For this year’s TIA Capital Ideas Conference in Phoenix, Transflo proudly awarded a scholarship for attending the show to a young professional working to advance their career in the brokerage/3PL space. The winner of the 2024 scholarship is Aaron DeGroot, who works as Director, Risk Management for family-owned DeGroot Logistics in the Chicago area.

DeGroot briefly discussed his current role and experience attending TIA Capital Ideas with Transflo. 

What made you want to go into the logistics industry? 

Our family has been farming in Illinois for four generations, starting as a flower farm serving the Chicagoland area and later transitioning to vegetable production in the 1970s, now serving customers nationwide.  

Ten years ago, my brother Adam DeGroot started DeGroot Logistics to serve the transportation needs of our family’s farm and produce company. Since then, our company has grown to serve leading brands across the food and beverage industry. I have always been fascinated by the fresh produce and food & beverage supply chain, particularly the transportation side, which is why I’m so excited to be a part of the DeGroot Logistics team and our family of companies. 

What are your career goals that you’d like to accomplish in the future? 

I’m always looking to pursue professional development opportunities. That’s why I was so excited to receive Transflo’s scholarship to attend this year’s TIA Capital Ideas Conference in Phoenix. It was a great opportunity to network with peers, connect with vendors, and learn more about the latest trends and best practices, particularly as it relates to mitigating freight claims and fraud.  

I look forward to continuing my personal professional development in the industry by attending future conferences and participating in TIA’s online education courses. 

To read more about the 2024 TIA Capital Ideas Conference, check out our recent blog.