Establishment of the Miami Air Cargo Association

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has welcomed the establishment of the Miami Air Cargo Association (MACA) and pledged its support for the new organization. This initiative aims to address the challenges faced by the air freight community at Miami International Airport. Brandon Fried (3rd from left), the Executive Director of AfA, spoke at the MACA’s opening event and emphasized the need for collaboration to tackle practical issues, including truck congestion, infrastructure efficiency, and operational resilience.

“The Miami Air Cargo Association provides an important new platform for collaboration at one of the busiest cargo hubs in the United States,” Fried stated. He stressed that industry stakeholders must work together to find solutions to reduce truck congestion and support the daily operational needs of freight forwarders.

The MACA was established as a nonprofit organization under the 501-C status and has a complete set of bylaws as well as an appointed board. Its goal is to strengthen collaboration within the local freight community. Warren Jones, President and Director of MACA, stated: “The establishment of the Miami Air Cargo Association gives our local industry a focused platform to network, collaborate, and give back.”

The MACA plans to host a series of five industry meetings in 2026, as well as a golf tournament in the fall, an end-of-year event, charitable initiatives, and the development of a scholarship program for members.

The MACA board consists of various professionals, including (photo from left to right) Warren Jones, Vice President of Business Development at Alliance Ground International, Gizelle Sarmento, Regional Sales Director, Cargo Solutions Network, Christine Richard, Cargo Consultant, Dmitrios „Jimmy“ Nares, Section Chief of Aviation Marketing, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, and Richard Garcia, Chief Operating Officer of Sterling Transportation.

The establishment of the MACA is seen as a step to specifically address the challenges of the air freight industry in Miami and to promote collaboration among the various stakeholders.