Shapiro, a 98-year-old logistics leader, will be represented by Jeff Knapp at the Coverings 2014 Tile + Stone Showcase as a speaker for the “Crystal Ball Look at Future Transportation Issues” seminar on April 28, 2014, in Las Vegas

Shapiro, a 98-year-old leader in regulatory compliance and global transportation, will be represented by Atlanta-based Jeff Knapp, Regional Director of Commercial Development, at the 25th annual Coverings Tile + Stone Showcase in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 29 – May 2, 2014.

The four-day event will landmark the iconic show’s 25th anniversary since the merger of the Tile Expo and The World Exposition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings in 1990. Coverings is an international trade fair and expo dedicated to showcasing the newest in ceramic tile and natural stone. It has grown to be the largest and most important show of its kind in the U.S., featuring exhibitors from more than 50 countries and attracting thousands of distributors, retailers, fabricators, contractors, architectural and design professionals, builders and real estate developers. Coverings showcases some of the most innovative tile and stone products in the world. The exposition also serves as a valuable resource for continuing education for all categories of attendees with informative, accredited seminars and live demonstration sessions conducted throughout the four days, all free of charge.

Shapiro’s Jeff Knapp will lead the “Crystal Ball Look at Future Transportation Issues” session on April 28, from 2:15 to 3:15 pm. Knapp, who holds a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a MBA from Northwest Missouri State University, started his career at Shapiro in 2007 and has eighteen years of experience in the industry. In this seminar, he will identify the many factors that should be used by logistics professionals for the “Crystal Ball Approach” such as vessel fill, economic projections, new ship building, and several scenarios that could upset projections as well as provide an early analysis on how the deeper and wider Panama Canal could affect rates to the U.S. when it opens in 2015.

“Each year, logistics managers are asked to forecast freight rates for the next year and, frequently, their only tool is a dartboard,” noted Knapp. “Our discussion will focus on a number of factors that affect rate changes. This is not a scientific process with a formula, but an appraisal process that allows the logistics professional to provide an educated estimation of where rates will be over the coming year.”

To register for Coverings 2014, please visit http://www.coverings.com/