This award recognizes men and women under the age of 40 who have made significant contributions to the inland marine transportation industry and collectively promise to play a big role in shaping its future.

Awards will be presented to young professionals working on towboats, passenger vessels, or other commercial craft, as well as those working shoreside at a port, terminal, shipyard or fleet. Those providing professional services to the industry, such as surveyors, freight or equipment brokers, engineers, and consultants, also qualify.

The following criteria should be considered when nominating a candidate:

• Candidates must be under the age of 40 as of May 29, 2026
• Candidates will be subject to approval by their direct supervisor.
• Past winners are not eligible.
• Nominations are limited to 2 per operator and 1 per supplier.
• Submissions are now closed. Winners will be notified by 4/7/26. 

Taylor Abbott
Executive Director
Ohio River Commission

Jace Barrios
Marine Maintenance Manager
Enterprise Marine Services

Sidney Blakemore
Director of Mariner Development
Canal Barge Company

Chance Burge
Senior Director of Operations
American Commercial Barge Line

Darren Cox
Assistant Facility Manager
Wepfer Marine

Brett Dvorachek
Project Manager
J.F. Brennan Company, Inc.

Jordan Gillespie
Operations Manager
C-River Logistics

Ryan Hicks
Continuous Improvement Manager
Magnolia Marine Transport Co.

Kris Jacobs
Port Captain
Golding Barge Line

Seth Lawson
Chief Operations Officer
Lawson Rigging & Fabrication

Victor Lewis Lott
Gulf Operations Logistics Coordinator
Parker Towing Company

Ross Miller
Vice President, Sales & Business Development
Stevens Towing Company

Andrew Neal
Manager
A&A Riverways – CGB Waterfront Services Co

Michael Riley
Director, Logistics & Customer Service
Ingram Barge Company

Sol Salgado
Commercial Asset Manager
Maritime Partners, LLC

Tod Schmitz
Dispatch / Claims & Maintenance
Ceres Consulting, LLC

David Serodino
Vice President
Southern Marine Construction Co.

Leslie Spicer
Crewing Coordinator
Southern Devall

Brock Stewart
Owner/Operator
Alpha Marine Services, LLC

Thaddeus Thompson
Yard Superintendent
Amherst Madison

Brock Bailey
Ohio River Manager
American River Transportation Company (ARTCo)

John Best
Assistant Vice President, Capacity Planning & Logistics
Ingram Barge Company

Mason Bland
Vice President of Finance
Associated Terminals and Turn Services

Nick Burke
Assistant Vice President
The Cooper Group

Wayne Davis
Marine Tankering Services Gulf Supervisor
Marathon Petroleum Company

Adam Gettys
Assistant Crewboat Port Captain
Turn Services

Blake Heflin
Director of Deck Cargo Services
Canal Barge Company

Timothy Hughes
Vice President
Hughes Bros., Inc.

Randal Lapikas
Vessel Manager & Dispatcher
Carlisle & Bray Marine

Brad Lewis
Senior Manager of Barge Sales & Logistics
Marquette Transportation Company, LLC

Sean McMillan
Corporate Controller
Hines Furlong Line, Inc.

Brent Morehouse
Port Engineer
Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

Marcus Porter
Corporate Sales Manager, Marine Division
The Hiller Companies

Kerrigan Robin
Vice President, Sales
NABRICO Marine Products

Joshua Sasfai
President
R.J. Brown River Towing

Paul Seely
Operations Manager
TowWorks

Lucy Shoulta
Controller, River Division
Marquette Transportation Company, LLC

Captain Adam Stephens
M/V ACBL Mariner
American Commercial Barge Line

Todd Stokes
River Operations Manager
Team Services

Eli Todich
Operations Manager, Vessel Services
T&T Salvage, LLC