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The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) presented the 2009 Connie Awards to James E. Butcher, Chairman of Höegh Autoliners Inc., and to Evergreen's Vice Group Chairman, Captain S.Y. Kuo. Each recipient is being honored for his significant influence in containerization in worldwide trade and transportation, according to Allen Clifford, CII President.
A record 350 people attended the luncheon honoring the recipients held at The Newark Club, which offered a panoramic view of the region, including the nearby Port Newark/ Elizabeth complex where containerization in shipping began. "This is a banner year for CII," said Allen Clifford. "The overwhelming success of this event, the milestone set with the Connie dinner in Long Beach, the awarding of a record ten scholarships today and the ongoing sale of The Box That Changed the World book are all confirmations that CII-turning 50 next year- is meeting the needs of our ever-evolving industry."
"It is our honor to salute the lifelong careers of two real sailors who have made significant imprints on the transportation industry," said Brendan McCahill, CII's Chairman.
Thomas Simmers, president of Ceres Terminals, presented Mr. Butcher's award. Brian Maher, whose family founded Maher Terminals, the largest marine facility in the Port of NY/NJ, awarded Captain Kuo his Connie Award.
A graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, in 1970 Jim Butcher served as Third Mate with the U.S. Military Sealift Command for one year before joining the Luckenbach Steamship Company in New York. He moved to Höegh Autoliners as Operations Manager when the Oslo, Norway, carrier opened its U.S. subsidiary in 1973 and was a founding member. In 1977 he became Vice President, in 1993 Executive Vice President, and in 1999 President. He was named Chairman of Höegh Autoliners Inc. in April 2009, and also serves as Chairman of the other Höegh companies Alliance Navigation LLC and Port Dolphin Energy LLC. He and his wife have two sons, and live on Long Island.
Höegh Autoliners Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Höegh Autoliners AS, an Oslo Norway based global ocean carrier specializing in the transport of vehicles and other rolling cargoes.
A qualified master mariner, Captain Kuo joined Evergreen in September 1970. He served aboard several of the company's vessels before coming ashore in 1974. In mid-1975, he was transferred to the company's New York office and was instrumental in establishing Evergreen's initial full container service between the Far East and North America. He transferred to London in 1979 overseeing the launch of the company's North European service.
Captain Kuo returned to the United States in 1980 as President of Evergreen America Corp. and stayed on the U.S. East Coast until 1998 and was named Chairman of Evergreen America Corp. He later became Chairman of Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) LTD. Captain S.Y. Kuo was named Vice Group Chairman of the Evergreen Group in June 2002 and returned to the United States in 2004, where he has responsibilities for activities in the Americas, from the company's U.S. headquarters in Jersey City, NJ. He and his wife live in New Jersey and have two daughters and three grandchildren.
In addition to the Connie Awards, CII carried out its industry education mission by presenting scholarships to maritime academy cadets and students at Rutgers University Supply Chain Management Program. A record ten scholarships were presented. This includes awarding the Thomas B. Crowley, Sr. Memorial Scholarship to midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, funded and managed by Crowley Maritime Corp.; the New York Container Terminal Scholarship to a midshipman at the SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, funded and managed by NYCT; the CII Richard A. Simpson Scholarship to a Kings Point cadet, which is funded by Connie proceeds and is managed by CII; and a BSY Associates Inc. Scholarship to a college student studying logistics, which is funded by BSY Associates of Holmdel, NJ. Evergreen's South and Central America agents honoring Captain Kuo donated an additional four scholarships.
The scholarship program is run by Steven Blust, former chairman of the Federal maritime Commission, who is CII's Scholarship Chair, and by Captain Jon Helmick, USMS, from Kings Point.
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