About The Founder

Eckstein Trade & Transport LLC "ET&T" was formed in 2022 by Kasey Eckstein. Kasey is the third generation of her family to work in the Maritime Industry. She is a change agent with close to a decade of industry experience working in various roles and specializing in Maritime Transportation. Kasey's experience working for major operators such as Marquette Transportation and Ingram Barge Company gave her the knowledge and network needed to help her clients diversify their workforce today.

Eckstein's career in the maritime industry began in 2014 when she started selling barge freight at Marquette Transportation. Marquette is a company that Kasey's grandfather, Ray Eckstein, founded and she realized that she was given many opportunities that other women in the industry were not. In 2017, Kasey founded WIMOs Association, which is an organization for Women In Maritime Operations. WIMOs provides ET&T with the network necessary for helping companies find female talent in all areas of the Maritime Industry. In 2019, Kasey took a break from her career to travel solo around the world. She visited 15 countries in 5-months and that experience furthered her desire to increase diversity in the industry that she knows and loves.

Kasey currently sits on the Advisory Board for Breakbulk Americas, was a 2021 recipient of Marine Log Magazine's Top Women in Maritime, was the youngest Director to ever sit on the board of the Mississippi Valley Trade & Transport Council and she was a recipient of the Inland Marine Expo's 40 Under 40 award in 2018. 

Eckstein Family History:

Kasey Eckstein's family has been operating in the barge industry since the 50's. In 1958, Kasey's grandfather, Ray Eckstein, founded Wisconsin Barge Lines, a switch boat operation that he transformed into a bulk commodity carrier. Throughout the 60s, Wisconsin Barge flourished under the helm of Ray Eckstein, whose fleet of tugboats and hopper barges couriered a steady flow of commerce from port to port. When he later sold the company, Ray was asked to stay behind the wheel of the operation, which he did until the late 70s.
In 1978, Ray christened his new transportation company Marquette Transportation. Marquette is still in operation today as one of the largest barge lines in the U.S. and it is where Kasey Eckstein got her start in Maritime in 2014. Kasey has since worked for other operators, such as Ingram Barge Line, which is the largest barge line in the world.