Twenty-four years ago, Karen M. Kenney started out as a summer messenger at Liberty International Inc., a Pawtucket-based, international-freight shipping logistics firm. Back then, much of Kenney’s workday would be filled with running from office to office, filing some documents, picking up others. To her, it was exciting work.
“I was going to college and I had a summer job at Liberty and just loved it,” said Kenney, who at that time was in the process of transferring from Marquette University to what was then Salve Regina College. “I used to go to work dressed in my running outfit and would pick up documents at customs or at the bank. But I’d also make sure the operations department had the bagels they liked and that their coffee was made the right way.”
In fact, she became so good at making sure things were done right that Kenney is now Liberty International’s chief operating officer.
“Now I’m essentially in charge of all of the company’s operations,” Kenney said. “That includes sales, operations and our transportation division – everything except the financial and accounting aspects of the company.”
Along with its headquarters in Pawtucket, Liberty International has offices in Boston, Connecticut and, through its Logistics Express division, another office at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The company was founded in 1982, just three years before Kenney came aboard.
“Essentially what our company does is arrange for the import and export of cargo throughout the world – we’re like a travel agent for freight,” Kenney said. “If you’re buying toys in China and want to move them to the United States, we make those arrangements and file with all of the appropriate government agencies to legally bring it in.”
The company doesn’t just operate as an importer-exporter in the United States, but also as a “global” shipper, Kenney added.
Back when she started at Liberty International, Kenney only served as a messenger for a few months. She then moved into the import-operations division, where she stayed for about two years.
“The shipping and logistics industry was one of the last to be computerized – obviously this was a long time ago,” Kenney said. “So the company had bought a computer system and didn’t have anyone to operate the software.” Seeing potential in Kenney, one of Liberty’s owners asked her to be a new information technology manager, a position that she readily accepted.
After about two years in that position, she was promoted to executive vice president. Kenney held that position until January 2009, when she was made COO.
Now, as the company expands, Kenney is seeing new employees who already have a background in studying logistics.
For the last two years, Kenney has also served as president of the Coalition for New England Companies for Trade (CONECT), a group with about 495 members that are mostly located in New England. She was one of the founding members of CONECT about 14 years ago. Once a year, the group heads to Washington, D.C., to lobby Rhode Island’s congressional delegation for free and fair trade regulations.
Kenney is also seeking to broaden Liberty International’s global reach. Much of the Warwick native’s time is spent traveling in China and southeast Asia, where she does research and develops markets for the company.
“I love what I do,” she said. “I get to travel all over the world. I’ve had tremendous opportunities, met great people.” •
