inspire to take on future leadership positions.
The Legal Issues and Risk Management courses “gave students practical, real-world understanding of logistics issues,” said Cameron Roberts, GLS instructor and Managing Partner at Roberts and Kehagiaras LLP. He added that his experience teaching in the GLS program, as well as supporting scholarships in his role as former President of the Harbor Transportation Club (HTC), gave him credibility as an industry expert. Roberts started his career when he was still a student at CSULB, joining the Foreign Trade Association (FTA) at a career fair on campus. Through his commitment and investment in the industry, he went on to become the current President of the Foreign Trade Association.
Following in Roberts’ footsteps, GLS alumnus Kim Hassing-Allan is the current president of the HTC, and draws upon her student experience—including having Roberts as an instructor—in her current position as Director of Operations at Green Fleet Systems. She remembers Roberts’ course on Legal Aspects of the Supply Chain to be the most challenging, but rewarding as well.
“The GLS program helped me understand more pieces of the supply chain, and aided in my understanding of what various partners do to meet the end need,” said Hassing-Allan. “It made it easier for me to identify with vendors and customers, as to what their specific need was, versus what my piece of the puzzle provided.”
Like Roberts, GLS instructor Steve Finley is also passionate about bringing the next generation to the supply chain industry. Being in the industry for so long has given him an awareness of the need to develop new leaders in logistics. As former President of the Los Angeles Transportation Club (LATC), and current Agency Owner of Re-Transportation, Inc., he was instrumental in supporting the establishment of LATC’s endowment with the University, providing scholarships to students in CITT-related programs.
The Harbor Association of Industry and Commerce (HAIC) has also been a longtime contributor to scholarships for high school and college students in the harbor area. By partnering with CITT and taking advantage of its existing programs, the organization is able to expand its ability to support students in Long Beach. HAIC is currently in the process of establishing its own endowment for CITT students.
Over the last 20 years, several other organizations have provided scholarship support to CITT students including the Port of Long Beach, the Container & Intermodal Institute, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), and Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS).
CITT continues to build its reputation as a highly relevant and respected educational provider, as well as an active partner in the industry. The organization is grateful for the incredible relationships it has developed over the years with industry partners, who are mutually invested the success of CITT’s students.
Original article was posted on March 14, 2017 and can be viewed at ccpe.csulb.edu
