Our Team

Core Values – Integrity, Passion, Knowledge and Respect.

Meet Our Team

Martin Hellwig

Martin B. Hellwig
President
mhellwig@tbgfs.com

I like everything about my role at Trans-Border and working with so many talented people from so many diverse families and cultures. Our +20 years in business is proof that we do have the best employees in the industry. I’m very proud and honored to be part of such an incredible group.

  • Years in Industry: 36 years
  • Industry Focus: Global Sales & Business Development
  • Random Fact: I was once locked in a dryer for two hours.
  • Phobia: Flying
  • Favorite Food: Italian
  • Favorite Movie: Jaws
Jeff Millens, COO, Trans-Border Global Freight Systems, Inc.

Jeffrey M. Millens
Chief Operating Officer
jmillens@tbgfs.com

I never knew what I was going to do when I grew up (some people say I still haven’t!), but I found a career that allows me to utilize multiple skill sets (multi-tasking, time management, creativity and much more) and work with some of the smartest, hardworking and dedicated people that I have ever met. Bottom Line – I feel lucky and privileged to be at Trans-Border and spread the freight MOJO… bam – bam – bam !!

My enjoyment in working with customers is that we have the ability at Trans-Border to offer real value that helps them be more profitable. What’s that mean? That means we allow our customers to focus on their core business and we offer the highest level of professional guidance and service in regard to freight & compliance. On a personal level, I greatly enjoy the friendships I have made with many customers. They are great people with whom we have the privilege to be working with. One last thing – it is really interesting to hear the history of how all of these businesses started – some in basements, some in garages, but all with energy, creativity and the great American spirit!

  • Years in Industry: 31 years
  • Industry Focus: Sales, Operations and Marketing
  • Random Fact: At a bar I never get fruit in my vodka as lemons & limes are the dirtiest thing in the bar!
  • Phobia: Way too many to count – it’s exhausting….
  • Favorite Food: Only 1, no way! – Filet Mignon/chicken parm/Calamari Steak (Joey’s in Syracuse)
  • Favorite Movie: Grandma’s Boy / Gladiator / Saturday Night Fever
Joshua Spiegel

Joshua A. Spiegel
Chief Financial Officer
jspiegel@tbgfs.com

One of my favorite aspects of Trans-Border is working with our many overseas partners and dealing with so many different cultures, all in the same industry. I often get to travel to their locations all over the world as well as welcome them here to the U.S.

I also enjoy helping customers build and succeed at their business. We are truly an extension of their company and when they do well, we do well!

  • Years in Industry: 34 years
  • Industry Focus: U.S. Customs, Agent Relations and Finance
  • Random Fact: I have been cage diving with great white sharks off the coast of South Africa
  • Phobia: See above!
  • Favorite Food: Italian or a nice thick, juicy rib-eye
  • Favorite Movie: Dumb and Dumber
sumar-2-crop

Sumar Bhatti
Director of Freight Operations
sbhatti@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about my role here is the diversity on the Trans-Border team and amongst our customers.

  • Random Fact: I’m a little shy…
  • Phobia: Heights and scary movies
  • Favorite Food: Steak
  • Favorite Movie: Fireproof
Kevin Calkins

Kevin Calkins
Director of IT & Systems Management
kcalkins@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about my role is being a technological problem solver for every person on the Trans-Border Team! I also enjoy being able to provide data to our clients to help them with their day to day business decisions.

  • Random Fact: Family name is assigned to two roads in the North Country New York.
  • Phobia: Arranged photos
  • Favorite Food: Buffalo Chicken Pizza
  • Favorite Movie: Deadpool

Brunilda Carroll
Director of Exports 
bcarroll@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy the most about my role here on the Trans-Border team is that we are a family!

  • Random Fact: I get nauseous at the sound of the word moist…
  • Phobia: Snakes
  • Favorite Food: Pizza
  • Favorite Movie: Gone with the Wind

Dianne Klamm
Director of National Accounts
dklamm@tbgfs.com

I like training new salespeople but I especially love selling Trans-Border’s services, meeting with clients and providing solutions to their needs.

  • Random Fact: When I was five years old, I was the “Weather Girl” on the children’s TV show – Romper Room
  • Phobia: Must have all things in order – neat freak!
  • Favorite Food: Raw Oysters
  • Favorite Movie: Dirty Dancing

Kelly Jackson
Director of Operational Excellence
kjackson@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about working here at Trans-Border is solving problems & finding a way to make it happen!

  • Random Fact: I ❤️ Genealogy!
  • Phobia: Being Late
  • Favorite Food: Steak Tacos
  • Favorite Show: Schitt’s Creek

Yateen Patel
Director of Export Compliance & Project Management
ypatel@tbgfs.com

  • Random Fact: I’m british
  • Phobia: will advise
  • Favorite Food: Goat
  • Favorite Movie: Exorcist

Jonathan Schwartz
Director of Domestic Operations
jschwartz@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about my role on the Trans-Border team is working in a fast paced environment where every day holds a chance to learn and rise above.

  • Random Fact: Volkswagen enthusiast
  • Phobia: Clowns and lost opportunity
  • Favorite Food: My Aunt’s Mazto ball soup
  • Favorite Movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Karyn Kokernak, Trans-Border Global Freight Systems, Inc.
Department Manager

Karyn Kokernak
Accounting Manager
kkokernak@tbgfs.com

I enjoy working with everyone here at Trans-Border and I especially enjoy seeing the growth we have had over the last 20 years. Who knew we would go from 6 to almost 70 in such a short time period! I am honored to have been here since the beginning and I value all of our customers and vendors, they have made us who we are today.

  • Random Fact: I knit .. all of the time … but not during work.
  • Phobia: Bridges – especially if I have to drive over them!
  • Favorite Food: Anything seafood
  • Favorite Movie: The Sound of Music
Lori Cotillo

Lori Cotillo
Credit & Collections
lcotillo@tbgfs.com

Tina Kenyon

Tina Kenyon
Administrative Assistant & Accounts Payable
tkenyon@tbgfs.com

Dan Hollenbeck
Department Manager

Dan Hollenbeck
Agent Pricing & Routing Manager
dhollenbeck@tbgfs.com

I have been here at Trans-Border for almost 14 years and one of the things I enjoy the most, is coming up with clever ways to route our customers freight so we can save them time and money.

  • Random Fact: I have never drank a cup of coffee.
  • Phobia: Arachibutyrophobia
  • Favorite Food: Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas
  • Favorite Movie: Gone in 60 Seconds

Alex DiLaura
Agent Pricing & Routing
adilaura@tbgfs.com

Sean O’Neil
Agent Pricing & Routing
soneil@tbgfs.com

Nicole Surani
Agent Pricing & Routing
nsurani@tbgfs.com

For international shipment queries, please reach out to agentpricing@tbgfs.com.

Stormy Lesperance

Stormy Lesperance
Customs House Brokerage Manager
slesperance@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about working at Trans-Border is that we are all working toward a common goal.  I am surrounded by a lot of highly driven and successful people who genuinely care about those they work with and the customers they represent.  I enjoy the everyday challenge and working with a team who is gifted and fun!

  • Random Fact: I had the privilege of being stage manager for the production of Modern Millie in 2011-12.  It was one of the most challenging and rewarding experience I’ve ever had.
  • Phobia: Pteronophobia
  • Favorite Food: Soul food
  • Favorite Movie: Sandlot
Lauren Benway

Lauren Benway
Customs House Brokerage
Licensed Customs Broker
lbenway@tbgfs.com

Kaitlyn

Kaitlyn MacMannis
Customs House Brokerage
kmacmannis@tbgfs.com

Jacqui Votra
Customs House Brokerage
jvotra@tbgfs.com

Jose Garcia
Customs House Brokerage
jgarcia@tbgfs.com

Anthony Orta
Customs House Brokerage
aorta@tbgfs.com

Department Manager

Conor Begley
Domestic Manager
cbegley@tbgfs.com

Bruce Bashaw
Domestic Operations
bbashaw@tbgfs.com

Joe Zeglen

Joe Zeglen
Domestic Operations
jzeglen@tbgfs.com

Kevin Lee
Domestic Operations
klee@tbgfs.com

Department Manager

Will Fitzgerald
Export Operations Manager
wfitzgerald@tbgfs.com

I love the people I work with. We have a great team that is full of industry knowledge and we challenge each other every day to learn more.

  • Random Fact: I waste about 3 hours every Sunday during football season watching the New York Jets.
  • Phobia: Fear of blood. From a young age, I knew I wasn’t going to be a doctor.
  • Favorite Food: Anything Italian (specifically veal parm)
  • Favorite Movie: Best In Show 
Department Manager

Zachary Pyle
Export Operations Manager

zpyle@tbgfs.com

  • Random Fact: I have been to 40 of 50 states in the US
  • Phobia: The Unknown
  • Favorite Food: Pizza
  • Favorite Movie: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Andrew Thomas
Export Operations
athomas@tbgfs.com

Marcel Bruckmann
Export Operations
mbruckmann@tbgfs.com

Sandra Retell
Export Operations
sretell@tbgfs.com

Chris Jupin

Chris Jupin
Export Operations
cjupin@tbgfs.com

Chris Manning
Export Operations
cmanning@tbgfs.com

Javed Khan
Export Operations
jkhan@tbgfs.com

alyssa

Alyssa Delaney
Export Pricing Manager
Certified Dangerous Goods Specialist

adelaney@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy the most about working at Trans-Border is … The family atmosphere!

  • Random Fact: I probably have over 200 pairs of shoes.
  • Phobia:  Driving off a bridge and drowning in my car.
  • Favorite Food: Pizza or Mashed Potatoes
  • Favorite Movie: “Grandmas Boy”

Isabella DiLaura
Export Pricing & Routing
idilaura@tbgfs.com 

Dorina Neli
Export Pricing & Routing
dneli@tbgfs.com

Malisa Safie
Export Pricing & Routing
msafie@tbgfs.com

Mathew Anthanial
Export Pricing & Routing
manthanial@tbgfs.com

noelle-cave

Noelle Cave
Assistant Import Operations Manager
ncave@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about working at Trans-Border is that there is always something to do… helping colleagues, answering questions, learning new things, and most importantly, making customers happy!

  • Random Fact: I lived in a 20 FT shipping container (how ironic) for 10 months while deployed overseas with the Army!
  • Phobia: Snakes and Drowning
  • Favorite Food: Lasagna
  • Favorite Movie: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
stephanie weissman

Stephanie Weissman
Assistant Import Operations Manager
sweissman@tbgfs.com

I love that every day there is something new to learn and a new problem to solve. I never get bored working here.

  • Random Fact: I share a birthday with my sister, but we are not twins.
  • Phobia: Heights and fire
  • Favorite Food: Sushi
  • Favorite Movie: Mystery Alaska

Bethany Uber
Import Operations
buber@tbgfs.com

Allison Brown

Allison Brown
Import Operations
abrown@tbgfs.com

Kettie Lazzara

Kitty Lazzara
Operations & Claims Specialist
klazzara@tbgfs.com

Tiffiny Came
Import Operations
tcame@tbgfs.com

Kelly Tiberio
Import Operations
ktiberio@tgbfs.com

Deepti Dixit
Import Operations
ddixit@tbgfs.com

Amy Hall-Clothier
Import Operations
ahclothier@tbgfs.com

Waheed Hameed
Import Operations
whameed@tbgfs.com

Rahim Karim
Import Operations
rkarim@tbgfs.com

Corey Rybicki
Import Operations
crybicki@tbgfs.com

Anup Jhagroo
Import Operations
ajhagroo@tbgfs.com

Audrey Miller
Import Operations
amiller@tbgfs.com

Humaira Shahzad
Import Operations
hshahzad@tbgfs.com

Megan Bloom
Import Operations
mbloom@tbgfs.com

tyler-samborin
Department Manager

Tyler Samborin
Import Pricing Manager
tsamborin@tbgfs.com

What I love most about working at Trans-Border is the family-oriented environment and amazing people we are surrounded by every day.

  • Random Fact: I have 7, yes 7 cats.  2 of them being pure breed Bengals.
  • Phobia: Overflowing Garbage
  • Favorite Food: Chicken Marsala
  • Favorite Movie: The Town
Cody Acker

Cody Acker
Import Pricing & Routing
cacker@tbgfs.com

Ashley Rutz
Import Pricing & Routing
arutz@tbgfs.com

Reba Leahy
Software Support  
rleahy@tbgfs.com

Emma Atkinson
Corporate Communications
eatkinson@tbgfs.com

Bill Carey

Bill Carey
Import Compliance & Systems Manager
bcarey@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy the most about working at Trans-Border is the satisfaction of helping customers through difficult situations.

  • Random Fact: The drummer from Def Leppard only has one arm.
  • Phobia: Atychiphobia
  • Favorite Food: Chicken Wings
  • Favorite Movie: The Goonies
Lisa Howard

Lisa Howard
Import Business Development Manager
lhoward@tbgfs.com

Working directly with the customers is the best part of my job. When assisting and educating them on the industry, they are so appreciative. Getting a “Thank you” from them just motivates me to work that much harder for them.

  • Random Fact: During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools
  • Phobia: Claustrophobia
  • Favorite Food: Conch Fritters with Caribbean dipping sauce. Mmm mmm good!
  • Favorite Movie: Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein
Jonathan Mongin

Jonathan Mongin
Strategic Account Manager
jmongin@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about my role here on the Trans-Border team is getting to work with a lot of different people on their important projects.

  • Phobia: Bugs (yuck)
  • Favorite Food: A good beef stew and apple pie
  • Favorite Movie: Star Wars
paul-clark

Paul Clark
Export Compliance Manager
pclark@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy the most about working at Trans-Border is the positive team environment.

  • Phobia: None
  • Favorite Food: Pizza
  • Favorite Movie: Pulp Fiction

David Usher
Agent Business Development Manager
dusher@tbgfs.com

I enjoy the teamwork and camaraderie we have within Trans-Border. Our customers are knowledgeable, and experienced in their field and are a pleasure to work with.

  • Random Fact: I am a ping pong master!
  • Phobia: Great White Sharks
  • Favorite Food: Anything Ethnic (Indian, Moroccan, Thai, Mexican)
  • Favorite Movie: Shawshank Redemption
damien-jarrett
Department Manager

Damien Jarrett
Sales Manager
djarrett@tbgfs.com

Read my bio!

Ivo Marsak
Account Executive — Northern, Central, NY and Pennsylvania 
imarsak@tbgfs.com

Read my bio!

Jared B. Millens
Account Executive — NY Capital Region and Vermont
jaredmillens@tbgfs.com

Read my bio!

Anthony Torres
Account Executive — Western NY, Ohio and Pennsylvania
atorres@tbgfs.com

Read my bio!

Jennifer Valls de los Reyes
Logistics & Freight Consultant 
jvalls@tbgfs.com

Read my bio!

kate-bio-pic
Department Manager

Kate Klein
Trade Finance Manager
kklein@tbgfs.com

What I enjoy most about my role with Trans-Border is that every day I learn something new!

  • Random Fact: Only 2% of the population have naturally green eyes (I have green eyes!).
  • Phobia: Beetle-y type bugs totally freak me out…
  • Favorite Food: Lasagna
  • Favorite Movie: Shawshank Redemption

Sherri Dugan
Trade Finance Administrative Assistant  
sdugan@tbgfs.com

Loretta Roddy
Trade Finance Administrative Assistant  
lroddy@tbgfs.com

Erich Stuthmann
Trade Finance Administrative Assistant  
estuthmann@tbgfs.com