Winter Board Meeting Guest Speaker, Dr Thomas O’Brien to Discuss Equipment Transport Logistics and Delays

Later this month, at NPGA’s Winter Board of Directors meeting in Rancho Mirage, California, supply chain and port expert Dr. Thomas O’Brien will provide attendees with an in-depth assessment of the ongoing supply chain crisis impacting the domestic propane industry and the U.S. economy as a whole. During this hour-long session, Dr. O’Brien will discuss the logistical challenges that have resulted in increased prices and unprecedented delays for critical imported components and products. Dr. O’Brien will also provide insight into potential solutions to shipping and port delays and discuss when U.S. businesses can expect a return to normalcy. This discussion is an opportunity for NPGA member companies to better understand the landscape around one of the most daunting challenges facing the propane industry today.

With decades of experience in international trade, shipping, and logistics issues, Dr. O’Brien has a unique perspective on the challenges resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Center for International Trade and Transportation (CITT) at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and the Deputy Director of the METRANS Transportation Consortium, a partnership of CSULB and the University of Southern California. He also serves as the Director of the Southwest Transportation Workforce Center (SWTWC), one of five regional workforce centers initially funded by the Federal Highway Administration. He previously served as CITT’s Director of Research.

Dr. O’Brien is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC), where he serves as Immediate Past President. He is Chair of the oversight committee of the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Supply Chain Automation and a member of the Transportation Research Board’s Intermodal Freight Transport Committee.