CII to present Connie Award to Nardi of the SANYNJ and Lifetime Achievement Award to Rothberg of Mercator International

--The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) is proud to announce that John Nardi, President of the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey (SANYNJ), 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 who have made remarkable contributions to containerization and intermodalism through innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership,” said CII President Chris Brooks. “Both John and Steve exemplify these qualities through their lifelong dedication to advancing the maritime and intermodal 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 led negotiations for a landmark six-year collective bargaining agreement between the SANYNJ and the International Longshoremen’s Association, ensuring labor peace and stability in the Port of New 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, he continues this work as Vice Chair of the Council on Port Performance, helping to ensure the port 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 of Corporate Operations. He is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College and serves on the boards of the United States Maritime Alliance and the North American Maritime Safety Association.

Steven Rothberg, Founding Partner, Mercator International LLC

Steven Rothberg, Founding Partner of Mercator International LLC, brings over 47 years of experience in global freight transportation, port development, and intermodal infrastructure. A graduate of Cornell University and MIT, Rothberg began his career with Southern Pacific Railroad, where he helped design the first double-stack intermodal train services in North America.

Throughout his distinguished career, he has held senior leadership positions with United States Lines, Sea-Land Service, and Macquarie Capital, and has been instrumental in developing, financing, and managing port infrastructure projects worldwide. Under his leadership, Mercator International 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 landmark joint venture between the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, which celebrates its ten-year anniversary this year.

At the event, CII will carry out its industry education mission by presenting scholarships to students studying logistics as well as the institutions that are educating our future industry leaders. Under its auspices, CII has awarded more than $1 million toward scholarships.

Companies have the opportunity to support ongoing industry education by contributing to scholarships through CII, starting at $1,000.