Lana Ponsonby
Virginia Beach,VA
Summary
Committed, Hard working & Highly Intelligent Shipping Executive, bringing 42 years of Export and Import Freight Forwarding, Ocean, Air, Trucking, cargo shipping experience . Well-educated in managing and improving operations. Astute and organized individual accustomed to optimizing long-term success and balancing targets with resources. Experienced business leader with strategic planning and excellent problem solving abilities.
Overview
44
44
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner
Marine Forwarding Co of Virginia
Chesapeake, VA
2015.04 - Current
- Enhanced operational performance by developing effective business strategies, systems and procedures.
- Directed hiring and training of new department managers to drive organizational improvements.
- Led startup and opening of Freight Forwarding Export & Import business and provided business development, creation of operational procedures and workflow planning.
- Obtained SBA financing and SWAM certification, opened business bank account, paid payroll taxes, created W2's and Virginia Employment quarterly tax reports and payments.
- Set pricing structures and fees according to market analytics and emerging trends.
- Oversaw staff hiring, initiating new training and scheduled processes to streamline operations.
- Hired and mentored core start-up team, working to outline initial company policies and procedures.
- Analyzed Export & Import client business needs and assisted in determining appropriate resources and strategies for loading, to meet over the road weight limitations & on time delivery.
- Negotiated with Ocean Carriers & Trucking company vendors to gain optimal pricing for shipments resulting in 40% increase in profit margin.
- Reviewed company software and business programs to determine value and assess viability in live environment.
- Trained teams on specific operations and requirements for each customer, including applicable procedures and techniques.
- Supervised performance of all employees with goals of improving productivity, efficiency and cost savings.
- Recruited exceptional job candidates via diverse traditional and digital routes for suitability for key positions.
- Identified client business and operational needs and introduced services to provide solutions.
- Secured long-term accounts, managing and created and executed informative presentations to promote our service benefits.
- Developed company website and created online advertisements, boosting online sales and leads by 25%.
- Introduced complete onboarding and training programs, surpassing established team sale targets and employee retention goals.
Vice President
Marine Forwarding Company Inc
Virginia Beach, VA
2002.06 - 2015.04
- Built and strengthened relationships with trucking companies and airlines to optimize daily operations.
- Routed, rated and quoted more than 250 international ocean export shipments per month.
- Created and updated Excel spreadsheets to track customer, shipping and internal data.
- Discussed detailed port information, and time sensitive importantinformation to importers or exporters.
- Consulted customs brokers to arrange passage of goods through customs. Classified products via the Harmonized Tariff Code, applied duties & taxes to shipment documentation quotes prior to actual customs clearance.
- Coordinated with international freight forwarder Agents to expedite international shipments both export & import.
- Tracked and traced domestic, ocean and air shipments in order to maintain current status information and on time clearance and deliveries.
- Communicated with global offices by telephone and email 24/7 as time required to facilitate smooth shipments from any international port.
- Analyzed shipping routes to determine how to minimize potential delays. Determined best route for all shipments for customers time sensitive needs. Determined whether shipment would have to go by all truck or truck rail to east or west coast ports.
- Produced, organized and submitted export paperwork to meet all applicable cut offs and shipment requirements promoting on time perfect documents, created on time perfect deliveries.
- Certified shipments for compliance with IMDG & IATA & CFR regulations.
- Certified in IMDG, iATA AND 49cfr SINCE 1980.
- Taught hazmat regulations for imdg & 49cfr to multiple local NVOCC and Steamship line employees, with full certification.
- Resolved interpersonal conflicts by listening, finding common ground and building relationships.
- Provided excellent service and attention to customers when face-to-face or through phone conversations.
- Exceeded customer satisfaction by finding creative solutions to problems.
- Kept team on track by assigning and supervising their activities and giving constructive feedback.
- Improved profit margins by streamlining operations and workflow.
- Tested multiple forwarding programs and software to input and compile data gathered from various sources.
- Delivered Ontime customs releases & door deliveries for export & import shpments on behalf of our customers on time.
- Coordinated logistics for pickup and delivery of freight and containers to customers.
- Processed and completed invoicing processes for timely and accurate billing of imports.
- Identified shipments requiring special handling based on value, size, documentation and country of origin.
- Negotiated shipping rates with transportation vendors to save $5000.00- $10,000.00 monthly.
- Tracked shipments and communicated with carriers to confirm arrival time and release.
- Calculated exchange rates to monitor proper conversion of items.
- Assisted up to 50 customers per day with customs questions and processes.
- Filed and documented all incoming shipments in IES & INLT Software with careful attention to detail and accuracy.
- Scheduled and booked transportations for 150 shipments per week.
Office Manager
Marine Forwarding Company Inc
Norfolk, VA
1980.03 - 2002.06
- Prepared and processed shipping documents, including work and shipping orders, route materials and bills of lading.
- Verified client information and validated data before creating shipping paperwork and internal documents.
- Formulated shipping documents for material transported via private fleet.
- Estimated domestic, ocean and air freight rates to track shipment costs and weights.
- Oversaw and proofed daily tracking & receipt and daily processing of cargo and provided timely updates on status of cargo with good old fashioned phone calls to customers, emails, & data processing reporting.
- Inspected and counted items received and checked against invoices or other documents while recording shortages and rejecting any damaged goods.
- Directed and participated in cargo loading and unloading to ensure completeness of load and even distribution of weight.
- Directed cargo loading to monitor even distribution of weight.
- Retrieved stored items and traced lost shipments, when necessary.
- Attached address labels, identification codes and shipping instructions to containers.
- Determined shipping methods and prepared bills of lading, invoices, and other shipping documents.
- Validated load plans, cargo cleanliness and transportation documentation.
- Inspected received items to reconcile against invoices to record shortages and reject damaged goods.
- Created new programs that resulted in increasing productivity and customer satisfaction.
- Answered and resolved allcustomer questions and concerns with professionalism, experience and expertise.
- Demonstrated leadership by making improvements to work processes and helping to train others.
- Provided excellent service and attention to customers when face-to-face or through phone conversations.
- Resolved interpersonal conflicts by listening, finding common ground and building relationships.
- Kept team on track by assigning and supervising their activities and giving constructive feedback.
- Reviewed and edited documents to fix grammatical and spelling issues.
- Worked closely with documentation team to promote efficiency and high level of customer service.
- Performed research into content questions and grammatical concerns to verify details.
- Maintained confidentiality while building relationships with various clients.
- Managed high volumes of time-sensitive documents critical for AES filings, bill of lading cut offs, vessel and terminal cut offs, vgm filings, ISF filings , all with time sensitive cut offs. Always worked a week in advance to ensure we never missed a cut off.
- Never in 42 years did my employees ever get fined for late documents.
- Managed all file copies according to recordkeeping procedures.
- Drafted and finalized documents, memos, and letters.
- Trained all incoming personnel on export & import procedures, documentation requirements and taught them to proof every single document before transmission.
Education
High School Diploma -
Frank W. Cox High School
Virginia Beach, VA06.1980
Associate of Science - Business Administration And Management
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Beach, VA Skills
- Flexible
- Troubleshooting
- Training & Development
- Working collaboratively
- Supervision
- Microsoft Office
- Multitasking
- Active listening
- Excellent Math Skills
- Excellent Letter writing skills
- Detail Oriented
- Typing skills : 89 wpm
- Excellent English and Spelling skills
- Proofreading Specialist
- Results Oriented
- Excellent Worker/Team Player
Accomplishments
- Consistently maintained high customer satisfaction ratings.
- Realized growth in ongoing effort to boost revenue while reducing costs.
- Started as export clerk and worked up to business owner , growing in one company until i one day i became licensed by the FMC to be owner of my own company. bought a building to run my business out of, realized 100K profit in 5 years, and effectively ran 2 businesses, while being a wife, a mother of 5 and grandmother of 8 beautiful children.
- Hazmat Certified since 1980
- Top Consultant for all shipping needs export or Import
- Excellent Rate negotiation skills
- Achieved RESULTS for my clients no matter their needs
- Managed Business, handled all city , local and state and federal tax requirements, Health Insurance and Benefits Coordinator for all employees.
Timeline
Owner
Marine Forwarding Co of Virginia
2015.04 - Current
Vice President
Marine Forwarding Company Inc
2002.06 - 2015.04
Office Manager
Marine Forwarding Company Inc
1980.03 - 2002.06
High School Diploma -
Frank W. Cox High School
Associate of Science - Business Administration And Management
Tidewater Community College