CREATING THE GATEWAY TO BETTER LOGISTICS

We create value for our customers, carriers, and employees on every shipment, every time.

Why We Exist

Built by transportation professionals, not just brokers

For more than two decades, Gateway Logistics has helped shippers navigate an increasingly complex transportation landscape through a unique combination of asset-backed capacity, brokerage expertise, and operational excellence.

Unlike many providers that operate solely as brokers or carriers, Gateway was built by transportation professionals who spent their careers managing fleets, solving supply chain challenges, and delivering freight in the real world.

A Company Built on Family Legacy
OUR STORY

A Company Built on Family Legacy

In 2007, Ashlee Carucci-Kenner launched Gateway Brokerage as an extension of her family's transportation legacy. Growing up in the industry gave her firsthand understanding of what shippers and carriers really need. Alongside her husband Benny Kenner, she built Gateway into something increasingly rare: a third-party logistics provider that leads with integrity.

We embed ourselves in our customers' operations and treat every shipment as if our own reputation is on the line. Because it is.

Meet the Team

The people behind Gateway Logistics

Nick Pharo
President

Nick is a CPA with a Master's in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati who spent a decade as a senior manager in public accounting before joining Gateway Logistics as CFO and eventually taking the helm as President. He built Gateway's leadership structure and culture from the ground up, earning the company spots on Cincinnati's Fast 55 and Best Places to Work lists. Nick is also active in the Transportation Intermediaries Association, co-organizing TIA's Cincinnati Regional Meeting to connect the region's freight brokerage community.

Sean Edwards
Director of Sales

Sean brings over 20 years of freight brokerage experience, including nearly 19 years at Total Quality Logistics where he led teams of up to 80 people, earned six consecutive Team Leader of the Year awards, and generated $32M in sales. As Director of Sales at Gateway, he drives revenue strategy, sales team development, and carrier relationship growth. Sean is known for blending deep operational expertise with a coaching-first leadership style that consistently produces high-performing sales teams.

Adam Smith
Sales Manager

Adam has spent over a decade in freight sales, including nearly 11 years as a Sales Team Leader at Total Quality Logistics before joining Gateway Logistics in 2022. He manages and develops Gateway's sales force, recruits new talent through university partnerships, and has been involved in high-profile freight moves including coordinating delivery to the White House. Adam is a hands-on leader who brings a competitive, team-first mentality to everything he does.

Justin Childers
Accounting Manager

Justin holds an MBA and brings over six years of experience in corporate finance and accounting, with expertise in financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and platforms including QuickBooks, SAP, and PeopleSoft. He previously served as Director of Accounting and Finance at a logistics firm before joining Gateway, where he oversees the financial operations that keep the brokerage running smoothly. Justin is focused on helping the business maximize profitability while maintaining clean, compliant reporting across all functions.

Jared Conrad
Human Resources Manager

Jared is a people-first HR professional with over a decade of experience in human resources, recruiting, and HR systems implementation across healthcare and corporate environments. At Gateway, he leads all hiring, talent development, and employee relations efforts — actively recruiting from universities like Ohio University and UC and managing the agent recruitment pipeline. His background as an implementation consultant at Paycor gives him a strong systems foundation to support Gateway's continued growth.

Jon Manning
Director of National Accounts

Jon brings over a decade of freight brokerage leadership to his role as Director of National Accounts at Gateway Logistics. He spent more than 10 years as a Branch Manager at Allen Lund Company, where he built and led high-performing logistics teams in the Cincinnati market before joining Gateway in 2026. With earlier experience at XPO Logistics and UTi Worldwide, Jon has a well-rounded background spanning freight brokerage, operations management, and business development across multiple modes.

Six Reasons Shippers stay with Gateway
What Makes Us Different

Six Reasons Shippers stay with Gateway

We were built differently, by people who came up through the industry and carry that accountability into every load they touch.

  • Real people, real accountability: no call centers, no 1-800 numbers, someone answers and gets to work
  • Operationally grounded: our ownership built an asset-based carrier before ever brokering a load
  • Proactive communication: updates at every major milestone, not just when you call
  • Handles tough freight: multi-stop, last-minute, hazmat, oversized, and temperature-controlled
  • Rigorous carrier vetting: In an era of high freight fraud, we vet carriers thoroughly through Highway Carrier's Identity process plus
  • Value over price: we partner with companies that want value, not just lowest rate
  • Real people, real accountability
  • Operationally grounded
  • Proactive communication
  • Rigorous carrier vetting

Let's move your freight the right way

Build a service-first, long-term partnership with a team that answers, communicates, and follows through.