IFPTA Board of DirectorsALAN BOG, PRESIDENT Commercial Director Asia, Euroports
Since 2008 Alan has been based in China, responsible for the commercial development for Euroports’ facility in Changshu, the major hub for imported pulp, and their inland distribution centers. Euroports is one of the leading port terminal operators, currently operating facilities all over Europe and in China and particularly specialized in the pulp and paper sector. Alan has been a member of the IFPTA since 1987 and served on the Board of Directors from 2003-2009. In 2009, he was appointed Asia Regional Director and served in that position until 2015 when he was appointed IFPTA Vice President. In 2017, Alan was appointed as President of the Association. EINAR DIDRIKSEN, VICE PRESIDENT Executive Vice President & COO, Saga Welco AS
Einar holds a college degree in transportation economics. He joined IFPTA in 1997 and served on the Board of Directors from 2009-2017. In 2017, Einar was appointed Vice President of the Association. TOM MUTZ, SECRETARY/TREASURER Vice President, Global Business Development, PENN Warehousing & Distribution
After leaving Airborne, Tom worked for a few other global freight forwarders such as BAX Global, Exel, and then once again working directly for Mitsui & Co. Ltd., before joining PENN Warehousing & Distribution, Inc. in 2009. He has been a member of IFPTA since 2010 and was appointed Secretary/Treasurer in 2017. Born and raised in New York City and Long Island, Tom openly suggests his greatest accomplishments are his marriage to his wife Kathy for 37 years, and their three children. He is a graduate of West Virginia University with degrees in Biology and Business Administration. TARGE BOCK Supply Chain Manager - EMEA, Fibria International Trading GmbH
Targe left Kühne + Nagel in 2008 as Global Project Manager to join the European headquarters of Votorantim Celulose e Papel as European Logistics Manager based in Switzerland. In 2009, VCP merged with Aracruz to form Fibria. In 2010, Targe was promoted to Logistics Manager, EMEA for Fibria. He has had many successes during his time with Fibria including setting up five new terminal operations to reduce overall supply chain cost, taking measures to improve supply chain performance, and managing overall cost reductions for three consecutive years. In 2013, Targe moved with the company to the new headquarters in Lustenau, Austria and became Supply Chain Manager, EMEA. In April 2017, he took on added responsibility to become Supply Chain Manager of EMEA & APAC. Targe holds a degree in Business Administration and an Executive MBA for Logistics Management. He joined IFPTA in 2009 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2017. Robert B. DavidsonGeneral Manager, North America, Eldorado Brasil
Leaving for a new opportunity with CellMark led to more experience with pulp from Sweden, Finland and Brazil. In 1996 Bob founded his own firm, Atlantic Cellulose, specializing in import and sales of softwood pulp from Sweden and eucalyptus pulp from Brazil, holding the exclusive sales agency for VCP (Votorantim Celulose e Papel) until its merger with Aracruz in 2009. Following a short stay with ITOCHU, managing pulp sales of Brazil’s CENIBRA to North America, Bob joined Eldorado Brasil in April of 2012 as General Manager, North America — a position he holds today. Bob has a BA in Marketing and served as a pilot in the US Air Force prior to finding a home in the pulp business. HORST KAUPKE Manager, Marketing & Sales, BLG Cargo Logistics GmbH
In 1996, Horst began his tenure with BLG Cargo Logistics GmbH (owner and operator of the Port Neustädter Hafen, Bremen) as Manager Marketing & Sales for Forest Products. In this position he maintains intensive continuous contact and co-operation with forest product suppliers and affiliated service providers and is involved with every aspect of the supply chain — from producer to final receiver. Horst joined IFPTA in 1997 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2015. LAURIE KRAVSKI Transportation Manager, Marine Services, West Fraser Timber Company
Previously, Laurie held the position of General Manager, Eurocan Sales for 5 years. Prior to 2004, she held various sales positions in the Pulp and Paper divisions of West Fraser. Laurie's career in the Forestry and Transportation industry has spanned over 23 years. She received a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia in 1990 specializing in Transportation and Logistics. Laurie joined IFPTA in 2007 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2013. ANA PAULA TRILHO Diretora, APT Group
An internationally experienced strategist with a strong strategic vision of the different global scenarios pertaining to cargo handling, Ana started a consultancy company in 2018 (APT Group) with a focus on representing foreign logistics companies in Brazil and international logistics consultancy for the pulp and paper industry. Ana was responsible for organizing IFPTA’s seminar in São Paulo that was attended by 200 participants from 16 different countries, and she has been Director of IFPTA since 2007. Ana is a speaker and moderator at many international events in the area of forest product logistics. A native of Rio de Janeiro, she holds an Executive MBA from Coppead and an undergraduate degree in International Relations. RHODA VOTH General Manager, North America, Saga Welco AS
When Saga Welco moved its headquarters from Atlanta to Norway, Rhoda opened their regional office in Savannah, serving as Commercial Manager. In this role she worked to develop and manage contracts of carriage for various commodities including pulp, newsprint, lumber, kaolin clay and wood pellets, originating from North America and going to various worldwide markets. Prior to working in shipping, Rhoda was on faculty at Mercer University, a Management Consultant with Deloitte & Touche, and an Engineer for Goodyear Aerospace. Rhoda holds an MBA from the University of Akron, and an Industrial Engineering degree from Purdue University. Following completion of the required courses for The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS), she became a member, and received the Port Strategy Award for the highest score worldwide on the Port and Terminal Management examination. Recently, she has been promoted to ‘Fellow’ within ICS. Rhoda joined IFPTA in 2013 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2017. ANNA WARD Sales & Traffic Manager, Alabama State Port Authority
Prior to joining the Port Authority, Anna served in a number of positions with Tramarco Lines (now Caribbean Forest Carriers) rising to General Manager. During her tenure at Tramarco, she oversaw the opening of the Mobile, Alabama office and inside sales, both of which contributed to the carrier’s growth from three vessels to ten vessels inside 9 years. Anna began her career with Page & Jones, and then moved to Strachan Shipping working in a number of positions servicing general cargo customers and vessel operations rising to the position of Line manager. Anna has been a member of IFPTA since 2007 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2013. She is an active member Propeller Club, the Railway Industrial Clearance Association and Southeast Association of Rail Shippers, where she has served on the Board of Directors as Secretary and 2nd Vice President. KELLY WILLIAMS Vice President, Terminals and Stevedoring, Western Stevedoring
In 2013, Kelly joined d’Amico Dry Cargo headquartered in Monaco as Head of Open Hatch Division where he was globally responsible for d’Amico’s Open Hatch fleet. After 4 years and the birth of two beautiful children in Monaco, an opportunity surfaced in Vancouver, British Columbia, with Western Stevedoring and Kelly returned to his home base, joining the organization in October 2017 as Vice President of Terminals and Stevedoring — a position he holds today. Throughout his 24-year career in many diverse locations around the globe, the one consistent thread has been Kelly’s enduring connection providing reliable transportation and logistics solutions to the forest products industry. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of British Columbia, majoring in Transportation and Logistics. BUDDY GREENE, PRESIDENT EMERITUS Vice President, Cooper/T. Smith
Currently, Buddy is Vice President for Cooper/T. Smith Stevedoring Company, focused on the operations and the forest products side of the business. Cooper/T. Smith is one of America’s oldest and largest stevedoring and maritime firms with operations on all three U.S. coasts and foreign operations in Central and South America. He is Director of the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA), and Chairman of the Mobile Steamship Association. Buddy joined IFPTA in 1983 and served on the Board of Directors from 1989-1997. In 1995, he was appointed Vice President of the Association and served in that position until 2010. In 2010, he was appointed President of the Association and served in that role until 2017. Buddy is now President Emeritus of IFPTA. |
Alan Bog has been involved in Forest Products Handling and Distribution for more than 30 years. His first experience of this sector was in France, particularly in the port of Rouen, which grew to be a major point of entry for paper and pulp.
Einar Didriksen joined Star Shipping in 1984 and has held several positions within chartering and operations in Norway, as well as in locations abroad. On the demerger of Star Shipping at the end of 2008, Einar was appointed Executive Vice President of WestfalLarsen Shipping AS, and became President and CEO of the company in 2010. Upon the merger of Saga Forest Carrier and Westfal-Larsen Shipping in 2014, he continued as Executive Vice President and COO in the new company, Saga Welco.
Tom Mutz began his transportation and logistics career in January 1980 as a Territory Sales Representative for Airborne Express in New Jersey. After transitioning through several positions in management over 16 years, Tom was selected to be the direct liaison in the Americas for Mitsui & Co. Ltd. At that time, Mitsui was a Joint Venture Partner, and one of Airborne’s largest shareholders.
Targe Bock’s career in forest products logistics goes back to 1999 when he started working as a Regional Logistics Manager for Kühne + Nagel in Buenos Aires. His tenure with Kühne + Nagel took him from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles to Baltimore and then to headquarters in Switzerland.
Bob Davidson began his career in the pulp and paper industry in 1976 with Price & Pierce International selling domestic and imported pulp in the US northeast. Following various promotions and changes in responsibility, he was appointed President in 1987.
Horst Kaupke started his career with a charter broker and liner agent where he represented different shipping lines providing Ro/Ro and Semi-Container Servers from Hamburg and/or Bremen to various destinations in Scandinavia, West Africa, the Far East, and America. In this function he became more and more connected to pulp, paper, lumber, and panel producing companies trading within those markets.
Ana Trilho is an executive with 30 years of solid experience in logistics gleaned at Norsul, Suzano, Jari, IP and Klabin, focusing on shipping (break bulk and containers), storage, port management, and implementation of logistics operational for exports.
Rhoda Voth is General Manager for Saga Welco, North America. The company operates a fleet of 52 vessels, designed specifically for carriage of forestry products. Rhoda joined Saga Forest Carriers in 1996 as Claims Manager, and in this role, worked with vessel operations to define corporate guidelines for stowage and protection of forestry products to ensure safe carriage by sea.
Anna Ward joined the Alabama State Port Authority in 2001 and has managed traffic and sales for the forest products, perishable cargoes and oversized/heavy lift cargoes. Her traffic and customer services responsibilities include the Port Authority’s breakbulk carriers, railroads, trucking, barging and warehousing companies calling on the public terminals.
Kelly began his career in the forest products transportation sector when he joined Gearbulk Shipping Canada Ltd in 1996. His 17 years with Gearbulk included positions in the Vancouver (BC), UK, Brazil, Indonesia and Singapore, culminating with the General Manager’s role for Gearbulk Shipping Canada Ltd from 2008 to 2013.
Buddy Greene started working full-time in the maritime industry in 1968. In the past 47 years he has worked primarily in stevedoring operations having various responsibilities from Port Manager to Vice President.