Speaker Bios for NCLC Summer Conference
June 7 - 10, 2008

Wesley S. Chused is a partner in the law firm of Looney & Grossman LLP, Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Clark University (B.A.1970) and Suffolk University Law School (J.D. 1973). He was admitted to the Bar in Massachusetts in 1973 and is also admitted to practice in The United States Supreme Court, The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and The United States District Courts for the Districts of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. He has also been admitted to practice on a pro hac vice basis representing clients in many other states. Mr. Chused’s clients include many of the country’s leading motor carriers, van lines, freight forwarders, warehousemen, ocean carriers and insurance companies. Specializing in transportation law, his practice encompasses personal injury and inland marine cargo defense, owner/operator/independent contractor disputes, commercial litigation matters, contracts, coverage opinions and related issues.

Mr. Chused has served as a faculty member of the Transportation Law Institute and is an active member of the Boston and Massachusetts Bar Associations, the Transportation Lawyers Association, the Canadian Transport Lawyers Association, the Association of Transportation Law Professionals and the Trucking Industry Defense Association. He is the current Chairman of the Conference of Freight Counsel. His reported cases include D.P. Apparel Corp. v. Roadway Express, Inc., 736 F. 2d 1 (1st Cir. 1984); Intech, Inc. v. Consolidated Freightways, Inc., 836 F.2d 672 (1st Cir. 1987); Rini v. United Van Lines, Inc., 104 F.3d 502 (1st Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 522 U.S. 809, 118 S. Ct. 51 (1999); Camar Corporation v. Preston Trucking Company, Inc., 221 F.3d 271 (1st Cir. 2000); National Private Truck Council, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue, 426 Mass. 324 (1997); Aloha Freightways, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue, 428 Mass. 418 (1998); A-Cal Copiers, Inc. v. North American Van Lines, Inc., 180 F.R.D. 183 (D. Mass. 1998); Bruker Instruments, Inc. v. Bay State Moving Systems, Inc., 15 F. Supp.2d 156 (D. Mass. 1998); Delphax Systems, Inc. v. Mayflower Transit, Inc., 54 F. Supp.2d 60 (D. Mass. 1999); Cherkis v. Atlas Van Lines, Inc., 59 F. Supp.2d 203 (D. Mass. 1999); Norpin Manufacturing, Inc. v. CTS Con-Way Transportation Services, Inc., 68 F. Supp.2d 19 (D. Mass. 1999); O’Donnell v. Earle W. Noyes & Sons, 98 F.Supp.2d 60 (D. Me. 2000) and Falvey Cargo Underwriting, Ltd. v. Metro Freezer & Storage, LLC, 2002 Mass. Super. LEXIS 444 (2002); and McLaughlin Transportation Systems, Inc. v. Rubinstein, 390 F. Supp. 2d 50 (D. Mass. 2005). He also co-authored the article “Refining the Insurer’s Duty to Settle Claims,” published in the January/February 1995 issue of the Boston Bar Journal, and has presented papers on a variety of transportation law and other topics to numerous trade groups and bar associations.

On May 2, 2003 Mr. Chused was awarded the Transportation Lawyers Association’s Distinguished Service Award for his dedication and contributions to TLA, the nation’s leading transportation bar association. On June 26, 2006 he was elected Chairman of the Conference of Freight Counsel, a nationwide association of attorneys primarily representing motor, rail, air and ocean carriers, brokers, forwarders and indirect air carriers in transportation matters.

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Jim Corcoran is Vice President of Trade Relations at the National Confectioners Association and Chocolate Manufacturers Association. Since joining NCA in 1995, he has helped initiate a number of projects improving the business relationships between confectionery manufacturers and our customers. Jim is also the statistician for NCA providing industry performance information on a regular basis. In addition, he heads the buyer recruiting efforts for the annual ALL CANDY EXPO.

Prior to joining NCA/CMA, Jim was the National Sales Manager for Richardson Brands in the candy industry and also spent time in the grocery industry with Borden and Del Monte. Jim received his MBA from Rider University and earned his undergraduate degree in Food Marketing at St. Joseph’s University.

Jim is a frequent speaker at industry events and is knowledgeable in the areas of product development through the final sale. He provides attendees with an in-depth knowledge of the manufacturing, marketing and sales and distribution issues in the industry.

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A citizen of USA, Canada and Finland, Jack has over 30 years of supply chain management experience with five Fortune 500 firms. His career has included stints in consulting, manufacturing and third party logistics; jobs have ranged from direct supervision of Teamsters and Longshoremen at 23 years of age to Senior Vice President of Operations at a multi-billion dollar international company heading up a $200 million division with 800 employees. Jack has extensive knowledge of the food industry working 25 consecutive years for member firms of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. He spent most of the 90’s as Vice President of Purchasing & Logistics for Rich Products in Buffalo.

Jack writes articles for trade journals and is a regular speaker on supply chain issues and trends making over 50 hours of presentations annually to management groups. He has spoken in Canada, Belgium and on behalf of the US Agency for International Development at the first logistics conference ever held in Ghana, Africa.

In conjunction with his consulting and educational efforts Jack serves on the Business School Dean’s Advisory Councils at Niagara University and the University of Massachusetts. At Niagara University he is also the Business Executive-in-Residence. For the Buffalo Niagara Partnership he co-chairs the Logistics Council. He is a member of the editorial advisory board for Supply Chain Management Review.

Jack has a BS degree in business administration from the University of Massachusetts, a year of post graduate study in transportation at Northeastern University (Boston), and an MBA degree from the University of Connecticut.

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