Past Member Spotlights

Member Spotlight: Sean E. Mahoney

The Traffic Club of Philadelphia is thrilled to feature our November Member Spotlight: Sean E. Mahoney, Senior Director of Marketing at PhilaPort!

Sean is a 30-year TCP veteran who has witnessed and contributed to some of the most significant developments in the Philadelphia maritime industry. He serves as Senior Director of Marketing at PhilaPort - The Port of Philadelphia, an independent agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania responsible for the oversight, promotion and development of 19 publicly owned properties and 1,000 acres in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

A Career Rooted in Maritime Excellence

Sean began his maritime career in 1987, working in the ship agency business on the Delaware River. He credits those early years, servicing vessels from Albany, New York to Big Stone Anchorage in Delaware Bay, with providing a foundation of hands-on experience that continues to shape his leadership approach today.

Since joining PhilaPort, Sean has held several key positions and was appointed Director of Marketing in April 2000. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in advancing the port's visibility and competitiveness in the global maritime marketplace through strategic initiatives, industry outreach, and partnership development.

PhilaPort's Historic Success

Under Sean's marketing leadership, PhilaPort has achieved remarkable milestones. Most notably, PhilaPort has been ranked #1 most productive port in North America for two consecutive years, according to The World Bank's Container Port Performance Index. The port also achieved record cargo growth, solidifying Philadelphia's position as a premier gateway for international trade.

Sean has played a key role in several transformative projects, including the deepening of the Delaware River to 45 feet - enabling the port to handle the same size vessels as New York, up to 16,000 TEUs - and the development of the SouthPort Marine Terminal Complex.

A Game-Changing Land Acquisition

Perhaps most exciting is PhilaPort's recent land expansion. Over the past year, the port acquired 21 acres directly adjacent to Packer Avenue Marine Terminal, followed by a historic 152-acre acquisition. This land, made possible through the Shapiro administration, sits at a unique nexus of deep water access, proximity to I-95, and connectivity to three Class 1 railroads (CSX, Norfolk Southern, and CN).

"This type of land doesn't exist very often on the Eastern seaboard," Sean explained. "It's in the right place along the river where you can truly do intermodal moves with truck and rail. Having this land for the next couple hundred years positions us perfectly."

The acquisition opens new opportunities for PhilaPort to pursue discretionary cargo from the Ohio Valley and Chicago markets, representing significant growth potential for the region.

International Impact and the IKEA Story

Sean's work has taken him around the globe, representing Philadelphia's maritime community from South Africa to Chile, Germany to China. One particularly impactful trip was a trade mission to Australia with Pennsylvania's governor, which resulted in upgraded ship-to-shore cranes at Packer Avenue Marine Terminal and strengthened relationships with the Oceania trade market - a vital source of perishable products for the port.

A memorable TCP highlight came when PhilaPort nominated IKEA, one of their largest customers, for Company of the Year. The recognition brought a top IKEA executive from Switzerland - someone who had worked alongside the company's founder - to Philadelphia for a port tour. "We would never have gotten him in Philadelphia otherwise," Sean recalled. "As a result of the Traffic Club, we were able to showcase why a significant amount of IKEA freight moves through our port."

30 Years with TCP: The Power of Networking

When asked what has kept him engaged with TCP for three decades, Sean didn't hesitate: "Traffic Club and transportation logistics networking is all vital to our success. Pushing out our message of what's currently going on at the port and where we want to be in the future is important. You can't expect people to grow with you if they don't know you have plans and aspirations."

Sean emphasized the importance of venues like TCP for building the relationships that drive the industry forward. "It all brings it home for me because it shows you how important transportation, logistics, and freight movement is to everybody's lives."

Q: How would you describe TCP to someone that has never heard of us?

A: "It is the premier cargo transportation organization in the Greater Philadelphia region, and one of the more important such organizations in the USA. It is THE place to learn what is going on with the supply chain industry in the mid-Atlantic region."

Looking Ahead

Sean continues to be a leading advocate for new opportunities on the horizon, most notably the return of cruise operations to Philadelphia through the development of the new PhilaPort Cruise Terminal. With expanded land, deeper channels, and proximity to some of the richest consumer markets in the world - including the Bellwether District in Philadelphia, the Keystone Trade Center in Bucks County, and industrial growth in South Jersey and the Lehigh Valley - PhilaPort is positioned for unprecedented growth.

"We're sitting right in the middle of the richest consumer market in the world," Sean emphasized. "We're hoping that all these things have a positive effect on the local economy and obviously transportation."

Sean is a graduate of Mount Saint Mary's University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Business. He currently serves as Vice President of the Chilean American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia and is an active member of several international trade and logistics organizations.

We're grateful to have dedicated members like Sean who have been instrumental in both TCP's success and the growth of the Philadelphia maritime industry. Join us in celebrating his 30 years of membership and continued contributions!

Member Spotlight: Rian J. Nemeroff

The Traffic Club of Philadelphia is excited to present our September Member Spotlight, featuring a true pillar of our organization, Rian J. Nemeroff!

Rian is the Senior Vice President of Consumer Products, Marketing & Sales at Reading & Northern Railroad. He is a long-time member of the Traffic Club of Philadelphia, having served on the Board starting in 2002 and as Club Administrator from 2004 to 2014. We asked him to share some highlights from his remarkable career and his enduring relationship with the club.

Rian's Story

Rian's passion for logistics started early. He credits his major in Business Logistics at Penn State University for transforming him from a "mediocre student" into a Dean's List student. His first job was with the International Paper Company, which was headquartered in NYC at the time.

Today, his role at Reading & Northern Railroad focuses on generating revenue in forest products and adult beverages by expanding business with existing customers. He also works with connecting railroads to ensure competitive pricing to win new business.

Rian manages the Forest Products portfolio at RBMN, which benefited from an aggressive marketing program to encourage wood pulp producers to take greater advantage of R&N's Ransom Warehouse to stage safety stock closer to the Procter & Gamble tissue mill at the end of their line in Mehoopany, PA. R&N also saw growth in paperboard moving to the many box plants on the railroad as the need for corrugated material continues to grow.

Traffic diversity is one of R&N's strengths, and R&N also experienced carload and revenue success moving coal, plastic resins, metals, and food and ag commodities. The result of this diverse traffic base led R&N to have its most successful year moving freight despite the decline in frac sand.

Reading & Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving over 80 customers in nine eastern Pennsylvania counties. It has expanded its operations over the last 40 years and now transports nearly 35,000 carloads of freight (which removes over 200,000 trucks from the highway), while its Passenger Department welcomes nearly 340,000 riders annually. Reading & Northern operates its freight and steam- and diesel-powered passenger excursions over 400 miles of track, owns almost 2,000 freight cars, and employs over 350 dedicated people.

A key point from Rian is that you do not have to have a rail siding to do business with the railroads.

He welcomes communications to discuss customers' supply chains and find new opportunities for rail to be part of the solution.

Rian also shared a personal story that exemplifies the camaraderie and mentorship within the industry:

My Charlie Marshall story is... he's the person who taught me how to tie a bow tie. I always admired people who tied their own bow tie and I could never figure it out from the schematics. I reached out to Charlie when I was a Conrail employee, and he took me into the executive washroom and showed me how to do it.

Charlie Marshall was a former Conrail executive who later became General Counsel for Genesee and Wyoming.

Q & A Section

We asked Rian about his experience with TCP and the value of membership. Here are his responses:

Q: How would you describe TCP to someone that has never heard of us?

A: "Professional association focused on Transportation and related industries such as warehousing, consulting, trucking, freight forwarding, etc."

Q: What value have you gained from being a Member?

A: "great networking organization"

Rian's daughter has even benefited from TCP's community, having been a three-time recipient of scholarships, including the Tucker, Einhorn, and Yetman merit awards.

We're so grateful to have dedicated long-time members like Rian in our community. Join us in celebrating his accomplishments and continued contributions!

Member Spotlight: Jake Trachtenberg

The Traffic Club of Philadelphia is excited to launch our new Member Spotlight series, where we highlight the incredible individuals who are the heart of our organization. To kick things off, we're proud to introduce our very first featured member: Jake Trachtenberg!

Jake is an Account Manager at AC Logistics, an agency for Matson Logistics. He works in the 3pl Logistics Brokerage industry. He was introduced to the club by TCP Board Members Annemarie Haskins and Jonathan McCollough. We asked him to share more about his career, time with the club, and advice for the next generation of logistics professionals.

Q: What is your primary professional goal?

A: My primary goal as I expand in the supply chain industry is to partner with companies by bringing transportation solutions to improve their supply chain networks. I also aim to position those customers to be the first in their industries while assisting in the improvement of their carbon footprint by providing alternative fuel initiatives.

Q: Why did you choose to become a TCP member, and what value have you gained?

A: I became a member to surround myself with like-minded individuals, to continue my learning of the supply chain industry, and to expand my professional network. Since joining, I have gained immense knowledge, exposure to real-world insights, and increased engagement within the industry.

Q: How would you describe TCP to someone who has never heard of us?

A: TCP is a community of supply chain/transportation professionals, all looking to network with one another, to further make the supply chain operate on a high level.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote?

A: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky.

We're so grateful to have dedicated members like Jake in our community. Join us in celebrating his accomplishments!