ILTA Introduces New Chief Operating Officer and New Vice President for Government Affairs/General Counsel

 

Chuck Wellard, CAE

ILTA is excited to be building its team to serve our members even better. Chuck Wellard started his post as our inaugural Chief Operating Officer on March 21, and D. Michael Stroud started in his new position as Vice President for Government Relations and General Counsel on March 22. Michael will also be serving as the staff executive for the EHSS committee and attended the New Orleans meeting. Both Wellard and Stroud bring a wealth of experience to their new roles.

Prior to joining ILTA, Wellard has served in senior operations roles for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, Distilled Spirits Council and American Bakers Association. A native of Wayne, PA, Wellard is a graduate of The Hill School, Ursinus College (B.A. Cum Laude in Economics), University of Maryland (M.B.A. Cum Laude in Accounting and Finance). Wellard earned his Certified Association Executive designation in 2009 and has been a Microsoft Certified Professional since 1997. His husband Bob Mattingly and he live in Washington, D.C. and Rehoboth Beach, DE.

Wellard strives to give back to the community through participation in numerous charitable events. Since 2008, he serves as board member of the Shaw, D.C. 185-unit Whitman Condominium Association. He is active in his church, an avid car collector and enthusiast, and bartender and mixologist.

D. Michael Stroud Jr.

D. Michael Stroud brings more than 15 years of legal and legislative policy expertise in transportation, infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, federal, state, and local municipal government, and tax. Michael was recently named to The Hill's Top Lobbyists for 2021. Michael has experience serving as:

• An Obama Administration appointee at the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) holding the titles of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and Assistant Secretary (Acting) for the Private Sector. His work focused on port and transportation security and assisted with serving as a liaison between the Hill, the private sector and DHS. At DHS Stroud worked extensively with the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Coast Guard, and the Department’s Headquarters.
• As a lobbyist to secure nearly $30 million in U.S. Department of Transportation (“USDOT”) grant funding, including for the TIGER/BUILD and Port Infrastructure programs.
• Deputy Chief Counsel on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security overseeing legislation creating and improving significant federal funding and grant programs.
  Congressional Relations Officer for the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), serving as the principal liaison for the USITC to Congress.
• Counsel providing legal advice on trade facilitation and compliance, including compliance with federal import-export control laws, such as sanctions, export licensing, international traffic in arms, involving sensitive technology and equipment, and tariff classifications and tariff exemptions. In addition, Michael has advised clients on federal campaign and lobby laws, gift rules, ethics, and congressional investigations. 

Stroud's federal government relations experience, including his time before joining ILTA includes:

• Harbor Department of City of Los Angeles, California (Port of Los Angeles)
• Port of Houston Authority (Port of Houston)
• Tradepoint Atlantic
• Siskiyou County, California
• City of Antioch, California
• Mt. San Antonio College