ContainerPort's Coleman earns IANA's 2013 Silver Kingpin Award

The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) yesterday named Richard "Dick" Coleman, retired president of ContainerPort Group (CPG), the recipient of the 2013 IANA Silver Kingpin Award.

Presented annually since 1977, the award recognizes individuals for their "significant, long-term contributions to intermodalism," according to IANA. Coleman was honored for his "exemplary industry leadership" and for advancing intermodalism throughout his more than 40-year career, IANA officials said in a press release.

Coleman spent 25 years as president of CPG, where he led the company's expansion from 138 to the more than 1,000 employees. Among the leading U.S. intermodal service providers, CPG operates 18 terminals in the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest.

A founding member of IANA, Coleman was a member of the association's board for several terms and served a stint as treasurer. He currently is a board member for the University of Denver's Intermodal Transportation Institute, where — as a demonstration of his dedication to educating future industry executives — he has sponsored multiple students for the Masters program, IANA officials said.

"Dick has been instrumental not only in growing CPG, but in building the intermodal industry as a whole. His dedication to improving intermodal transportation's quality and efficiency is truly commendable," said IANA Chairman Phil Shook. "Dick's reputation for fairness and integrity is second to none."

IANA plans to present the award to Coleman on Nov. 18 during the opening general session of its Intermodal Expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Past Silver Kingpin Award winders include Union Pacific Railroad Vice President of Intermodal Operations Barry Michaels; retired J.B. Hunt Transportation Services Inc. President of Intermodal and Chief Marketing Officer Paul Bergant; Comtrak Logistics Inc. founder Mike Bruns; Hub Group Inc. executive Thomas Hardin; intermodal pioneer Gordon Miller; longtime Mi-Jack Products Inc. employee Raymond Tippit Sr.; Rail Management Services Inc. President John Gray; and Progressive Railroading co-founder Frank Richter, who died on July 25.