Manufacturing-Distribution SIG | Cargo Theft in North America—Issues, Trends, and Preventative Actions

I started practicing law in October 2000, at the nation’s preeminent transportation law firm. In my more than 20 years of practice with the firm, I routinely represented motor carriers, brokers, warehouses, and other transportation service providers in a practice that included cargo claims, freight charge issues, bankruptcy risk mitigation, contracts (transportation, business, and technology), collections, FDA and related regulatory issues, and more. I have also represented select businesses and individuals on non-transportation matters, including business litigation, preference claim defense, contract drafting, negotiation, and more.

After enjoying working remotely in 2020 and 2021, I sought a different way to practice, one that better fits my vision for my next 20 years as an attorney. I thrived working alone from home, without the commute or the distractions of a large office environment.

It was with this goal in mind, that I formed Helmreich Law LLC. When you call our office, I’m typically the person who answers the phone. There is no commercial office space – our entire team is working from their homes. Simple. Streamlined. Efficient. This structure allows us to decide who to work for, and what projects to accept, to work hourly, or to quote flat fees when appropriate for your legal project.

As we expand to continue to serve the needs of our growing client base, we intend to keep these founding principles in mind. Hiring talent where that talent can be found and allowing our team to not only work from where they want to work but to define how the practice of law fits into their broader life. Dedicated, creative professionals, providing top quality legal services in a low overhead and client centric business model.

I hope you’ll consider using Helmreich Law LLC to assist you with your legal needs.

Gregg Zody is General Director, Consumer Products, for BNSF Railway. In this role, he is responsible for leading the Intermodal Solutions team- which works directly with beneficial cargo owners (BCO’s) to address their intermodal rail transportation needs.  Prior to his current role, Gregg served as General Director, Industrial Products, and held various leadership positions in Consumer Products including director, UPS, director Temperature Controlled Intermodal, director Dry Motor Carrier Sales, and director, National Accounts Sales. 

Before joining BNSF in Dec. 2003, Gregg served as regional sales director, South Central Division for Pacer Global Logistics. Prior to Pacer, Gregg worked as a sales executive for Logistics.com and spent 12 years with J.B. Hunt Transport. During his tenure with J.B. Hunt he served as general manager, National Accounts, and was the first intermodal operations manager when their partnership with the Santa Fe Railway began in 1989. 

Education

• Bachelor of Science, Business Logistics, Pennsylvania State University

• Master of Business Administration, Xavier University

• Executive Masters, Intermodal Transportation, University of Denver 

Personal

Gregg is an avid hunter, drummer and enjoys golf.  He and his wife, Samantha, reside in Roanoke, TX and have two children, Mackenzie (24) and Blake (18). 

Ryan Kiefer is the Lead for the Special Investigations Group (SIG) for Travelers Insurance- Investigative Services.  SIG is a unit specializing in cargo and heavy equipment investigations, recoveries, and theft prevention assessments and training. 

Ryan has been with Travelers since 2010 and is known in the industry with experience in law enforcement, fraud, cargo, heavy equipment, boat and yacht, and organized theft rings.  He works with industry partners and clientele to identify evolving theft related challenges and with establishing theft prevention best practices. 

Shannon Conway commits her practice primarily to insurance coverage litigation, securities litigation, commercial business disputes, white collar crimes, and internal and government investigations. Shannon has litigated matters in state and federal courts around the country, including the United States Court of Appeals for several circuits.

Shannon joined Platt Richmond with more than 20 years of experience as a litigator, mostly as an associate and partner with the global firm of Squire Patton Boggs, and more recently as the Managing Shareholder of Talcott Franklin, P.C., a securities litigation boutique firm, and the Managing Partner of Franklin Scott Conway LLP, where she continued her securities and insurance coverage litigation. Shannon is also a Professor at UNT Dallas College of Law, a public law school founded in 2014 and located in the old Municipal Building in downtown Dallas. She teaches Torts, Insurance Law, and International Criminal Law, and coaches an international criminal law moot court team.

Professor (Logistics), and Senior Associate Dean of the G. Brint Ryan College of Business, Dr. Pohlen received a MS in Logistics from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and an MA and PhD in Business Administration from The Ohio State University. Dr. Pohlen retired from the USAF with 20 years experience in logistics. His research focuses on the costing and financial management of logistics and supply chain management. 

Dr. Pohlen co-authored CSCMP’s The Handbook of Supply Chain Costing. He has routinely participated in executive education programs including those at Northwestern University, Southern Methodist University, Georgia Institute of Technology, The Ohio State University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research has been published in the Journal of Business Logistics, International Journal of Logistics Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, and the Transportation Journal.