"In a career lasting more than 50 years, Ken Johns is universally recognized as a leader of the international containerized ocean shipping industry,” said Allen Clifford, CII president. “Today, the majority of all international trade is transported via the system of containerized ocean shipping that Johns was a key participant in developing from its very beginning. His more recent work in innovative port consultation has broadened his contributions to our industry.”

In addition to our original East Coast event, held since 1972, CII expanded our Connie events to Long Beach in 2009 and Chicago earlier this year. The September event in California honored Richard Steinke, Executive Director of the Port of Long Beach, who is retiring this year. All sectors of the industry turned out to pay tribute to Mr. Steinke, who established himself as an indispensable leader of the Port of Long Beach and maritime industry. His hard work and immense contributions will help keep the port among the busiest in the world. Scholarships were given to seven students, including the cadets from the California Maritime Academy, the first ever to a University of Denver student and two others honoring Captain Minghung Wei, an ocean carrier executive who passed away earlier this year.

The inaugural presence in the Midwest was a successful event in April honoring the customer—Rick Gabrielson of Target and George Schember of Cargill—with a well-received dinner. We awarded scholarships at Northwestern University’s Transportation Center and continued enthusiasm about this program will help us meet our mission throughout the years.

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII), founded in 1960, is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting and supporting the business of international trade and the intermodal container transportation community.

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