Meet Sandy Lance

Sandy joined the Aries Team at the end of 2022 after working 30 years in the logistics industry. She made the leap over to Aries to head the Customs Brokerage Department with the goal of being able to make a larger impact working with a company focused on growth. 

When asked how she ended up in customs brokerage, she said “I started out working in the ocean export department at a competitor then the company had a full-time position opportunity in the air consolidation department. I applied and then moved to a full-time position in the air consolidation department.  I was promoted a few years later to department manager. Three years later, the company was awarded a large automotive account and I was named account manager. I handled a team of import and export agents while working on this account for ten years. During this time, I gathered knowledge on the import and compliance process, and this is how my love for customs brokerage began.”

“We’ve been very fortunate to recruit a leader with the background and experience that Sandy brings. She has brought some great new ideas to develop and train our Customs Brokerage team and we feel we are in good hands with this division of our organization” - Russ Schamun,  Chief Operating Officer / Aries Worldwide Logistics.

Why Aries?

While there are many options for freight forwarders in the industry, Aries sets itself apart from the competition by focusing on the client’s immediate and future needs. “It is typical in the industry for the operational staff to get involved in the day-to-day struggles with shipments and issues. Aries has created an account management team that helps the operational staff manage the communication with the clients so that clients are getting email and phone call responses within an hour or less” says Lance. This type of dedication provides the client with peace of mind and allows each department to work towards its goal seamlessly. 

Beyond the business model, at Aries, we also set ourselves apart by providing the employees with a healthy work/life balance and the support they need. As a veteran in the industry, Lance has accepted that the career path requires a lot of time, energy, and dedication but she appreciates that Aries values its employee's personal time outside of the office.

We pride ourselves on our employees maintaining a strong work ethic and commitment towards a common goal and Sandy Lance is an excellent display of these values. When asked who or what inspires her each day, she said “Matt Frey – Matt was my former boss for over 10 years. I was young and new to the industry. He spent the time teaching me about the types of aircrafts and their loading capacity as well as the warehouse and packing processes. Matt was always willing to teach anyone that was willing to learn. Without him passing along all his knowledge I would not have been able to excel in this industry.”

Aries Customs Brokerage Currently and in the Future

It’s never been more important - and more complex - to ship internationally. Accurate customs brokering is essential for today’s business. At a glance, the customs brokerage department’s goal is to submit all required documentation and data to customs as early as possible to ensure timely clearance, meet all legal requirements, and avoid costly fines and penalties.

When asked if she has any goals for her department specifically, Lance said “I would like to have all the SOP’s for all our CHB clients completed and uploaded to their organization. I would also like to have all of the new staff trained and working on all of the processes and steps in Cargowise accurately. Lastly, the focus is for our compliance team to be pre-auditing 100% of the shipment prior to transmission.”

At Aries, we use our customs brokerage expertise for easy, compliant, and speedy deliveries. A great customs brokerage team is one that can depend on and rely on each other. In customs brokerage, it is hard to be knowledgeable of and keep up with all rules, regulations, and processes. It is imperative that each team member relies on each other to assist with finding solutions. The customs brokerage team needs people that are willing to research a problem to help find the solution along with being diligent in inputting entries.

We aim to take the hassle out of all customs compliance for each client and we are thankful for teams like Sandy’s!