Jason Knaub
St. Croix Island/Operations Manager
VI Cargo
Jason Knaub joined Tropical Shipping in 2014 in a commercial sales role on the U.S. Virgin Island of St. Croix. He then worked for TOTE Maritime in Jacksonville where he managed the company’s South Florida commercial and auto markets before transitioning into his current role as VI Cargo’s St. Croix’s Island/Operations Manager.
“It was also a tremendous opportunity to gain additional exposure to the warehousing/operations side of the business from an NVOCC perspective…I looked forward to the challenge of managing multiple markets, as I also am also responsible for commercial and strategic initiatives to grow the markets in St. Thomas and St. John for our sister company, CaribTrans.
What advantages do you see to growing within the same family of companies rather than seeking external opportunities?
There are several advantages Saltchuk offers from my perspective, and they’re why I haven’t sought out external opportunities. The company has tremendous leadership from the top down across all the business units I have interacted with and genuinely care about its people. There are numerous growth opportunities throughout the United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Also, Saltchuk leads in the markets it serves.
Was there anything you did that helped prepare you to take on a different role?
During my first tenure with Tropical Shipping in St. Croix, I was afforded the opportunity to attend Villanova University and obtain a Six Sigma Green belt certification which allowed me to participate on the Continuous Improvement Advisory Board for Tropical Shipping. I was also given the opportunity to head a CI project during my tenure at TOTE Maritime where we were able to identify a GAP in our equipment inventory/equipment pool allocations and work with stakeholders to reduce average dwell times on equipment, ultimately resulting in an annual cost savings of more than $100,000. Finally, I participated in a management/leadership training module in Seattle at the Saltchuk corporate office. This exposure, as well as the networking opportunities I was afforded, was invaluable to my career development.
