President’s Message
Greetings,
My heart is overwhelmed and mere words cannot express how grateful I am to everyone for the success of our Annual Shrimp Feast on April 22nd! Hats off to the planning committee, members and the volunteers who stepped up at the event to make sure every activity was well managed. We extend our gratitude to the groups and individuals who donated baskets and door prizes, and Superior Catering for preparing the delicious food. The success of this event ensures that we are poised to continue with our charitable contributions and scholarships.
A benefit of an event like our shrimp feast is the opportunity to network and build professional relationships. If you had an opportunity to meet new potential partners and members, please remember to invite them to our next meeting on May 11th.
Speaking of our next meeting, it is our Annual Working Women’s Dinner where we will honor our Person of the Year, Richard Dix of S2 Financial. This is also when we will announce our next slate of officers for 2022-2023. Believe it or not, this club year is nearing an end! The dinner will be held at Vinny’s Cafe, 6212 Holabird Avenue at 6:00 PM. Please refer to the flyer for details and share with others. Thanks to the committee for planning the event.
Lastly, Happy Mother’s Day to all our members and friends who have the role of Mom, Mother, Grandmother, Mother-in-Law, Step-Mother, Mom-to-be, etc.! We celebrate you for the lives you’ve nurtured and hope you had a wonderful day!
With kindness,
Karen
wttcpresident@gmail.com
Member Spotlight
Tony Zoet, John S. Connor
Meet one of WTTC’s newest members, Tony Zoet. Tony is a Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) at John S. Connor and likes to tell everyone he was born into the freight forwarding industry. He followed his father’s footsteps into the business and had his first job at Friendship Airport (now Thurgood Marshall Baltimore Washington International) in the lower part of the terminal located directly under what is now the Southwest counter area. Tony did his first air freight tracing of a shipment at 10 years old for a shipment of electronics that was lost while his father was attending a Baltimore Traffic Club meeting. During summer vacations, he worked with his father doing light warehouse duties, (sweeping the floor) loading freight on pallets, and preparing air waybills on a typewriter. Upon graduating from Calvert Hall in 1984, he immediately started working full time in the freight forwarding business. He has now been in the field full time for 38 years, and has been told he has jet fuel in his blood. Air freight, both export and import, is his area of expertise.
Tony worked with Lufthansa German Airlines in Philadelphia where he was given the opportunity to attend freight forwarding classes in Seeheim, Germany. He earned International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders (FIATA) certification in the 1990’s while working for Dartrans, and became a Certified Customs specialist while working for John S. Connor. Tony has arranged air charters and moved everything from the smallest computer chip to personal fashions for Lady Dianna and disaster relief goods.
Tony has been a Boy Scout Scoutmaster and a Boy Scout Venture Crew Advisor for co-ed youth/young adults age 14-21. He is also a licensed private pilot with flight time in a Cessna 150, 152, 172/Piper 140, and a Pitts Special S2B. An avid photographer since high school, Tony recently enrolled to become a certified professional photographer and is making a photo studio in my home.
Tony says, “I have been lucky in my career to have great mentors and friends in the WTTC like Mary Jane Norris, Judy Zambotti Wall, Ms. Luanne, and countless others that have always been there for me when I have a question or need an answer.”