As a logistics professional just starting out, Ken Nord's first job revolved primarily around unpredictable weather and locating packages. This might sound like a typical day in the life of many young logistics professionals, but for Ken it represented the start of his journey to the biggest logistics stage in Canada.

Ken's talents and passion for his work eventually took him to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and a job as manager of Customs Brokerage and Freight Forwarding for VANOC.

But it didn't happen overnight.

Ken's early years were spent driving onto the tarmac at the Winnipeg International Airport in the early morning hours to meet a Lear Jet loaded with courier packages. In all kinds of Manitoba weather, it was his job to locate and remove packages destined for customs examination. Ken has been fascinated by the complexities and efficiencies of transportation systems ever since.

Oddly enough, his Olympic break came while watching television. In 2003 he was watching the live International Olympic Committee (IOC) broadcast from Prague that announced the City of Vancouver would host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Ken was elated when they chose Vancouver, but never dreamed he would soon become a member of Canada’s Olympic logistics team.

A short time later he saw a job posting for a Customs and Freight manager with VANOC. Ken knew he was ready for the challenge and felt fully qualified. He applied, and was hired.

His main responsibility with VANOC was to help facilitate the free flow of Games-related goods into and out of Canada. When he joined VANOC, they were in the process of applying for a federal Remission Order to waive the duties and taxes on certain goods imported temporarily for use in connection with the Games.

"It was interesting to participate in the early discussions with our legal team and Finance officials," said Ken. "This special legislation was a key deliverable for the committee and my role would include the administration of the Order on behalf of VANOC."

Ken was also part of the selection committee to determine VANOC’s designated customs broker and freight forwarder. After a thorough RFP process, they agreed to award the contract to the Pacific Group of Companies. Ken was responsible for managing the operational relationship with them.

One of Ken's primary deliverables was to develop the Vancouver 2010 Customs and Freight Guide, along with its related policies and procedures. This meant forging and managing relationships, and collaborating with key government partners including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and Health Canada. For Ken, publishing the Vancouver 2010 Customs and Freight Guide was a significant career achievement.

"The Guide was a huge collaborative effort on the part of several VANOC functions along with our key partners," said Ken. "It was designed to serve as a reference tool for importing and exporting Games-related goods. It received many favourable reviews."

The Olympic Winter Games also created an intricate web of unique problems that needed to be sorted out. For example, Ken was responsible for VANOC’s application for an Exemption Order under the Firearms Act to waive the $25 fee for the importation of biathlon rifles. VANOC also had to arrange to have a live Canadian maple tree transported to the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland.

To help himself deliver a winning performance, Ken relied on his instincts, experience and of course his logistics training.

"My career as a customs broker, in combination with my experience in the import and export of Olympic-related goods, has given me a unique perspective on supply chain processes. I’m a process-driven person who believes that well designed and documented policies and procedures are essential for achieving logistical success."

The IOC is steeped in tradition in both athletics and logistics, so there was a bit of a learning curve. Ken attended some IOC Coordination Committee side-meetings and also relied on the IOC’s Olympic Games Knowledge Management program.

Ken also relied on his CITT training.

"Fortunately, my CITT-based skills learned in courses such as Logistics Processes and Transportation Systems were readily transferable to my work with VANOC."

His experiences at the Olympic Winter Games gave Ken a new appreciation for career development. He now believes more than ever that life-long learning is the key to becoming a well-rounded professional.

But amid the day to day chaos of the Games, there were moments that Ken enjoyed. While working in the main media centre during the Canada-USA Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Game, Team USA scored with 24 seconds left to tie the game and force overtime. But the dramatic winning goal by Team Canada brought the house down. That was a highlight reel moment for Ken.

As a spectator, Ken found time to attend a bobsleigh event in Whistler and a freestyle skiing event at Cypress Mountain. As a high school curling enthusiast, he was particularly elated when the Canadian men’s curling team won Gold and the women's team took Silver.

And what does Ken believe the future holds for the industry?

"With the overall growth in world trade, especially in emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil, there's a clear need for supply chain and logistics professionals," said Ken. "With the growth in awareness of global environmental issues, logistics professionals will need to think about costs in new ways and deliver sustainable solutions for the benefit of the whole planet."

In the near future, Ken plans on finishing the CITT Program of Study. His goal is to change his status from that of undergraduate member to CITT-certified professional as quickly as possible.

And with CITT training and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games on Ken’s resume, finding his next career challenge should prove to be much easier than finding packages on a cold and snowy Winnipeg morning.