CII presents Connie Award to Allen Clifford of MSC (USA) and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Clifford Pyron of Georgia Ports

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) honored Allen Clifford, Executive Vice President, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc. with the 2024 Connie Award. The record-breaking event took place in front of nearly 600 transportation industry experts gathered at the Marriott Newark Liberty Airport Hotel on Monday, December 9.

“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. “Allen Clifford has exhibited these attributes throughout his career, making him a natural Connie Award honoree. What’s more, Allen has played a significant role in shaping CII into the organization it is today.”

Additionally, Clifford Pyron, Advisor at Georgia Ports Authority, was presented with the CII’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his invaluable contributions to the development of commercial and trade activities at the GPA. His outstanding achievements have set a high standard of excellence, reinforcing Georgia’s ports as vital gateways for the global movement of raw materials and finished products.

Connie Award Honoree — Allen Clifford

Allen Clifford, the 2024 Connie Award recipient, is celebrated as a forward-thinking leader whose impactful contributions have influenced the industry throughout his career. In 1981 after graduating from the University at Buffalo, he began his journey in freight forwarding and the emerging NVOCC sector with Deugro GmbH. He later transitioned to Containership Agency, where he represented a wide-ranging portfolio of ocean carriers, including Italian Lines, Neptune Orient Lines, and Bottachi Lines of Argentina.

Mediterranean Shipping Company was originally part of Containership, where Allen oversaw its operations within the trade group. As MSC grew, it became an independent entity, first known as American Container Agency, before rebranding to MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) and establishing its U.S. headquarters in New York City.

At Mediterranean Shipping Company, Mr. Clifford steadily advanced from Assistant Vice President of Sales to his current position as Executive Vice President. In 2014, he was appointed USA Ambassador for the MSC Foundation and became a member of the MSC Board of Directors.

Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree– Clifford Pyron

Clifford Pyron, recipient of CII’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Advisor at Georgia Ports Authority, has over 40 years of experience in liner container shipping, global supply chain logistics, trucking, the port sector, and economic and industrial development.

Early in his career, Mr. Pyron worked in Hong Kong as General Manager of Sales and Marketing for Sea-Land, overseeing operations in Hong Kong, Macau, and South China. During the 1999 acquisition of Sea-Land by Maersk, he served as General Manager of Southeast Sales and led Buyers Consolidators in Charlotte. By 2007, he had become Vice President of North American Sales for NYK Line and Vice President of Sales for the Southern Region at Maersk-Sealand, before eventually joining the GPA.

At the GPA, Mr. Pyron served as Chief Commercial Officer, providing strategic leadership in commercial business, trade development, and economic initiatives. His efforts were instrumental in driving long-term, profitable growth, expanding market share, and boosting global trade across Georgia and the Southeast through sales, marketing, customer service, and international partnerships.

CII Scholarship Program

During the event, CII continued its commitment to industry education by awarding 33 scholarships to logistics students and institutions that are developing tomorrow's leaders. The organization awarded scholarships to students studying supply chain, logistics, and transportation, as well as to the academic institutions that are preparing the next generation of professionals in the industry. At the event, students from SUNY Maritime, USMMA Kings Point, Seton Hall University, Rutgers University and New Jersey City University were honored for their grades and passion for the industry.

Since 1992, CII has been dedicated to supporting education through scholarships, surpassing the significant milestone of $1 million in contributions. Companies can actively contribute to advancing industry education by sponsoring scholarships through CII, with opportunities starting at $1,000.

Founded in 1960, CII has been presenting the Connie Award since 1972, making it the most prestigious honor in the field of containerization and its related industries. To date, approximately 70 individuals and organizations have received the award. Notable recipients include Gene Seroka, Malcom McLean, James McKenna, Robert McEllrath, Ed DeNike, John Wolfe, Bruce Fenimore, Helen Delich Bentley, Captain S.Y. Kuo, Matthew Cox, Bill Shea, Mike Wilson, Robert Sappio, Ken Kellaway, and Vincent J. Marino.