Supply & Demand Chain Executive Names Phil Nester as Recipient of 2025 Pros to Know Award

Benesch is pleased to announce that J. Phil Nester, a senior managing associate in the firm’s Transportation & Logistics and Litigation Practice Groups, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Pros to Know Award in the Top Transportation Innovators category by Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding professionals whose accomplishments offer a roadmap for other leaders looking to leverage supply chain for competitive advantage.

“Phil is extremely deserving of this recognition due to his insightful work for our clients,” said Benesch Transportation & Logistics Vice Chair Jonathan Todd. “He truly demonstrates excellence in leveraging supply chain expertise to drive business success.”

Phil and the rest of this year’s award recipients will be celebrated at this year’s Pros to Know Networking event, held on March 17, 2025, at ProMat in Chicago, IL. 

“Many of today’s supply chain pros are more than just leaders within their space; they’re true pioneers of change. This year’s list of winners really pushed the boundaries in all facets; creating, implementing, transforming, innovating, reinventing and collaborating. They executed on all fronts, over-delivering and over-performing. They are true professionals to know in the supply chain space,” said Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and co-founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum.

Phil’s work focuses on transactional and regulatory issues across the transportation services and supply chain management continuum, where he represents users and providers, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, carriers, brokers, intermediaries, forwarders and managed transportation service providers in connection with general business consultation, regulatory compliance, drafting and negotiation of contracts, litigation, dispute resolution, enforcement defense, investigations and audits. His clients span the spectrum of market participants, and he works closely with clients’ in-house counsel, business teams and supply chain management colleagues to advise on the legal and regulatory impact of commercial, operational and enterprise risks.

Phil has broad experience advising clients across all modes of transportation, but he regularly provides strategic legal, commercial and operational guidance to clients who procure and provide services in the ocean transportation industry, including shippers, ocean transportation intermediaries, drayage carriers and inland service providers, as well as the steamship lines for the movement of cargoes in international trade and the domestic and noncontiguous trade of the United States. He has extensive experience counseling clients on maritime and admiralty law issues, ocean regulatory compliance, drafting and negotiating ocean transportation service agreements for all manner of cargoes, including containers, roll-on-roll-off, break bulk, specialty cargoes and charters, managing and negotiating ocean bids, advising on processes and adjustments to general average and salvage claims, diversion claims, casualty matters, freight charge disputes and cargo claims for loss, damage or delay. 

To view the full list of winners, click here.