ABOUT US
Colleen Erickson, Managing Director - Owner
Colleen is a Licensed Customs Broker with more than 25 years of experience leading trade compliance and operations programs across multiple industries. She brings a practical and insightful understanding of the challenges and opportunities in global trade compliance.
Colleen has consistently delivered positive results in implementing new technology, leading high-performing teams, building effective compliance programs, and managing global initiatives.
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She is passionate about supporting the trade compliance industry by building best-in-class teams and fostering lasting, mutually beneficial relationships between companies and candidates.
Colleen is driven to help grow more efficient, compliant, and future-ready trade organizations.
Colleen has a Bachelor’s Degree from The College of St. Scholastica and an MBA from Augsburg University. She also holds a Project Management Professional Certification from the Project Management Institute. Colleen splits her time living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Cape Coral, Florida.
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Colleen can be reached at colleen@traderecruiting.com or at 612.559.5242
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Linda Lexo is a Sr. Recruiting Manager
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As a Licensed Customs Broker, Linda has 15 years of import/export recruiting experience. She specializes in Trade Compliance/Broker/FF placements. Plus her 20 years of industry experience at UPS includes managing their International Import/Exports as well as 12+yrs in Human Resources actively recruiting, training, hiring new and existing employees on various topics including Career Development training.
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Linda is a graduate of State University of New York College at Brockport. She lives in the suburbs of Buffalo, NY and likes it!
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Linda can be reached at linda@traderecruiting.com or 716.652.3813
Rick Miller is a Sr. Recruiting Manager
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As a Licensed Customs Broker, Rick has over 15 years of import/export recruiting experience. In addition, he has over 18 years of corporate and government Trade Compliance experience including six years with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and twelve years in private industry.
​Rick is a graduate of Mansfield University.
He is a supporter and current member of ICPA, past member ICPA Board of Directors, past Treasurer and current ICPA Webmaster.
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Rick can be reached at rick@traderecruiting.com or 386.313.6915
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Cynthia (Cy) Creed
Cy has been a Talent Acquisition Manager since 2012 having successfully placed people in varying levels of Trade Compliance positions- from Entry Level to Manager to Director.
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While working at Praxair (now Linde, a Fortune 500 chemical company), she became well versed in the EAR and ITAR having filed licenses for both the State and Commerce Departments. Determining ECCN’s, filing AES /EEI, using Denied Party Screening tools and selecting modes of transportation (ocean, air, truck and rail) were all a part of her responsibilities. Hazmat certified in IATA, IMDG and the DOT, she became proficient in shipping hazardous cargo as well as helping to arrange the movement of oversized (OOG) project cargo throughout the world.
A graduate of Thiel College, Cy spent her junior year abroad studying in Aix-en-Provence and lives in Buffalo, NY.
Cy can be reached at cy@traderecruiting.com or 716.202.4011
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Allison Matthies, LCB
Allison started her career in an executive rotational program in Global Trade Services at Target Corporation. She led teams responsible for direct imports in Apparel, Accessories, Garden, Home Improvement, Automotive, Pets and Food. She transitioned to Organizational Effectiveness roles in HR at Target, and then started and grew a variety of businesses with her husband. She has since been an HR Recruiting Consultant, specializing in recruiting for clients in plastics manufacturing, commercial construction, and international trade compliance. She loves being able to leverage her deep business and industry knowledge to create results for her clients and help candidates find their best role.
Allison has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Management and Spanish from Gustavus Adolphus College, and an MBA in Strategic Leadership from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She lives south of Minneapolis, MN with her husband and three daughters.
Allison can be reached at allison@traderecruiting.com or 651.983.4899
Ashley Hildebrandt, LCB
Ashley is a Licensed Customs Broker with almost 20 years of experience in Trade Compliance, having led teams in brokerage and import compliance. Her most recent role was Trade Compliance Manager for Polaris, where she was responsible for HS classification, US Trade Remedies (AD/CVD, Section 301 and 232 tariffs), CTPAT, foreign trade zones, import operations, and broker management. She loves a challenge and is driven to help find the best candidates for positions in the exciting, dynamic world of Trade Compliance.
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Ashley has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Management and Japanese from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota. She lives in Bloomington, MN with her husband and three kids.
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Ashley can be reached at ashley@traderecruiting.com or 507.469.4812.
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