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The Port of Baltimore
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January/February 2014
JSC, which also handles air freight, is
headquartered near Baltimore/Washington
International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
JSC’s staff has grown to 100 and the
company has satellite offices at Dulles
International Airport in Washington, D.C.,
in Louisville, Ken., and at two U.S. East
Coast ports. There is also a sales office in
Shanghai, China.
The company provides ship agency
services and is a Non-Vessel Operating
Common Carrier that can ship customers’
goods even if it amounts to less than a
container load.
“Our cargoes range from a tiny box of
human eye tissue that sits next to a pilot on
(JSC) to submit information via computer
to U.S. Customs and Border Protection
officials days before their cargo arrives
in Baltimore, sometimes even before it is
loaded in a foreign port.
“Clearing cargo through Customs is
just one piece of the end-to-end service
we offer,” said JSC President Lee Connor,
John’s grandson. “JSC provides customs
and freight-forwarding services to import-
ers and exporters, but we can also arrange
door-to-door logistics for cargo worldwide
through the partnerships we have built over
the past century.”
a flight to an entire Cape-sized ship filled
with coal,” said Connor, “and everything
in between.”
Even with all the automation, Connor
said it is still a personal service business.
“Our people are our number-one asset.”
He added, “The world of logistics
management in general, and customs
brokers and freight forwarders in particular,
has changed dramatically since 9/11. Before
then, our job was to facilitate global trade.
Now, while that is still our job, we are also
tasked with helping to ensure that cargoes
we handle do not pose a threat to the
country.” To this end, the federal government
has enacted many laws to monitor the supply
chain of imported and exported goods from
end to end. In order to help its customers
understand and abide by the sometimes
complex regulations, JSC offers consulting
services focused on compliance.
“Over the past three to four years, there
have been major changes to regulations
in multiple sectors concerning customs,
immigration, homeland security and border
protection,” said Priscilla Royster, JSC’s
Vice President of Compliance. “John S.
Connor realizes these major regulatory
changes have a great impact on both our
small and medium-sized customers, as
many do not have in-house compliance
departments.”
From left, Michelle Chaires, Sharon
Marconi and Vice President of
Compliance Priscilla Royster with the
tariff book. Below, Sean Connor in
JSC’s air freight warehouse.
John S. Connor, Inc.
AT A GLANCE
•
Established in 1917
•
Headquartered in Glen Burnie, with
five U.S. satellite offices and a sales
office in Shanghai, China
•
Approximately 100 employees
•
The fourth generation of the Connor
family now works at JSC
•
Professional relationships include
the National Customs Brokers and
Forwarders Association of America,
American Association of Exporters
and Importers, Association of Ship
Brokers and Agents, Global Logistics
Associates, International Air and
Shipping Association and National
District Export Council
