Lynden leaders participate in Airport Classroom Program

Elodie Gergov (right) with Highline Community College's business faculty member Mary Kajoka.

Elodie Gergov, Director of International Operations for Lynden Logistics, and Jake Maenpa, Vice President of Sales for Alaska Marine Lines, recently shared their knowledge with Port Jobs students as speakers in an Introduction to Logistics class in partnership with Highline Community College. Both Jake and Elodie are members of the Advisory Board for Highline College's Center of Excellence for Global Trade & Supply Chain Management. "It was my first time being an official speaker at a class," Elodie says. "I always welcome the opportunity to tell the world what Lynden Logistics does, so I immediately accepted. A portion of the presentation was about our career path and our job responsibilities at Lynden."

The class, part of the college's Airport Classroom Program, is comprised of adults, many of them immigrants, trying to acquire new professional skills. "As a French immigrant, I was happy to share my own journey and all the struggles I encountered and the successes to get to where I am now. Usually hard work and sometimes a little luck allow you to live the American dream most immigrants hope for when they come to America," Elodie says.

"Mike Oliver started our involvement with the college, and I took over five years ago," Jake says. "We provide transportation industry perspective for the students. Elodie gives the international perspective, and I provide the marine for Alaska and Hawaii. I encouraged the students to apply at Lynden and told them with a good work ethic and willingness to learn, we can train them and find a place for them in the transportation industry." Jake also participated in Port U last year, an adult education program sponsored by Alaska Marine Lines, the Port of Seattle, the Federal Aviation Administration and Seattle/King County Public Health.