The Newark Club event is in addition to the West Coast-based Connie Awards on September 30 in Long Beach, CA, honoring Ron Widdows and Jon Hemingway. CII holds two Connie events each year to accommodate industry leaders on both coasts. Each recipient is being honored for his significant influence in containerization in worldwide trade and transportation, according to Allen Clifford, CII President.
A special Founders Award will also be presented at The Newark Club to the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL), recognizing that the founding organizations of CII were the then-fledgling container leasing companies.
"Both of these recipients represent eclectic careers in international trade and transport, embracing several modes. We expect sell-out crowds at both Connie events, which will be very special dinners honoring our half-century anniversary of providing education, information and networking to every sector involved in our business," said Mr. Clifford.
Russ Bruner was appointed Chairman, Maersk Inc., the world's largest container carrier, in January 2010. He was named Executive Vice President of the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group in 2006 and assumed the position of President & CEO, Maersk Inc. in September 2004. In June of 2001, Mr. Bruner was named Senior Vice President of Maersk Inc. and was responsible for managing Maersk's liner services to and from North, Central and South America as well as Canada and the Caribbean. Mr. Bruner joined Maersk Inc. in 1989.
Prior to joining Maersk Inc., Mr. Bruner held the position of Regional Manager for Roadway Package System in New York. Mr. Bruner also held several positions at Smith's Transfer, located in Baltimore, Md., from 1976 to 1988 with the most recent position being Vice President Northern Region.
Jim Newsome became President and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority in September 2009. He was previously President of Hapag-Lloyd (America), Inc., which is part of the world's fifth-largest ocean shipping company, where he was responsible for all activities in North America and Latin America. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Area Southeast, based in Atlanta, Ga., for 12 years.
Prior to joining Hapag-Lloyd in 1997, Mr. Newsome was with Nedlloyd Lines from 1987 to 1997. He was Executive Vice President of the Americas for Nedlloyd Lines and President of Nedlloyd Lines (USA) Corporation. In this capacity, he was the first non-Dutch member of the Executive Committee of Nedlloyd Lines and was responsible for North and Latin America and the Transatlantic trade. He held other senior management positions within that company. Mr. Newsome began his shipping career with Strachan Shipping Company.
