Many people find it appealing when a company is direct and to the point in how it conducts business.
But as Ian Kilburn of Bestway’s North America department points out, direct and to the point is not always enough. That’s one of the reasons he joined Bestway in March 2025.
“Bestway is very straight to the point, but their word actually means something,” Ian says. “Any freight forwarder can just name their price and tell you, ‘We can do it for X amount of dollars.’”
The difference with Bestway, Ian says, is that the team knows how to price things in a way that reflects its own ability to move quickly, keep information flowing and coordinate between departments to deliver good value that matches the price.
Ian knew that before he walked in the door, because he did his homework before accepting Bestway’s offer to serve as an account manager in the North America department. A 14-year veteran of the supply chain industry – including the past six in freight forwarding – Ian has worked for both large and small companies and recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Before joining Bestway, his due diligence told him he’d be part of a team that knows how to get the balance right.
“We are really good at making information move quickly between departments, and we make things happen quickly,” he says. “Obviously with a lot of larger companies, information can move a bit more slowly. With Bestway being more of a midsize company, it can move from Point A to Point B pretty quickly, and I like that kind of pace.”
As an account manager in the North America department, Ian’s work focuses heavily on modes like trucking, drayage and rail. Because he’s worked as an account manager for the bulk of his career, he came to Bestway with a good feel for how to combine the company’s strengths with his own experience and skills to get customers the best quote and service result.
“If I’m giving a specific rate to a customer on how much a shipment will be, I feel like it means something,” he says. “I try to be competitive, but I don’t lowball them and just offer them the cheapest rate, because you never know what you’re going to get. So I feel that if I provide a rate on a service, there’s some merit to it.”
That’s also a good match for what Ian sees as an important distinctive Bestway offers the market. It involves combining the tools and technology that are available with Bestway’s corporate values and producing something that delivers the best of both.
“Bestway takes more of a human approach,” he says. “They give exact responsibility to a specific individual, and they give them as much of an inside look as they can – at what this company does, what they ship, what they need help with and how that matches up with what our strengths are.”
A native of the Buffalo, New York area, Ian studied business at Brockport College in New York before entering the supply chain industry. He’s been part of several teams, and he sees something special about this one.
“It’s a great team,” Ian says. “We work together well and we have the same goal in mind. They’re very lofty goals, but they’re also very attainable. So we definitely have something to reach for, and I have a strong feeling that everyone is on board and wants to get to the same place.”
