KARMEN WHITAKER
NASHVILLE,UNITED STATES
Summary
Logistics professional with 15+ years of experience managing domestic and international shipments, inventory control, freight operations, vendor coordination, and material movement in fast-paced operational environments. Proven ability to maintain accurate records, coordinate inbound and outbound logistics, support critical business operations, and collaborate cross-functionally with vendors, procurement teams, and internal stakeholders. Experienced in shipping and receiving, asset tracking, inventory management, regulatory compliance, and operational process improvement with a strong commitment to safety, accuracy, and customer service.
Overview
29
29
years of professional experience
Work History
IMPORT/EXPORT COORDINATOR
SVP Worldwide LLC
Nashville, United States
01.2021 - Current
- Coordinate inbound and outbound domestic and international shipments while maintaining accurate shipment records and supporting operational continuity. Partner with freight forwarders, customs brokers, carriers, and internal departments to ensure timely delivery of materials and equipment. Monitor shipment status, resolve transportation issues, and communicate updates to stakeholders. Review shipping documentation for accuracy and compliance, preventing delays, and minimizing operational disruptions. Support inventory movement, material readiness, and logistics planning across multiple transportation modes
TRANSPORTATION SPECIALIST
Amazon Logistics
Nashville, United States
01.2020 - 01.2021
- Assisted in the expediting and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments. Facilitated the movements of FTL, LTL trucking terminals, customer dock, and manufacturing shipping docks. Researched rates, routings, or modes of transport for shipment of products. Maintained DOT awareness of regulations affecting the domestic movement of cargo. Planned for additional services, such as shipment reroutes, storage, and trucking repair services.
LOGISTICS COORDINATOR
Bridgestone Industrial Products America
Nashville, TN
01.2012 - 02.2020
- Managed inventory movement and logistics coordination for domestic and international shipments throughout Asia, Europe, and North America. Coordinated shipment scheduling, freight tracking, and material distribution to support customer and operational requirements. Maintain accurate shipping documentation, customs compliance records, and transportation data. Negotiated transportation services and secured competitive freight rates while maintaining service reliability. Served as the primary communication link among logistics teams, customers, vendors, carriers, and sales organizations. Identified logistics risks and implemented process improvements that increased operational efficiency and service performance
GCC EXPORT DOCUMENT COORDINATOR
Vantec World Transport
Laverne, TN
01.2011 - 04.2012
- esponsible for the execution of export documentation requirements for shipments originating in the US to Gulf Coast Countries including Certificate of Origin, Legalization Documents, commercial invoices, and packing lists. Ensured that all documentation meets export regulations. Responsible for AES filing. Responsible for submitting Bill of Lading Instructions to Steamship Lines. Communicated with customer service/accounting/operations.Responsible for Customer Invoicing. Responsible for Cargo Tracking.
IMPORT COORDINATOR
Phoenix International Freight Services
Nashville, TN
01.2008 - 09.2009
- Coordinated inbound import shipments for local and nationwide customers, ensuring timely movement of cargo and accurate tracking throughout the transportation process. Served as the primary liaison between customers, carriers, customs brokers, and internal stakeholders, providing shipment updates and resolving logistics issues. Managed shipping documentation, verifying tariff classifications, commodity information, valuations, and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and prevent clearance delays. Monitored cargo arrivals, coordinated carrier releases, and facilitated freight payments and Bill of Lading processing. Prepared entry summaries and supported customs clearance activities, including customs brokerage filings under the supervision of a licensed Customs Broker. Tracked Customs and Other Government Agency (OGA) release status to ensure timely cargo availability and delivery. Maintained accurate shipment records and communicated delivery status through reports, spreadsheets, email, and telephone correspondence. Coordinated final-mile delivery schedules and processed customer invoicing and freight-related documentation. Evaluated transportation options and secured competitive ocean and air freight solutions based on customer requirements and cost objectives. Recommended optimal routes, transportation modes, and carrier selections to improve service levels and operational efficiency. Supported office operations, including inventory and supply management, equipment coordination, scheduling, and administrative functions. Maintained a high level of accuracy in shipment tracking, documentation management, and customer service within a fast-paced logistics environment.
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/CREDIT MANAGER AND BRANCH ADMINISTRATOR
Kuehne + Nagel, Inc.
Nashville, Tennessee
03.2006 - 12.2008
- Direct branch contact in Branch Manager's absence for Huntsville and Nashville; Team Leader for staff of 9. Approval and coding of branch overhead invoices. Provided customer service to clients assisting with details and questions. Coordinated all aspects of the Office: order office supplies; equipment maintenance, meetings, events, etc. Maintained payroll time/attendance and commission reports. Assisted Ocean Import staff in handling freight shipments: process bill of ladings, arrival notices, delivery notices, proof of delivery and invoicing. Cash application. Sub-Ledger account maintenance. Monthly Gross Profit analysis and reporting. Responsible for month end and year-end account audits and reconciliations.Quarterly Procedure and Compliance Audits.
- Extensive collection calls on past due accounts. Responsible for evaluating credit-worthiness and setting credit limits. Communicated with customers and sales personnel in processing new accounts. Issued credit and debit notes when applicable.
ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR LEAD
Kroger Regional Accounting Center
Nashville, Tennessee
10.1997 - 03.2006
- Supervised by establishing and modifying the daily activities of five accounting personnel. Strong knowledge of Dunn & Bradstreet receivables program. Balanced ledger and audited ledger accounts and period transactions for accuracy. Monitored aging schedules to ensure timely collections. Introduced procedures to streamline overall departmental processes. Primary contact for Facility Engineering, Store Operations, Human Resources, and vendors of 19 Kroger Marketing Areas. Processed invoices for payment, local checks, electronic transfer requests and credit memos. Established expense vendors and Kroger Marketing Area (KMA) personnel via Internet Payables program for all divisions of Kroger and its affiliates. Responsible for training new employees, expense vendors and Kroger Marketing Area Invoice approvers on iPayables application. Prepared journal entries & resolved discrepancies in general ledger accounts with balances over $1 million. Responsible for month end, quarterly and year-end account audits and reconciliations. Analyzed import and export files containing weekly sales and cash figures. Liaison to Accounting Managers and Controllers. Provided customer service to vendors, customers and Kroger Store Personnel. Assumed responsibility of software development and testing. Processed and initiated Electronic Transfer requests and deposit balance reports.
Education
BACHELORS OF SCIENCE - Accounting Major
University of Phoenix
01-2006
ASSOCIATES OF SCIENCE - Merchandising
Draughons Junior College Retail
01-1993
Skills
- Customs Documentation
- Shipment Tracking
- Freight Coordination
- Transportation Management
- Logistics Operations
- Supply Chain Coordination
- Air/Ocean/Truck Transportation
- Shipping & Receiving
- Inventory Management
- Inventory Auditing
- Material Handling
- Warehouse Operations
- Asset Tracking
- Vendor Management
- Lost shipment tracing
- Documentation preparation
- Regulatory Compliance
- Process Improvement
- Data Analysis
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Rail freight operations
- Purchase Orders
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Air freight operations
Timeline
IMPORT/EXPORT COORDINATOR
SVP Worldwide LLC
01.2021 - Current
TRANSPORTATION SPECIALIST
Amazon Logistics
01.2020 - 01.2021
LOGISTICS COORDINATOR
Bridgestone Industrial Products America
01.2012 - 02.2020
GCC EXPORT DOCUMENT COORDINATOR
Vantec World Transport
01.2011 - 04.2012
IMPORT COORDINATOR
Phoenix International Freight Services
01.2008 - 09.2009
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/CREDIT MANAGER AND BRANCH ADMINISTRATOR
Kuehne + Nagel, Inc.
03.2006 - 12.2008
ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR LEAD
Kroger Regional Accounting Center
10.1997 - 03.2006
BACHELORS OF SCIENCE - Accounting Major
University of Phoenix
ASSOCIATES OF SCIENCE - Merchandising
Draughons Junior College Retail