28th Annual Freight and Logistics Symposium: Freight, Facilities, and the Future—Unpacking Innovative Land Use for Regional Growth

José Holguín-Veras is the William H. Hart Professor and the director of the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. According to Google Scholar, he is the world’s most published and cited researcher in freight transportation. He has led numerous NCHRP projects and guidebooks on freight and freight trip generation, freight mode choice, freight-efficient land uses, and urban freight management. He has also conducted dozens of research projects funded by the USDOT and National Science Foundation. His research has led to major changes in freight transportation policy and planning.

Benjamin Hart serves as the executive director of the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA). He was appointed by the UIPA board in September 2022. During his tenure at UIPA, Hart has prioritized economic optimization with port facility development, along with strong internal controls and transparency for the organization. Under his leadership, the port is focused on statewide and regional projects—and ensuring world-class global access for Utah businesses.

Dillon Fried is the mobility and curbside manager at the City of Minneapolis. He has worked in public-sector transportation management, including municipal and higher education settings, for more than two decades. In his current role, Fried leads the city’s SMART Grant project that is working to improve curbside management throughout the city.

Gina Baas is the deputy director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. Baas has more than 20 years of experience in convening stakeholder groups with multiple perspectives and in developing materials and information for use in the public sector. She leads projects to support stakeholder committees working on specific transportation topics and issues; to initiate process improvement and change management within agencies, including resources and training; to administer conferences and events; and to develop and maintain websites, electronic newsletters, and other communications products.

Kevin Beardsley is the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. His career spans more than 25 years of leadership in financial management, strategic planning, and public-sector operations. A catalyst for regional economic development and port modernization, Beardsley’s work has helped produce record tonnage totals at multiple cargo facilities throughout the Port of Duluth-Superior. Beardsley serves on numerous boards throughout the community, having earned a reputation for financial acumen, strategic vision, and collaborative leadership.

Eric Goodman is the managing director of business development and transload for CPKC Railway and is based in Kansas City, MO. Goodman has nearly 25 years of Class 1 railroad experience from front-line supervisory positions in operations to leading a team of professional railroaders across the US and Canada today. 

Kyle Shelton is the director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. In this role, he oversees all Center operations, research, education, and partnerships.  Shelton has led research and policy work in transportation, urban development, and housing. He is the author of Power Moves: Transportation, Politics, and Development in Houston (2017). His own research interests orbit around the intersections of the human, built, and natural environments. Shelton has written and spoken widely about transportation and development policy.