Q&A with Jes Crownover: Why I Joined Tru

What made you want to be part of what Tru is building?

I believe in what Hugo is trying to do: make cross-border trade safer and easier for those who want to import and export goods.

At the end of the day, for me, it’s about who you work for. I trust Hugo. I think he cares, and I think he’ll make decisions with integrity. That matters to me.

Your background spans global operations, technology, sales, and compliance. How does that shape the work you want to do at Tru?

I was at FedEx for nearly 12 years, and I went across five different operating companies. I started off in strategic pricing. Within a year, I was working on major global project initiatives and taking their worldwide accounts, such as Boeing.

I worked my way up and became the global PMO for FedEx, for all global projects across all operating companies and functional areas. That experience gave me exposure to nearly every part of the business. At Livingston, I took that a step further by leading my own business unit across tech, business development, marketing, and operations.

What feels most different about trade compliance today than it did even just a few years ago?

Technology has changed the game in compliance. Right now, everyone’s trying to figure out what that looks like. What are the parameters? It’s still very open and fluid in many ways.

I think there’s a lot of good that will come from it, and, of course, the flip side is that there are also not-great things that we want to be sure don't happen. Overall, I see a lot of opportunity and the positive impact it can have on the global trade, logistics, and e-commerce communities. Trying to figure that out is going to be a process, and it’s not going to be straightforward. That’s what makes it fun.

What’s missing from the way the industry is using technology today?

There’s an adage in the industry: you date your carriers, but you marry your broker. The reason why is because your broker traditionally had all of your information. Your broker knew your products and how to get them across the border quickly.

If you think about it, the power of the data is moving into technology. Whoever can marry together the expertise and the technology is going to be who, at the end of the day, does really well in today’s world and facilitates the true power of the data.

That’s the part that we have to find: that middle ground, that sweet spot, where you can marry together the technology and the expertise. I see Tru as the platform that empowers cross-border professionals to do exactly that.

Why join Tru now?

I see a lot of opportunity to shape the market. The market is still newer, and there’s a lot that we have to contend with in this day and age. Look at all of the executive orders coming out. Look at all of the things that are happening at a much faster clip than they have ever happened before. Not only is the world changing faster, but trade has as well. Tru is the place where I can have the largest impact.

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Read the full press release on Jes joining Tru.