Joanne Kazmierski

By demonstrating determination, perseverance, awareness and belief in herself, entrepreneur Joanne Kazmierski, CTL, is in the driver’s seat of a thriving career.

Kazmierski is CEO of Global Business Logistix, LLC. She founded the Jacksonville- based company in 2014 after working in the port, logistics, supply chain and transportation industries.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in marketing and transportation/logistics, she established the company to provide project leadership in the international trade and logistics industry with a focus on workforce and economic development. Her customers include nonprofits and educational institutions.

“I love what I do – transportation and logistics feed my soul,” said Kazmierski, who was named JAX Chamber’s Transportation & Logistics Council’s 2022 Small Business Leader of the Year.

The industry offers dynamic, challenging, and fulfilling career opportunities with a wide variety of career trajectories. Transportation focuses on the movement of people and products via road, air, rail, and water. Logistics covers a broader scope of activities that facilitate the management of product movement within the supply chain.

Kazmierski earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration from the University of South Florida in Tampa, and initially managed successful multi-family communities. While working to bring bus services to one of her communities, Kazmierski became intrigued by the transportation industry.

Kazmierski spent more than three years as marketing coordinator for Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), the independent agency responsible for public transit in Jacksonville. She then spent 11 years as a community outreach manager at the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT), Florida’s largest container port by volume and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports.

Kazmierski operates Global Business Logistix as a “solopreneur,” utilizing subconsultants for special project needs. With a global-thinking focus, the consulting company helps businesses and organizations achieve the growth they desire. Global Business Logistix is known for its work with the Florida Supply Chain Summit and offers state and federal grant writing and administration. Diversifying and offering niche services has provided opportunities for the company’s success. Kazmierski to date has written and administered more than $42 million in federal and state grants that serve nearly 10,000 children in Northeast Florida after-school, summer, and food programs.

Global Business Logistix has enjoyed consistent growth over the past eight years, thanks to Kazmierski’s focus on accreditation and professional development. She
earned the internationally recognized Certification in Transportation and Logistics (CTL) and attends numerous professional development programs.

“To keep yourself relevant, it’s essential to keep your credentials up-to-date and build on your skill set,” Kazmierski said.

Kazmierski credits her success to tenacious networking and encourages everyone to build and maintain their professional network. Her networking includes keeping in contact with former colleagues and making new connections. She frequently volunteers on behalf of industry organizations and also generously gives her time to mentoring rising entrepreneurs.

“If you’re going to succeed in this industry, it is vitally important to nurture your network,” Kazmierski said. “If you don’t succeed, you haven’t done your networking well.”