The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) announced today that George G. Baima, Executive Vice President of Pacella Trucking Express, Inc. is the 2008 winner of its prestigious Silver Kingpin Award, an award that recognizes individuals for their significant, long-term contributions to the intermodal industry.
The award was presented to Baima during the opening session of the 2008 IANA Intermodal Expo, The National Industrial Transportation League's 2008 TransComp Show and the Transportation Intermediaries Association's 2008 Fall Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In presenting the award, IANA chairman Ted Prince recognized Baima's tireless work in raising scholarship funds to help to start careers for transportation professionals.
Baima spent the first two decades of his intermodal career at the Missouri Pacific Railroad and its MoPac Truck Lines subsidiary, where he served in the traffic department, and in various capacities such as Chief Clerk, Foreign Trade Traffic Manager, and Regional Sales Manager. As his last assignment with the railroad, he served as Regional Manager of MoPac Truck Lines' intermodal division in Chicago, where he worked extensively with the company's president and 1980 Silver Kingpin winner Charlie Groton. Baima spent another two decades as Vice President of Sales at Chicago's Central States Trucking Co., Inc., until joining Pacella Trucking Express, Inc. in 2003.
Throughout his 50-year career, Baima has served in leadership positions at many transportation associations and organizations. He was a member of IANA's Board of Directors where he was elected as chairman for two consecutive terms. Baima also has served as the president of the Traffic Club of Chicago and currently sits on its Board of Directors; has held the office of President and Board member of the Intermodal Association of Chicago; and has served in executive roles with the Midwest Rail Shippers Association and the Chicago Area Transportation Association.
One of the transportation industry's most well-established and prestigious awards, the Silver Kingpin has been given every year since 1977, when it was originally presented by the Chicago Piggyback Association. Subsequently, it was repositioned as a national award by the National Piggyback Association ' which later became the National Railroad Intermodal Association ' one of three organizations that consolidated in 1991 to form IANA.
