Southern Dallas County's IPTMA Appoints an Executive Director

The Southern Dallas County Inland Port Transportation Management Association (IPTMA), a local membership organization dedicated to addressing transportation issues in the Southern Dallas County Inland Port, has named its new leader.

Laura Freeland, who has an extensive career in the transportation industry, officially joined the org on Jan. 1, 2021, as its executive director. In her new role, Freeland will collaborate with the IPTMA Board and its member companies to find the best, most comprehensive services that can solve last mile transportation problems affecting employers and employees in the area.

Founded in 2019, IPTMA is comprised of employers, developers, building owners, and local governments that collectively coordinate transportation solutions. Those could include DART, Southern Dallas Link, or the 401 Hutchins Shuttle.

The inland port is home to more than 30,000 jobs and hundreds of employers, making it a premier job destination.

“The goal of the IPTMA is to provide both employees and employers with the essential transportation services they need to succeed,” Freeland said in a statement. “By solving those transportation needs, the Southern Dallas Inland Port will continue to expand the job growth and community development we see around us.”

In addition to transportation, Freeland has a breadth of experience in logistics, strategic planning, and nonprofit management. Throughout her career, she is credited with implementing industry leading revenue management systems and creating multi-year strategic plans that transform organizations through change management practices.

Previously, she served as a board member for the National Association of Women MBAs, Texas Women’s Foundation, and The Dallas Opera, among others. According to IPTMA Chairwoman and Dallas County Public Works Director Alberta Blair, Freeland’s knowledge and skill set makes her a key driver in reaching the organization’s transportation goals.

Up next for IPTMA is the 4th Annual Inland Port Virtual Symposium & Employer Forum. As a collaboration with the the Dallas College Cedar Valley campus, the symposium will cover opportunities for workforce training and development at the Cedar Valley campus and ways to take advantage of the IPTMA’s new services.

Registration for the symposium can be found here.