01-12-16 thru 01-14-16 MARS 2016 Winter Meeting

Midwest Association of Rail Shippers presents:

2016 Winter Meeting

What’s Next for Shippers, Railroads,
and the Supply Chain?

JANUARY 12-14, 2016

Event Overview:
Changing economic and regulatory factors are causing rail shippers to look ahead to 2016 with both excitement and some trepidation. This mixed outlook will be the focus for the 246th meeting of the Midwest Association of Rail Shippers (MARS) on January 13–14, 2016 at The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center.

Note: The conference will start with a get acquainted reception at 5:00 PM on January 12th.

Event details, agenda and registration can be found online here.

“This is a not-to-miss meeting,” said MARS President George Macko. “It looks like 2016 may be a pivot point for transportation capacity as regulatory issues, the economy, and labor supply have the potential to create significant market challenges for all who ship products.”

The agenda for the MARS Winter Meeting is specifically designed to educate attendees and help them plan for the future. The meeting will:

• Present an in-depth review of the impact new rail regulations will have on shipping capacity—both challenges and opportunities;
• Offer a broader view of regulatory impact on capacity not only for rail, but also for trucking and the supply chain in general; and
• Provide updates on the North American economy, Wall Street activities, railcar supply, and car shop capacity.

There will be panel discussions dealing with changes in rail and trucking regulations from the viewpoint of shippers, carriers, legal counsel, and regulatory agencies. This includes representatives from both the American Association of Railroads (AAR) and American Trucking Associations (ATA) discussing preparations for the changes coming in 2016 and beyond.

In addition to the AAR and ATA, top officials from the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB), Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), and National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) will be talking about issues that could significantly impact rail shipping capacity and service.

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Some of the highlighted speakers (in order of appearance) include:

• Lance Fritz, Chairman, President and CEO, Union Pacific Railroad
• Edward R. Hamberger, President and CEO, AAR
• Pat Thomas, Chairman, ATA
• Pat Ottensmeyer, President, Kansas City Southern Railway
• Tom Sanderson, CEO, Transplace
• Rick Blasgen, President and CEO, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)
• Matthew Rose, Executive Chairman, BNSF Railway
• Daniel Elliott III, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board

In addition to the programs and presentations, the Winter Meeting will once again include a full range of educational breakout sessions such as “Railroad 101”, “Railroad 201”, “Intermodal 101”, and “Railcar Fleet Management”. New courses in 2016 are “Transloading 101” and “Industrial Plant Safety Through Design and Training”. There is no charge for these seminars and it is not necessary to attend the conference to attend the seminar, so please invite anyone you feel may benefit from this subject matter.

Location:
The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center
70 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard, IL 60148  Google Map

Agenda can be found here: MARS_AGENDA_WINTER MEETING_2016.

Please check if you are registering through CSCMP Chicago.

The current registration fee is $245, for the entire program, including breakfasts, conference, luncheon, and receptions; a great value for this content and quality of conference. No refunds after December 28, 2015

The hotel has allocated a block of rooms available from January 11th through January 14th at a preferred rate of $137, single or double, including internet access. There is a three day cancellation clause in our contract. You can reserve your room on line at the MARS website or by visiting StarwoodMeeting.com. Cutoff date for the preferred rate is December 28, 2015.

CSCMP Event Contact: Rodney J. Goulet, Email: rgoulet@cscmpchicago.org