Containerization and Intermodal Institute Honors John Nardi with Connie Award and Steven Rothberg with the CII Lifetime Achievement Award

From Left: Connie Award Honoree John Nardi and Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree Steve Rothberg

Newark, NJ, December 10, 2025 — The Containerization and Intermodal Institute (CII) announced that John Nardi, President of the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey, received the Connie Award, and Steven Rothberg, Founding Partner of Mercator International LLC, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Connie Awards Luncheon held at the Marriott Newark Liberty Airport Hotel on Monday, December 8th.

Mr. Nardi received the Connie Award for his leadership and contributions to the maritime and intermodal sectors. A more than 35-year industry veteran, Mr. Nardi has helped shape the performance and competitiveness of the Port of New York and New Jersey through landmark labor agreements, operational improvements, and stakeholder collaboration. He previously held senior positions at Atlantic Container Line and Hapag-Lloyd and is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College.

Mr. Rothberg received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his nearly five decades of work in global freight transportation, port development, and intermodal innovation. A graduate of Cornell University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mr. Rothberg began his career at Southern Pacific Railroad, where he helped create the first double-stack intermodal train service in North America. His leadership at United States Lines, Sea-Land Service, Macquarie Capital, and later as a founding partner of Mercator International has influenced infrastructure investment and strategy at ports and terminals worldwide.

“These awardees represent the kind of leadership and innovation that drive our industry forward,” said Chris Brooks, President of CII. “John Nardi’s work in strengthening labor partnerships and port operations, and Steve Rothberg’s impact on global intermodal development, have both left lasting marks on our field. Their achievements set a powerful example for future leaders.”

As part of its longstanding mission to support industry education, CII also presented 36 scholarships to students pursuing degrees in logistics, transportation, supply chain management, and maritime programs. Scholarships were awarded to individual students as well as to educational institutions preparing the next generation of industry professionals.

“The presentation of 36 scholarships today underscores CII’s commitment to investing in education,” Mr. Brooks added. “These students are the future of transportation and logistics, and supporting their growth is one of the most important contributions we can make.”

CII has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to date. Organizations interested in supporting future scholarship programs may contact CII Executive Director Lisa Aurichio at info@containerization.org.

About the Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII)

Founded in 1960, the Containerization & Intermodal Institute promotes industry awareness, preserves the history of intermodalism, and fosters education and scholarship within the field. Since 1972, the Connie Award has been the most prestigious honor in containerization and its related industries, recognizing more than 70 distinguished leaders including Helen Delich Bentley, Allen Clifford, Matthew Cox, Ed DeNike, Bruce Fenimore, Ken Kellaway, Captain S.Y. Kuo, Vincent J. Marino, James McKenna, Malcom McLean, Robert Sappio, Gene Seroka, Peter Tirschwell and John Wolfe.

CII continues to advance the industry through educational conferences, seminars, scholarships, and networking opportunities. For more information, visit www.containerization.org.