Celebrating On the Move: A Year of Transportation Success Stories

I am Jennifer Karpis-Romain , executive Director at the Transportation Marketing and Sales Association , which is a trade nonprofit educating and connecting marketing and sales professionals inside the industry , and today on the show I have Beth Malik , senior Director of Marketing at SMC3 , and she is also the TMSA Board President , and I wanted Beth to come on the show today

because we are celebrating our one-year anniversary of On the Move . Welcome back to the show , beth . How are you doing .

But to celebrate the occasion , before we dive into Beth , we do have a little video to celebrate this milestone . I'm not a fool . Yay , how fun . It was fun . I just keep seeing the transition of the length of my hair in all of those videos , which means the transition to purple and then as it goes in and out .

But I , the podcast was something I really wanted to do and was so happy to have the board support . It's been an awesome experience to be able to sit and interview and talk to our members and our speakers and everyone involved in the association . We have such great thought leaders and different perspectives and it's been really rewarding .

So it's been really cool to be able to do that . I'm really happy to have you back on the show , so to be here . Thank you . We are midway through your presidency .

Marketing or marketing making , marking a century since our founding in 1924 and commemorating it all at the TMSA Elevate Conference in New Orleans last year . That was incredibly meaningful and there was a parade down Bourbon Street to celebrate it as well , just

for TMSA , with TMSA members . So it was such a powerful moment , bringing our community together in a meaningful way . And since that time we've been working on setting up TMSA for even longer term success . We've made important structural transitions .

We've also implemented some key staffing updates , including bringing on a new director of programming , eileen Dabrowski , who's already working on innovative ways to bring even more value to our members . So for me , it's about that blend of honoring where we've come from and actively shaping what's next . Those have truly been meaningful moments this first year .

put on a successful conference where people can be educated and network and learn . So it was a tough kind of nut to crack to be able to do all of those things and it was really cool to see it all together and have everyone really celebrate in such a big way . Yeah , that was awesome . And then you did be able to become president .

So just for people , if they don't know , when you sign up to be a president at TMSA , you are committing five years of your life to the organization , which is quite a commitment , because they serve as president elect for one year and then president for two years and chairperson for two years .

So you were named president last year but you had already served one year in your in the president elect . But when you were announced president last June , the industry , the world , has kind of been in a tough and uncertain economic landscape pretty much that entire time of your presidency , and so how do you weather the storm of that ?

The transportation and supply chain markets have been through wave after wave of volatility , from the pandemic , the massive supply chain disruptions , to the 2021 time freight boom , followed by corrections , inflation and now going into this well , this ongoing uncertainty , really in 2024 and now in 2025 .

So you know , I stepped into this role last year knowing that I was joining a long line of great leaders who had navigated these headwinds and others . My focus has been on guiding and stabilizing our structure the board committees because they're all feeling these challenges too .

We've been intentional about monitoring our finances closely while doubling down on the value we deliver to members , because our members are going through this together with us and at the heart of it , I think it's about communication , community playing the long game and supporting our members now and continuing to grow member value building for that stronger future ahead

of us .

And you're right You've been around the past leaders of the board because you have served on the board of directors for 10 years prior to taking the presidency , and I'm curious , from your perspective , now that you've been in that leadership role , what is the biggest difference between serving on a board and leading a board ?

And you know , looking at those positions , when you're working on a committee or focused on a specific area like finance , education , marketing , recognition , any of our areas in our committees you are really dialed into that piece of the puzzle . And when you step into the president role , your perspective has to broaden .

Now it's about connecting all those pieces , more so than being an expert on individual ones , and making sure everyone's aligned and empowered in their roles . So we're moving forward as one . One of the biggest shifts also has been the partnership with you , Jen , TMSA's executive director .

You know as president , we work closely together to make sure what's being discussed at the board level translates into meaningful actions across the organization . So it's a balance of big picture leadership but also day-to-day support as well . So I think that's the biggest difference .

You it's been a privilege the entire time , no matter where I've served , especially with a team of such talented and dedicated board members all through the years , and yourself at headquarters beside me .

I always know how to get ahold of you , whether it's your email or your cell phone , because sometimes you have to move quickly or there's things going on and and you can't always anticipate what's happening at any moment , and so you have to really be able to see .

And that's been interesting for me too is because I've now , in my term here as executive director , I've had three presidents and everyone leads a little bit differently too , and so it's like , ok , what's your leadership style and how much do you need to know and when do you want to know it ?

And finding that balance in between I think is has been interesting for me too . Um , but I think you're doing a great job and , uh , it's , it's been fun to work with you and uh , yeah , we started as when you were treasurer .

Well , first we started when I was a board member then we started together and then then transitioned then from treasurer to president-elect to president .

So it's been a fun journey , has been , and I do want to note that all of our board and committee members are volunteers of the organization , and so you're a leader in your day job , but also a leader at work , and I'm curious if you approach those leadership and guidance differently in a volunteer capacity .

I know that's something that , like , committee leaders have been like . I don't know how to do this the same way because I'm at work . I can just tell them they have to do it and they do it because it's their job , but this is very different . So do you approach that differently ?

And we're all here volunteering at TMSA because we care deeply about the industry and TMSA's mission , not because we're being compensated . So you know , as president , I know that everyone's time is a gift and you know people may dip in and out of active participation depending on what's happening in their lives or careers .

We don't have formal accountability tools like in a corporate setting , so instead we build trust with each other and buy in and create space for people to lead in a way that fits their time and talents . But really , the core principles and expectations around governance , strategy , alignment all still have to apply with all of that .

So in a volunteer role , we still absolutely have to be strategic , aligned and thoughtful in how we guide the organization . But it's all driven by passion and purpose and that's what makes it special . So when you're surrounded by people who want to be there , who are bringing their passion to the table . That's what makes it incredibly powerful .

Because it's always evolving , it's always shifting , it's always changing and as we learn more and as we do more , those answers continue to grow . But I think that having that collaboration is really helpful and you can see , okay , like if this thing didn't get done exactly the way we wanted it to .

Well , maybe that's not something we can ask volunteers , or maybe at this timeframe of the year when people are really , really busy , that's not a time that we can roll out that project . I feel like for me , those are the biggest takeaways . Takeaways because , yes , we have a very small headquarter team .

Everyone else is volunteers and so if we rely on volunteers , with understanding that this is not their job , how can we maximize that support and let them serve in a way that makes sense for them , while still executing on what the association needs to do ?

So that's been a unique experience challenge , I think , especially in this current environment , like really being like how do we maximize the time that these people are giving because they do care and they do have this passion and support for the organization .

But I think that we have grown in that way a lot and we do have different , like program management platforms now that can help our committees and things like that . And all of our committee leadership is on the board of directors as well , in case people didn't know that .

So they um come to the board meetings , they can see the full picture and then report back to their committees as well . Um , with that , it can be a big you know load to have volunteer hours on top of your you know load to have volunteer hours on top of your you know full-time job in your life .

So do you have any advice for people that want to get more involved in any organization not just ours but may be hesitant because of their current workload ?

If getting involved aligns with your values whether that's giving back or building your network or growing as a leader it's easier to prioritize and protect that time commitment of being a volunteer . So you know , start with that . And then , second , really treat it like a professional investment , not an extra task . Volunteer leadership really builds board experience .

It sharpens your communication and strategy skills . It definitely expands your network , so it can be career development in action . It is not just another task on the to-do list . That can be really powerful . And then , finally , I think , just talk to someone who's already doing it .

A quick chat with a board or committee member can give you a clear picture on what's involved and if it will be manageable for you . And you might be more ready than you think and the rewards , both personally and professionally , can be well worth it . And you know , but , jen , I would say I would ask you .

You are a fellow nonprofit board president and that's been really fun in this year because you're doing the same thing that I'm doing .

You're a volunteer board president outside of your job at TMSA , so you're kind of asking me all these questions and you've got your own perspective on things that I'd love to hear about , like what your biggest takeaways are from leading a board and how you approach your leadership in a volunteer-driven environment .

So the only other board I served on before the one that I'll talk more about in a minute was TMSA , and the reason why I joined the TMSA board was because I was a member and immediately upon walking into TMSA I knew like these are very like-minded people . I can learn from them . I was on the marketing side .

I loved talking to other directors of marketing , but also really loved talking to the sales side , so that I could understand the sales side more and create better sales collateral for my sales team . And so I promptly went into the education committee . And then I had set a personal goal for myself to join a board of directors .

I felt like that was something I wanted to not just have on my resume .

But yeah , like all the reasons that you said , like the professional development you know , I believe in setting goals for ourselves personally and professionally , and I was like , oh , I feel like I'm gonna try to be on the tmsa board , because at that point I had already volunteered for a couple years .

I had ideas of how to improve the organization and make mindful change , and so I then took over the marketing committee and joined the board of directors at that time . So I was like I'm already giving my time .

If I'm setting a goal to be on a board , why not make it this place that I'm already volunteering and already passionate about and I already care about ? Obviously , I care about TMSA so much . Then I , you know , transferred and then became the leader of the organization that just kept evolving .

But then when you come to TMSA headquarters , obviously you give up your board seat because

you know you report to the board and you can't have that dual role . So then at that point I was like I still really want to give back and be thoughtful in being on a board and serving on a board .

And so I looked at where else I was volunteering , which was an organization called the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence and I was doing marketing communication support for them in a volunteer capacity .

And so it was in 2022 , I kind of came off the board at the end of TMSA board at the end of 21 , and then joined the OASB board in 2022 , because I still thought it's important to give back and to do it in a really thoughtful way .

And so from there I became vice president of the board very quickly and then I've been serving as board president since the end quickly , and then I've been serving as board president since the end , since last July here . So it it is a workload for sure , but I really liked what you said about what is the purpose and the like .

I don't believe in joining a board of directors or volunteering your time on things that you don't believe in , because then it is going to feel like a chore and like something else . It has to be things that you are passionate about , that you believe in , that you believe in the cause and believe in the people that you're working with .

And when you do that then you're like , okay , even if I do feel a little overwhelmed . It serves such a big purpose and you know that your time that you're investing is really important to the cause , to the mission , to the organization . So at OASB it has been fun to because , like , we have monthly check-ins about your board presidency and my role at TMSA .

But also , hey , we are both in this kind of new adventure together of leading boards and I know being organized is incredibly important in the board president role and making sure that you I told my executive director over there . Like my whole goal is to not to bottleneck what the staff needs to do .

That's my goal here to make sure the board is approving things in an orderly fashion and that we're not , you know , causing the staff to not be able to move forward on on the mission .

So , just being mindful of things like that , I do think that everyone is incredibly busy , but I want to be busy with the things I care about , and so that is being a mom , being a wife and being a family to my family and all of those things .

But also like it does not make me feel like a whole person if I'm not volunteering and giving back to a community that I care about or to organizations that I care about . So I make sure I put that in as a piece of the puzzle . But I do think on the other side of that , it's important not to then burn out and do too many things all at once .

So like I don't really volunteer a lot of other places right now because I'm I am a board president . So like I know people who serve on like multiple boards , I don't think that you can do that if you're a leader of one . I mean you might be able to some people are superhuman but like be really mindful with that time that you're giving back .

Like I donate to other causes . I might go to an event or two or something like that but like really serve . I want to make sure that if I'm serving , if I'm leading on a board , that I'm giving it the proper space .

Everyone on the board is in the industry and why wouldn't you be telling everyone at your company you're doing this and you're growing from this and you're involved like this , and they , like you know , at SMC three , they're very we're very proud that we serve on the board . I serve on the board of TMSA and support the industry .

So it's really , you know , treating it like any other commitment too , and everyone has their limits , though You're right , Like everyone's very busy and you really you have to cherish your time and that's one we have volunteers here at TMSA that they'll be like , okay , I have to step out for like three to six months and I'm like that's fine .

So , being mindful of that and and I feel like those , the people who are transparent , like that and like , okay , like I know , I have a ton of projects like coming up , I need to step away and then I'll come back , those people do come back .

It's the people who don't say it and don't step away when they actually need to , but then they go and they hit that burnout mode and then they just like wash their hands of it .

Those are the ones that we lose , and I'm always sad when that happens , cause like , just be open and honest , or like I know we have some people that they're like I can't serve in a regular committee right now because I can't , and I'm like , okay , do you want a special project ? I committee right

now because I can't , and I'm like okay , do you want a special project ? I'll give you a special project . You can work on it on your own time , and so some people will do that too .

If someone wants to give us volunteer hours , we don't say no , we find the way to make it work for them , and so I think that's really important too , and it doesn't always have to be on a board level or a full committee level .

There's always things we're trying to create programmings , add new member benefits and researching what that looks like , understanding what the members need . Some of that stuff doesn't need to be in a committee . Help us research what that looks like or talk to people and report back . There's always something that can be done .

But I definitely think like contributing in a way that's meaningful for you for things that you care about is going to be most important , and it does make me feel fulfilled to do that . And you said one thing like yes , like SNC three really supports you , being on the board and being a president and things like that .

And I would say the same yeah , like OSB's annual conference is at the end of June TMSA knows that . So like it's nice that it's not before our conference .

But you guys , I mean I typically take a few days off after Elevate anyway , but you know , okay , a couple weeks after Elevate , for the past like two to three years , like I'm gone then because I am doing my other role and having that support is really helpful and just talking through that stuff , because if I just checked out for three days you guys would be

like , where are you ? But you're like , oh no , she's doing this other thing . That's great . And Kathy , that it's in a time period where she's not doing a ton for us anyway , because that's our sleep time after Elevate .

But it's , I know , like in the past I've gone to like advocacy day in April , which is in like the heart of stuff for Elevate , and you guys are always so supportive of that . So I do think , talking to your managers and stuff , because a lot , especially for something like TMSA , because it is professional development , they'll help you .

They'll be like , oh , this could be a great opportunity for you . Let's see how we can fit it into your schedule and you know figuring out how to make that work . So I think that's all really important .

Yeah , so it's a journey for sure , but I do think I try to look through everything is , you know , what's the purpose , why are we doing this and how can we do it together . So , and you then , with that , will be entering your second year as president when we hit June . So what are you looking forward to in that second year ?

What are you looking forward to as we come up on Elevate and Executive Summit this year ?

So year one was about solidifying the structure , celebrating our 100th anniversary , bringing on key new leadership , and now I'm really focused on continuing that momentum and delivering on the association's strategic plan with the board and with our headquarters staff . So that's what I'm looking forward to the next year .

You're looking ahead to the Austin conference in June , the Elevate conference . I am always excited about networking opportunities with our attendees and sponsors . Of course , we've got a fantastic lineup of education sessions this year . I'm really looking forward to our keynote .

You know an expert on brand storytelling that she really doesn't just talk about storytelling , but how to take it beyond the basics to amplify your marketing .

So it's going to be a great chance for people to connect and learn from each other this June . So then in the fall , we've got the executive summit and that's more intimate , focused on senior leaders discussing the future of our industry .

So I'm looking forward to both events and seeing our community come together and learn from each other and network in such meaningful ways .

But yeah , like you said , South by Southwest is coming to elevate the economy panel . I'm really pumped about . I was actually left .

We make our speakers turn in slides like three weeks in advance , but we all agree that the economy can wait till the very end because the way things are going , if we make them turn in those slides early , it could be out of date .

But because we want to give the most informative , most up-to-date information that we can , we also have a shippers panel , which is always a huge hit people wanting to hear directly from the shippers and engaging with them . And then we have breakouts , which will be very targeted marketing sales , and then general um for people who want to learn about both .

And then this year we actually have a demo track . So we have some technology providers that are coming to show how exactly you can utilize um platforms and really engage . What they think is so important because everyone wants to be doing more efficient work and how can we lean into our tech stack to do that .

So really being able to see that in a real way is going to be incredibly impactful . And then one of my favorite things that we added to Elevate last year was our 15-minute storytellers .

So we have Robert Bain , the strongest man in logistics , and Christy Knitchell , who's CEO at Knitchell Logistics , coming and telling their stories , which I'm so excited about I just confirmed , Christy , and really excited because one of the things I've always loved about her story is , even though she took over her father's company , she really started at the ground

floor and worked every single job there , so she didn't just step into the leadership role not knowing how the company worked or what they did , and I think that's incredibly impactful and something that sales and marketers can really learn about , because we're always you know , we're not always given that scope and we don't always shadow those jobs , and so hearing how

she did that and being able to apply that to our roles , I think will be incredibly um impactful for our audience . So really excited about that . And um , austin's just a fun town too , so excited to to go there .

I will be doing site visits for next year in the um coming week , so we will announce that where we will be headed for the 2026 elevate conference in the member meeting at elevate . So for the 2026 Elevate Conference in the member meeting at Elevate . So all exciting things .

I've had to adapt to a secondary question , and that's if you could go back to one day of your life and relive it , what day would you go back to and why ?

It's on the wall over here so you can't see it in focus , but it's pretty full circle that I'm talking about it now , but you can see the meaning because it's right here with me every day . And , jen , you know that my husband and I are avid scuba divers .

We spend most of our vacation time under the water or on the water , and this particular day that I'm talking about , we were out in the water on the South Pacific Ocean and there was a mother humpback and her baby , about a four-day-old calf , very close to our small group of only about five people out in the water , and the calf was very curious .

It was swimming close to us and then it would run back to its mom like kids , right , and it would keep doing that it would get a little closer , and we all just like , like kids right , and we keep doing that it would get a little closer , and we all just were , of course , absolutely amazed . We stayed very calm , observing , in awe , for a while .

It was a long time . They stayed with us just , and it was just beautiful .

And I was off to one edge of the group , off to the side , and you know , we're in this wonderful setting and suddenly , suddenly , I just felt this presence , like , like when someone's standing too close to you , only on a much grander scale , and I turned and there was a third whale .

It was a full grown , adult , male whale that had probably been there the whole time , and it was just a few feet , a few feet away from us in the water and it breached its head slightly . I was above the water at the time .

It looked me in the eye and we both , with our eyes locked , put our heads under the water , still looking at each other , and we held this gaze , this , as it just swam past me , curious , calm , like , truly awesome , and it was so close I could have touched it .

Its pectoral fin was coming right at my head , which I didn't even know , because we were looking at each other in the eye there's a video of it , though and it just calmly , in complete control , lifted up its fin around my head and moved along while it was looking at me , and there was just this to me , there was just this unspoken understanding .

There was just this unspoken understanding . Like I see you , I'm interested in you . We are different , but we're not threats to each other , so we can share this space and time here together . And they swam off , and long after I stopped screaming with joy in the water and could actually sit back and reflect on the situation .

What struck me the most was the connection between these two completely different beings that we truly had meeting in a moment of curiosity instead of fear . You know , I could have easily panicked , and but it was just . We were both just so calm and it just . I think it's just an example of how we show up .

You know how our presence can impact the world around us in ways we might not even realize . So , you know , I go back to that day in a heartbeat , because sometimes the universe reminds us that we're part of something much bigger , and that was definitely a time for me . I mean , I would go back to that day too . That's a great story .

For those of us those of you wanting to check out next week's episode we will have Jason Green , who is the president at Faye , which is another pretty special episode for me .

We talk all about AI and stuff which is really important and great , but Jason is actually my boss before I came to TMSA and the company that introduced me to TMSA , so I get to reflect with him on something I think is really important . But here at TMSA people are like oh , you're such a great leader and all that stuff , which I appreciate .

But part of that is because he met me where I was when I was two months postpartum of having a child and hiring me in the time frame and the amount of work I wanted to work at and I wouldn't be here if I wasn't met there and I feel like that's a pretty cool leadership story .

So check that out and we hope to see all of you in Austin , texas , june 8 through 10 for our Elevate conference . And thank you again , happy one year . Thank you , On the move and happy to have you back on the show . Thank you , bye .