Awards to be presented at industry-wide luncheon on December 8at the Marriott Newark Liberty Airport Hotel
The Containerization & Intermodal Institute is proud to announce that John Nardi, President of the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey , will receive the prestigious Connie Award, and Steve Rothberg, Founding Partner of Mercator International LLC, will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the CII Connie Awards Luncheon on December 8, 2025, at the Newark Liberty International Airport Hotel.
“I am proud to say that for over 50 years, the Connie Award has honored industry leaders whohave made remarkable contributions to containerization and intermodalism throughinnovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership,” said CII President Chris Brooks. “Both John andSteve exemplify these qualities through their lifelong dedication to advancing the maritime andintermodal sectors.”
John Nardi, President, Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey
John Nardi, a 35-year veteran of the maritime industry, was appointed President of the SANYNJ
in June 2013 after serving as Executive Vice President since 2012. In 2018, Nardi lednegotiations for a landmark six-year collective bargaining agreement between the SANYNJ andthe International Longshoremen’s Association, ensuring labor peace and stability in the Port ofNew York and New Jersey through 2024.
He co-chaired the Port of New York & New Jersey Port Performance Task Force in 2014,bringing together key stakeholders to improve port performance and efficiency. Today, hecontinues this work as Vice Chair of the Council on Port Performance, helping to ensure theport remains fluid and competitive into the future.
Nardi began his career at Atlantic Container Line, later joining Hapag-Lloyd (America) Inc.,where he held several senior management roles, including Executive Vice President ofCorporate Operations. He is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime Collegeand serves on the boards of the United States Maritime Alliance and the North AmericanMaritime Safety Association.
Steven Rothberg, Founding Partner, Mercator International LLC
Steven Rothberg, Founding Partner of Mercator International LLC, brings over 47 years ofexperience in global freight transportation, port development, and intermodal infrastructure. Agraduate of Cornell University and MIT, Rothberg began his career with Southern PacificRailroad, where he helped design the first double-stack intermodal train services in NorthAmerica.
Throughout his distinguished career, he has held senior leadership positions with United StatesLines, Sea-Land Service, and Macquarie Capital, and has been instrumental in developing,financing, and managing port infrastructure projects worldwide. Under his leadership, MercatorInternational has completed more than 500 consulting assignments supporting ports, terminals,and transportation networks across five continents.
Rothberg also played a pivotal role in helping form the Northwest Seaport Alliance, a landmarkjoint venture between the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, which celebrates its ten-yearanniversary this year.
At the event, CII will carry out its industry education mission by presenting scholarships tostudents studying logistics as well as the institutions that are educating our future industryleaders. Under its auspices, CII has awarded more than $1 million toward scholarships.
Companies have the opportunity to support ongoing industry education by contributing toscholarships through CII, starting at $1,000. To learn more about funding a 2025 named 8366 or email info@.
