It is time to announce the 2022 nomination slate for CLDA’s Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, as the governing body of CLDA, represents the membership and is entrusted with the authority to establish policy for the governance of the Association. Board policy establishes the parameters and guidelines for Board members, committees, management, staff as well as the general membership.
There will be 14 elected Board members, plus the Immediate Past President, whose terms run for two years. Voting will now take place electronically with the winning candidates subsequently announced to the membership. This change to the nomination policy in the CLDA Bylaws was updated and approved by the Governance Committee and Board in a recent Board meeting. Per CLDA Bylaws, mail-in votes will not be accepted. Voting is by company, not by individual and each Carrier Member company is entitled to one vote.
There are six positions open on the Board of Directors. Bios of the candidates running to fill these positions are listed below which includes a mix of new nominees and current Board members running for reelection. Please cast your vote by Wednesday, February 16 at 11:59 PM ET.
Arelis Bonilla, Founder & CEO, Aria Logistics
Arelis Bonilla is the President and CEO at Aria Logistics. She is responsible for all US operations, sales, and back-office operations. Prior to Aria Logistics, Arelis has over 12 years of experience in sales and distribution. She joined a distribution company that benefited retired veterans before coming up with the idea of Aria Logistics. In addition, Arelis has extensive background in the financial sector for leading companies including Bloomberg L.P. and Thomson Reuters servicing their prime accounts such as Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch. In 2013 Arelis purchased her first truck working as a carrier for Macy’s furniture. By 2015, she had a fleet of 13 trucks running.
Today, her company manages over 100 trucks, 150 teams, and is rapidly expanding across the US. Arelis is active in the “Women in Trucking” organization, which is a networking group that supports women in the logistics, operations and driving business. She is also on the board of directors for several different organizations within the Logistics Industry and a regular supporter of St Jude’s & Breast Cancer fundraising initiatives.
Randy Edmonds, Managing Partner, Epitome Logistics
Randy Edmonds is an entrepreneur in transportation with over 35 years of industry experience. He started in 1983 in a family-owned courier service in Cleveland, Ohio dispatching for his father. Since then, he has managed all aspects of strategic planning, operations, customer relations, and administration throughout his career within the courier industry. In 1997 Randy became a part of Corporate Transit of America. As Executive Vice President and Equity Partner, he helped guide and grow the company into a regional courier provider with operations in 15 states and over $70 million dollars in revenue. In 2016 Randy and a few partners co-founded Nfinity Courier and Logistics, in just over 5 years Nfinity has grown to currently have operations in eight states and $15 million dollars in revenue.
In 2018, Randy was elected to the CLDA Board of Directors. He currently serves on several CLDA Committees including Final Mile Forum & Expo (FMF), Scholarship, Disaster Relief, Member Benefits, and is Chair of the Shipper Committee. Randy currently lives in the Houston, TX area with his wife Unna. They enjoy traveling, long walks, watching football together, golfing, and are wine enthusiasts. Randy has three wonderful grown children.
Thomas Jowers, Owner & COO, ADL Delivery
Thomas Jowers has been part the industry since 1992 so pushing 30 years of experience. In 2008, he assisted with the reactivation of the Florida Messenger Association and served in-kind as President of the Association for three years, in addition to being the Annual Meeting Chair responsible for planning the Annual Meeting for seven years following its reactivation. In 2010, he joined the CLDA and in 2012 was elected to the Board of Directors. He has served on multiple Committees over the years, including but not limited to, Final Mile Forum & Expo (FMF), Member Benefits and Membership. Currently he is in his fourth year serving as FMF Committee Chair, also currently serving as Co-Vendor Chair, CLDA Cares Committee Chair, and the CLDA Scholarship Fund Chair. He is very happy and pleased to continue to serve at the CLDA memberships behest.
Kelly Picard, CEO, Hackbarth Delivery Service
Kelly Picard has been in the delivery business since 1994. In her current role as CEO of Hackbarth Delivery Service, she is responsible for strategy, leadership, growth, and management of the company. She has held a variety of leadership positions, including VP of Sales & COO, in addition to working in all facets of the operations, from driver to dispatcher to terminal manager. In her time with Hackbarth Kelly has helped orchestrate the evolution of the firm from an employee-based bank courier to that of a last mile, routed distribution, and dedicated line haul carrier, growing the business from 4 locations to 40.
Kelly has been active in the CLDA for many years and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2014. She received her MBA from The Ohio State University with a concentration in leadership and a BA in International Politics and Spanish from Louisiana State University (LSU). In addition to industry organizations, Kelly is involved in local charitable and community activities. She and her husband Larry Picard have six children and live in Mobile, AL.
G. Eddie Pillow, President, Pillow Logistics
Mr. G. Eddie Pillow holds an MBA from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Hampton University. Mr. Pillow spent more than 15 years in sales and marketing roles with Sanofi Aventis, Eli Lilly & Company and GE Capital on the West Coast prior to accepting the position of President for Pillow Logistics. Mr. Pillow has served as a member of Rotary International, the Indianapolis Chamber, Board member of WFYI, Board member of Child Advocates, a “Big” with Big Brothers of Central Indiana and Committee member on the Mid States Minority, Minority Input Council.
In October 2019, Mr. Pillow was named President of Pillow Express Logistics. Under his leadership, Pillow Express has grown from 30 couriers and 15 employees to over 150 couriers and 50 employees in two States. Prior to his promotion as President, Mr. Pillow oversaw Sales and Strategic Planning for Pillow Express. Pillow Express has had a long history with the CLDA with its founder Mr. George Pillow Jr. being an active board member of the then MCAA in the mid-1990s.
Brian Surber, Chief Operations Officer, Priority Dispatch
Brian Surber is a leader in the last mile space having been employed and actively involved with the Customized Logistics and Delivery Association (CLDA), previously the MCAA, for ~18 years. Ten of those years have been proudly representing Priority Dispatch, Inc. – one of the founding companies of the association. During this time, Brian has contributed to the CLDA as a Committee Member, Panelist, Presenter and Moderator. Not to mention being published numerous times in miscellaneous trade publications supporting the last mile space. It is with humility and unwavering commitment he seeks to give back further to the organization that has given him so much by becoming a CLDA Board Member.
Charles Wolfe, Managing Partner, Blaze Logistics LLC
Charles Wolfe grew up in the transportation industry. His career started while still in high school when he worked summers for his father’s delivery service. In 1981, he joined the company full time. Over the years he has had the opportunity to work in every area of the business from warehouse operations and dispatch to sales and administration. In 2008, along with his brother Paul, Charles formed Blaze Logistics, LLC and purchased the old company from his family.
Today, Blaze Express Courier Service serves Southern Louisiana and the Gulf Coast for several industries, including the medical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as several third-party logistics companies. Blaze Express Courier (with the former company) was a charter member of the CLDA. Charles has supported the CLDA with its efforts of maintaining the integrity of the Independent Contractor business model. In addition to visiting with his state Senator to help defeat harmful legislation affecting worker classification, he is also a regular at the CLDA Lobby Day events to help support this cause.
