Freight coalition celebrates 18th anniversary during Infrastructure Week

WASHINGTON, DC – Highlighting national Infrastructure Week, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) elected two individuals and re-elected four individuals to the Board of Directors as the freight advocacy organization celebrated its 18th anniversary.

Elected to the Coalition Board are:

  • Darin Chidsey, Chief Operating Officer, Southern California Association of Governments
  • Captain John Murray, Chief Executive Officer & Port Director, Port Canaveral Port Authority

Re-elected to the Coalition Board are:

  • Rick Cameron, Deputy Executive Director, Port of Long Beach
  • Paul Hubler, Director of Government & Community Relations, Alameda-Corridor East Construction Project of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments
  • Glenn Miles, Executive Director, Kootenai Metropolitan Planning Organization
  • Thomas Saunders, Director of Government Affairs, Ports America

Board member Paul Anderson, Port Director, Port of Tampa Bay was elected Vice Chairman, Rick Cameron, Deputy Executive Director, Port of Long Beach was elected Treasurer, and former Vice Chairman Paul Hubler assumed the chairmanship.

“CAGTC’s leadership and membership continue to provide an important national voice advocating for the freight network’s critical role supporting U.S. economic competitiveness in the global marketplace,” stated CAGTC Chairman Tim Lovain, who has served as CAGTC Chairman since 2016 and will become Immediate Past Chairman. “As we celebrate 18 successful years promoting policy to improve U.S. freight transportation capabilities, I’ve been proud to serve with my fellow Board members and guide the organization during my tenure as Chairman.”

The Board, which consists of 17 members representing the Coalition’s geographic and organizational diversity, is tasked with the development of CAGTC policy and is frequently called upon to offer guidance and perspective from their own organizations.

“CAGTC was a leading advocate for the $2 billion in annual federal funding authorized by Congress in the 2015 FAST Act for freight transportation infrastructure—the most significant new surface transportation program included in the Act. The FAST Act expires next year and with renewed interest in an infrastructure bill this year, I look forward to continuing CAGTC’s successful advocacy in my role as Chairman. We must work with Congress and the Administration to ensue robust and necessary federal investment and policies are provided to strengthen our nationally and regionally significant trade gateways and corridors,” said incoming CAGTC Chairman Paul Hubler, Director of Government and Community Relations for the Alameda Corridor-East Project of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments. “CAGTC has been dedicated to the cause of increasing federal commitment to freight infrastructure for the past 18 years. While our accomplishments are significant, our work as we seek to maintain American competitiveness in global markets and fix key trade chokepoints is far from complete. I look forward to working with CAGTC’s expert staff and our committed members in Washington, DC and around the nation in pursuit of our shared goals.”

Since its formation 18 years ago, CAGTC has supported the development of a multimodal freight-specific grant program that distributes money to meritorious projects on a competitive basis, using economically-driven criteria. A commitment to investment in goods movement and dedicated funding for a freight program is critical for America to ensure a safe, efficient, reliable, multimodal supply chain that will continue to stoke the engine of commerce and support job growth.