Leading Through Crisis, Advocacy, and Change: Inside TIA’s Fight Against Freight Fraud

Описание: In this episode of The Association Insights Podcast, host Meghan Henning sits down with Chris Burroughs, President & CEO of the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), for a candid conversation on leadership, advocacy, and how associations respond when an industry crisis hits.


Chris reflects on stepping into the CEO role after nearly 15 years leading government affairs—and why that policy background translates into enterprise leadership, strategy, and member value. The discussion then turns to the logistics industry’s most urgent challenge: freight fraud—now more sophisticated, more organized, and more damaging than ever.


🎧 If you lead an association team facing fast-moving risk, this episode offers practical insight into how to mobilize, communicate, and move the needle.


Key Highlights


From Policy Expert to Association Leader: Chris shares what surprised him most about moving from subject-matter leadership into the CEO role—and why deep institutional knowledge, relationship-building, and a service mindset made the transition possible.


Why Freight Fraud Became an Industry Crisis: Once a niche concern, cargo theft and strategic fraud have evolved into sophisticated, organized criminal operations. Chris explains what changed, why small and midsize businesses are especially vulnerable, and why underreporting remains a major challenge.


Building a Multi-Pronged Response: TIA isn’t waiting on a single fix. Chris walks through the association’s ecosystem approach—combining advocacy, member tools, education, data sharing, and new partnerships with the FBI and federal agencies.


Advocacy Takes Time—and Patience: From revisiting long-standing legislation to pushing for stronger interagency collaboration, Chris offers a realistic look at how policy change actually happens—and why persistence and bridge-building matter.


The Power of Real Member Stories: A $400,000 lobster heist made national headlines—but it represents a much larger problem. Chris explains why elevating real member experiences is essential to education, awareness, and credibility.


🎧 Tune in for a practical, real-world conversation on leadership, advocacy, and how associations can lead when the stakes are high.






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