It is with great saddness  that I inform you that our industry colleague, Ed Kelly, head of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration's cargo division, died on Friday, December 4th at Inova Alexandria Hospital in Virginia as a result of complications from Legionnaire's Pnuemonia.

A longtime freight industry executive, Kelly had led TSA’s cargo security branch as general manager since September 2006. He oversaw a staff of more than 50 at the agency’s Washington headquarters as the TSA worked to implement tough new security regulations that are still being phased in across the air cargo industry.

Industry officials said his strong experience and direction of the organization helped quiet mounting frustration among carriers and shippers about TSA actions many viewed as impractical and poorly informed about cargo operations.

Ed was responsible for implementing the TSA 100% Cargo Screening Program which is set to take full effect in August 2010, and worked tirelessly with many industries, including the pharmaceutical industry, to achieve this Congressional mandate. He was instrumental in working with industry to establish the Certified Cargo Screening Facility Program within the pharmaceutical trade and was a frequent speaker at industry conferences, most recently at the IQPC Cold Chain Conference in Philadelphia last September.

My condolences to his wife, Ann, his three sons, and to his extended family.

An obituary from his hometown of Scranton, PA is available here.