Midwest Euro Truck Alliance - META

11/22/2025

We did it again — another great networking & learning event in the books!
The Midwest Euro Truck Alliance is proud to serve the logistics industry by bringing together sharp minds, real-world experience, and vibrant conversations that actually move the industry forward.

Grateful to have you on board — and proud to be part of the Meta community that connects us all.

Follow us so you never miss an event.

11/19/2025

TOMORROW:

🚛 Real Talk: Brokers, Shippers & The Future of Rates
A Candid Industry Discussion You Won’t Want to Miss
Rates are moving fast, brokers are tightening margins, and shippers are shifting expectations.
If you want to understand what’s really happening, you need to hear it straight from the people living it every day.
At Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead, we’re bringing together three industry heavyweights for a direct, no-BS conversation:
👤 George Harasimowicz — President, Amnex Solutions
👤 Robert Bain — Director of Partnerships, GLCS Inc. (“Strongest Man in Logistics”)
👤 Rick DiMaio — Head of Logistics, ACE Hardware (Fortune 500)
🔥 Discussion Topics:
• What’s driving today’s rate volatility
• Why brokers and carriers are clashing — and how to fix it
• How carriers can position themselves for direct shipper deals
• What major shippers like ACE Hardware look for in carrier partnerships
• The market outlook heading into 2026
This won’t be a lecture — it’s an open conversation with the audience.
Ask questions, get insights, make connections.
📍 Chicago Prime Italian – Private Room
🗓 Thu, Nov 20 | 4–8 PM
💲 $20 Cover | Open Bar & Hors d'oeuvres | Limited to 90 Seats
Secure your spot — conversations like this don’t happen every day.
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/18/2025

🚛 Recruiting Drivers With ICE in Mind:
What Every Carrier Needs to Know in 2025

Driver recruiting isn’t what it used to be.
With new ICE activity, tighter DOT requirements, and rising compliance pressure, carriers across the country are being forced to rethink how they find, vet, and retain drivers.

At Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead, we’re breaking it all down — openly and honestly.

🎙 Speaker: Samir Burdzovic, Founder of GetDrivers.ai
Samir will walk you through modern recruiting realities, including:
• How ICE enforcement is reshaping the driver pool
• Smart, compliant recruiting strategies carriers can use now
• How technology and automation can protect your business
• The new rules of driver retention in 2025

If you’re struggling to fill seats — or want to stay ahead of the compliance curve — this discussion is a must-attend.

📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse – Private Room
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4 PM – 8 PM
💲 $20 cover | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Only 90 seats

🔗 Reserve your spot before it sells out.
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/18/2025

Meet Our Host: Galina Petrova

President, Midwest Euro Truck Alliance (M.E.T.A.)

At the heart of every M.E.T.A. event is connection — and no one embodies that better than Galina Petrova, President of the Midwest Euro Truck Alliance.

Galina has been a driving force behind M.E.T.A.’s mission to unite, educate, and empower the trucking community across the Midwest. Her leadership brings together fleet owners, logistics experts, and industry professionals to share insights, collaborate, and strengthen the backbone of the industry — its people.

At “Keeping it ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead,” Galina will guide the discussion as event moderator, leading conversations with top industry voices on the topics that matter most: recruiting challenges, rate trends, cybersecurity, and direct shipper relations.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4–8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Limited to 90 seats
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/17/2025

Meet Our Speaker: George Harasimowicz

President, Amnex Solutions | Founder, CrossdockBuddy.com

With over 16 years of hands-on experience in both asset-based and brokerage logistics, George Harasimowicz has built a reputation for driving growth and operational excellence across the transportation industry.

As President of Amnex Solutions Corp. and Founder of CrossdockBuddy.com, George has helped companies scale from startup to success — taking operations from 0 to 1, and 10 to 100. His experience across every corner of logistics gives him a unique perspective on how carriers and brokers can collaborate more efficiently and sustainably.

🎯 Event Topic:
“From Load Boards to Direct Deals: The Real Talk on Brokers, Shippers & Rates.”
George will join Robert Bain (GLCS Inc., “The Strongest Man in Logistics”) for an open discussion with the audience on how to strengthen relationships, build trust, and navigate the evolving carrier–broker–shipper landscape.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4–8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Limited to 90 seats
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/17/2025

🔐 Security Breaches Are Hitting Trucking Companies — Are You Protected?

Several carriers in our community were recently hit with major cyber breaches—hacked dispatch systems, stolen load data, and thousands in losses. Most didn’t realize the risk until it was too late.

🚨 How it’s happening:

• Fake broker emails
• Stolen load board logins
• Malware hidden in rate cons
• Outdated TMS/ELD systems

💡 How to prevent it:

• MFA on all accounts
• Staff training
• Encrypted tools
• Firewalls + VPN
• Regular password audits

At our event, Simeon Roussimov (SAR Technology Group) will break down what went wrong, what it cost, and how to protect your operation before it happens to you.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thu, Nov 20 | 4–8 PM
💲 $20 cover | Open Bar | Limited to 90 seats

Protect your business before the breach — not after.

11/17/2025

Meet Our Speaker: Robert Bain

Director of Partnerships & Senior Consultant, GLCS Inc.
Known across the industry as the “Strongest Man in Logistics”

With nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in the transportation and logistics industry, Robert Bain brings a powerful mix of leadership, operational insight, and real-world perspective to the stage.

From managing fleets and dispatch operations to leading enterprise logistics teams at UberFreight and QuadExpress, Robert has seen every side of the carrier–broker relationship. Today, he serves as Director of Broker Relations on the Board of the Broker Carrier Summit, where he works to transform how carriers and brokers collaborate.

🎯 Event Topic:
“From Load Boards to Direct Deals: The Real Talk on Brokers, Shippers & Rates.”
Alongside George Harazimowicz, President of Amnex Solutions, Robert will lead an open discussion with the audience on how to strengthen relationships, improve negotiation power, and navigate rate volatility in today’s market.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4–8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Limited to 90 seats
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/16/2025

Meet Our Speaker: Simeon Roussimov

President, SAR Technology Group

Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue — it’s a business survival issue.
As the President of SAR Technology Group, Simeon Roussimov brings over a decade of experience helping logistics and transportation companies stay secure in an increasingly connected world.

With fleets, warehouses, and vehicles all powered by digital systems, the industry is more efficient than ever — but also more exposed. Simeon’s mission is to help carriers and logistics leaders protect their data, operations, and reputation from growing cyber threats.

🎯 Event Topic:
“Managing IT Risk Within the Logistics & Transportation Industry.”
Simeon will share real-world insights into how to identify vulnerabilities, strengthen your systems, and keep your business running smoothly — even when the unexpected happens.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4–8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Limited to 90 seats
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/14/2025

🚛 Get the chance to sit down with a Fortune 500 shipper: Exclusive carrier & direct-shipper panel
Join us for an elite, invite-only evening where you’ll connect with the Executive VP of Logistics at Ace Hardware (ranked on the Fortune 500 list #429)
Fortune
+1

📍 Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4 PM–8 PM
📌 Location: Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Private room | Open bar & hors d’oeuvres | Seats severely limited

🎯 Why attend?

Learn how to turn load-boards into direct contracts

Hear firsthand from a major shipper on what they look for in carriers

Strategy, insights, networking — in a setting built for decision-makers

👉 Reserve your spot now. Limited to 90 attendees — once it’s full,
https://meta.eventbee.com

ATTENTION: Seats are extremely limited, and attendance is restricted to industry professionals and M.E.T.A. members.There is a $20 cover charge to secure your spot and confirm attendance.

11/14/2025

Meet Our Speaker: Samir Burdzovic

Founder of GetDrivers.ai

From life on the road to building one of trucking’s most innovative tech platforms, Samir Burdzovic knows the driver’s journey better than anyone.

After four years behind the wheel and time as an owner-operator, Samir saw firsthand the limits many drivers face — long hours, little growth, and too few opportunities to scale. In 2019, he decided to change the system itself.

That vision became GetDrivers.ai — the first AI-powered TMS built for driver recruiting. It automates lead management, improves retention, and gives fleets total transparency into recruiter performance. Today, Samir’s technology is helping carriers across the country operate smarter and keep their trucks full.

🎯 Event Topic:
“With ICE in Play: Let’s Talk Driver Recruiting Strategies.”
Samir will share how technology and smart systems can help fleets overcome the driver shortage, stay compliant, and grow even in challenging times.

📍 Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | 4–8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg, IL
💲 $20 cover charge | Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres | Limited to 90 seats
https://meta.eventbee.com

11/12/2025

Meet Our Speaker: Rick DiMaio

Executive Vice President of Supply Chain, ACE Hardware

With decades of leadership across some of the nation’s largest supply chains, Rick DiMaio brings unmatched insight into logistics and carrier partnerships.

Before joining ACE Hardware, Rick served as Senior Vice President of Supply Chain Operations at The ODP Corporation (Office Depot), overseeing transportation, inventory, forecasting, and international operations. Earlier in his career, he led logistics for Sears Holdings, managing more than 40 distribution centers and thousands of associates.

He holds both a bachelor’s degree in Management and an MBA from Roosevelt University.

🎯 Event Topic:
“From Load Boards to Direct Deals: Building Relationships with Shippers.”
Rick will share practical insights on how carriers can connect directly with major shippers, navigate broker challenges, and secure long-term, profitable partnerships.

📍 Event: Keeping It ICE Cold: Drivers, Rates & the Road Ahead
🗓 Thursday, November 20, 2025 | ⏰ 4 PM – 8 PM
📍 Chicago Prime Italian Steakhouse, Schaumburg IL
💲 $20 cover charge – Open Bar & Hors d’oeuvres included
🎟 Limited seating (90 attendees) → Secure your spot today!
https://meta.eventbee.com