Kuehne + Nagel Inc. Contract Logistics Management Team

Dan DeSoto
Managing Director & Executive Vice President
Contract Logistics – North America

Dan DeSoto is responsible for managing contract logistics operations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He knows the business from the bottom up, having joined the company in 1981 as a Distribution Center Manager. Previously, Dan was Vice President of Operations, involved in nearly every new customer start up, including the largest in the organization's history. He's known for his sharp eye for identifying and developing talent, having hired or trained many of our current operations leaders.

John Frick
Executive Vice President, Administration
Contract Logistics – U.S.

John is a no-nonsense, just-the-facts kind of person – no speculation, no assumptions. In other words, the type you want heading your administration team. John has been a valued member of our family since 1972 and today is responsible for human resources, legal and real estate. John has streamlined business practices to assure that Kuehne + Nagel operates with maximum efficiency and cost effectiveness for the benefit of its customers. When he's not steering our administration ship, John likes to spend time on his boat.

Chuck Arfsten
Vice President
Central Region – Automotive / Industrial

Chuck joined the company in 1988. He's held a wide range of operations management positions, including operations manager, distribution center manager, and director/vice president of the Customer Transition & Integration (CTI) team, responsible for dozens of new start-ups. Most recently, he served as vice president of operations for one of the company's largest customers. Chuck's operational leadership strengths are matched by his ability to build strong customer relationships through effective communications and efficient service execution. In 2002, Chuck received the Ray Jarr Award, the company’s highest honor, and in 1997 was the initial recipient of the Operations Excellence Award.

Robert Fazo
Vice President of Operations / Excellence

Bob is one of Kuehne + Nagel's best problem solvers, which is why he heads the team that develops solutions to customers' problems. His reaction when faced with a challenge: "Let's roll up our sleeves and get it done." He's been getting it done since 1987 in various accounting and operations positions, including spearheading a multimillion-dollar reengineering project for one of our largest customers. Bob was the 1996 recipient of the Ray Jarr Memorial Award – the highest honor granted by Kuehne + Nagel's U.S. Contract Logistics unit. When Bob isn't tackling new challenges at work, he likes to play golf.

Al Hickey
Vice President
Northern Region – Pharmaceutical / Healthcare

Al, who joined the company in 1989, has held various operational positions on his way to his current assignment. He is the only recipient of three of the organization’s most prestigious honors, the Ray Jarr Memorial Award, and Distribution Center Manager of the Year and Operations Excellence awards. Al’s extensive experience in solution design, operational analysis and transitional / operational management, gives him a well-rounded background for managing his facilities. He’s a front-line operator who thrives on the action in the field.

Ed Pierzga
Vice President
Southern Region – High Tech

Ed has more than 25 years of logistics management experience, including 18 spent in the pharmaceutical industry. Since joining the company in 1997, Ed has held positions in both the dedicated and multi-client warehousing divisions as operations and distribution center manager. As a one-time customer of Kuehne + Nagel, he brings that unique perspective to his customer relationship management approach. Ed, who has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Fairleigh Dickinson University, was recipient of the 2005 Ray Jarr Memorial Award and named the Distribution Center Manager of the Year for 1998. He spends his free time outdoors with his children, bicycling and attending his favorite teams’ sporting events.

Tony Vassallo
Vice President – Transportation Operations
Contract Logistics – U.S.

Tony has more than 20 years of experience within the logistics industry. He spent a number of those years with our competition, UPS, which has given Tony a valuable perspective as our VP of Transportation Operations. He has a wide range of experience that includes sales as well as implementing complex client solutions. Since his arrival to Kuehne + Nagel in 2004, Tony’s diverse background and strong work ethic have resulted in the 2005 award for Operational Excellence. Tony’s interests include family, outdoor activities, and music.