Imagine dedicating your life to documenting an industry - decades spent traversing airport cargo terminals, runway operations, and trade conferences, faithfully recording aviation's evolution through words. Then one day, you learn that you and your spouse have received the highest honor in air cargo for your contributions. This became reality for Geoffrey and Sabiha Arend.
The couple was recently awarded the 2025 Jim Foster Award by the Airforwarders Association (AfA), recognizing their half-century of service to air cargo logistics. The prestigious award, named after AfA's founder, honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the industry.
The Jim Foster Award: Aviation's Pinnacle Honor
AfA Executive Director Brandon Fried described the award as representing "excellence," noting Geoffrey Arend's five decades of frontline industry reporting made him a deserving recipient. Fried himself has served aviation for twenty years across government and private sectors, while other notable figures like former IATA cargo chief Glyn Hughes and CNS past chairman Mike White continue advancing global air cargo interests.
The pandemic highlighted industry heroes like Donna Mullins, who delivered hot meals to truckers in Atlanta's cargo areas. The Arends' work captured these unsung stories, earning them industry-wide respect.
Five Decades Documenting Aviation's Evolution
The Arends' career spanned airports and conferences worldwide, chronicling air cargo's transformation from analog operations to digital ecosystems. Their reporting captured the industry's resilience during crises like COVID-19 while humanizing logistics through stories of truck drivers, executives, and everyone between.
"Sabiha's contributions were equally vital," Geoffrey emphasized in his acceptance, acknowledging his wife's partnership and their corporate collaborators' support throughout their journey.
Horizons and Headwinds: Air Cargo's Future
While celebrating their achievement, Geoffrey Arend outlined aviation's emerging challenges and opportunities. Global trade expansion and e-commerce growth present potential, yet geopolitical tensions, environmental concerns, and technological disruption create uncertainty. He emphasized digital transformation through IoT and AI, plus sustainable aviation fuels as critical for the sector's future.
American Airlines Cargo's Digital Transformation
Roger Samways, American Airlines Cargo's commercial vice president with 27 years' experience, shared his operational insights. Leadership, he noted, requires humor, humility and service-oriented mentality: "People remember how you made them feel."
Samways detailed 2024 successes and 2025 digital initiatives, utilizing AI and machine learning for predictive logistics. He addressed political-economic factors like tariff policies and de minimis rules while reaffirming American's 2050 net-zero commitment through sustainable fuels and biodegradable packaging partnerships.
The pandemic proved American's adaptability, Samways noted, with teams innovating rapidly to maintain operations. When asked about customer commitments, he stressed continuous improvement in booking systems and service quality.
"What can American do to support your business?" Samways proposed as his ideal public question, emphasizing customer-driven innovation. For trade shows, he recommended focusing on current issues like tariff changes while maximizing networking opportunities.
Legacy and Looking Forward
The Arends' recognition celebrates perseverance and passion in aviation journalism, while industry leaders like Samways chart air cargo's course through technological and environmental challenges. As global connectivity demands grow, aviation's future appears poised for transformative advancement.