Ivette Rivera is known in the Jacksonville logistics community for her ability to find timely solutions to any problem that comes her way.
By Hilary Reeves
It’s common for Ivette Rivera to quickly (and gracefully) resolve any disputes or concerns that come her way. In fact, she’s known for it.
“‘When Ivette gets involved, it gets resolved,’” she laughed. “One of the employees in the Fleet Management Department at TOTE started that slogan.”
Rivera, Customer Service Team Lead at Shoreside Logistics, started her logistics career in 1998 in a warehouse that shipped exclusively for Sam’s Club Puerto Rico.
“I saw the job posted in the newspaper – that’s how we used to find jobs,” she said. “They knew I was bilingual, and I was offered the job. Looking back on my life, that was the best job opportunity I came across. Because of that position, I learned a great deal of valuable information about logistics.”
She joined Crowley Logistics’ Accounting department where she worked for six years before moving on to TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico. There, she worked in booking and customer service, then moved to the Cargo Support Department.
“A great opportunity came along and I was hired as a Customer Service/Rail Coordinator for Shoreside Logistics (formerly Spectrum Logistics) in 2013,” she said. “Throughout the years, I’ve learned so much, I’ve experienced so much growth, and I can say that I truly understand our core values. I love the satisfaction of helping our customers, our dispatchers, and our drivers with any issues that may arise.”
Rivera’s typical day starts with mitigating any driver concerns that have surfaced overnight.
“Container issues, booking issues, calls from our customers, and calls from TOTE,” she said fill her days. “Our focus as a customer-centric company is to make sure all the loads arrive for their intended vessel and all our drivers get to their destinations safely.”
Rivera grew up in Levittown, a small coastal town outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She credits her love of service to her Catholic upbringing.
“I was raised in a very strong Catholic family where faith, values, and beliefs were the focus of our upbringing,” she said.
Rivera attended the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico for two years, where she studied Business Administration. After moving to the United States, she received an associate’s degree in Accounting from Florida Metropolitan University in Jacksonville.
“I decided to move to Jacksonville with my children when they were six and seven years old so they could have a better education, better opportunities, and a better life,” she said. “My best friend was living in Jacksonville at the time. I moved during the summer of 1997, and in order for me to be successful, I had to go back to school and learn the language. Going back to school was the best option to learn and understand the culture, as well as provide a stable future for my children and I. Throughout the years, I’ve earned additional credentials, including my Mortgage Brokerage license, registered tax return preparer and IRS E-file provider, and I’m a Public Notary for the state of Florida.”
Rivera loves logistics – and the rule of law.
“If I could change one thing, it would be to go to school and become a lawyer,” she said. “I love to investigate issues and communicate my point, in addition to getting results. But more realistically, I think if I decided to do something else in the future, I would like to be selling houses, feeling the satisfaction of helping people achieve the American dream with the purchase of their own home.”
Rivera is engaged, and she and her fiancé enjoy taking their boat up and down the Saint Johns River in Jacksonville. She said she’s most proud of her children, Melissa and Christopher.
“Seeing them accomplish their goals and become professionals in their careers is the best feeling as a mother and as their biggest supporter,” she said.
When asked what sets her Shoreside family apart, service was again on her mind.
“Shoreside will always be recognized as the BEST carrier in North Florida, because we are committed to our customers and our drivers, and that is what sets up apart from our competition,” she concluded. “We are a big family and we’re always there for each other, no matter what. And when the day is over and everybody leaves the building, we always have a smile on our faces. Always!”
