TRAC Intermodal EVP, COO Noel named winner of 2025 International Maritime Hall of Fame Award

Val Noel, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of TRAC Intermodal, was recently honored with the International Maritime Hall of Fame Award for 2025 by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey (MAPONY/NJ).

Val will be officially recognized by the association at its annual awards dinner on May 21, 2025 at Chelsea Piers, Pier 61 in New York City. The awards gala not only celebrates the achievements of the honorees but also recognizes the crucial role of the Port of New York/New Jersey within the global supply chain and the role the Maritime Association plays within the maritime community.

Fellow honorees with Val include:

• Jennifer Boykin, former President of Newport News Shipbuilding
• Ken Kellaway, Co-Founder, Chairman, President and CEO at RoadOne IntermodaLogistics
• James R. Lawrence, Chairman, Marine Money and co-founder MTI Network, Inc.
• Jeffrey F. Lawrence, former Chairman, Transportation & Trade Group, Cozen O’Connor

Val has served as EVP and COO at TRAC since 2013, oversees two business subsidiaries,Tire Services and TRAC Services. TRAC Tire Services is one of North America’s largest truck tire recap facilities, while TRAC Services is a maintenance and repair facility that supports TRAC’s intermodal network. TRAC is a leading provider of marine and intermodal equipment solutions.

“In my opinion, there is no one more deserving of this award than Val, given his extraordinary contributions to TRAC and our industry, as well as his deep expertise in intermodal,” said Daniel Walsh, President and CEO of TRAC Intermodal. “He has been an integral part of the leadership team at TRAC and has had a profound and positive impact on each company he has worked for across his storied career.”

Prior to TRAC, Val was president of intermodal drayage operations and senior vice president of intermodal operations at Pacer International. While at Pacer, he became an active member of IANA, serving on its board of directors and chairing the intermodal operations committee where he spearheaded major industry initiatives. He pioneered the creation of the Intermodal Case Competition at the University of North Florida to help inspire the next generation of leaders and thinkers in transportation and logistics.

Val previously held senior leadership positions at CSX including president of its intermodal division, assistant vice president of trucking operations, and general manager of both the Atlanta region and CSX equipment.

Val has been a tireless mentor and coach throughout his career, positively influencing the future paths of scores of employees. He has created a legacy of mentorship at each organization that he has led, ensuring that future industry leaders have the skills, knowledge and values they need to excel in intermodal.

One of Val’s greatest passions is his creation of the Noel Soccer Foundation, in memory of his father, uncle and grandfather. The foundation provides more than two dozen scholarships each year to student-athletes and supports local soccer clubs in Jacksonville, FL and Philadelphia. It donates essential soccer supplies to underserved clubs and hosts high school cup games in Philadelphia for boys and girls. It reflects Val’s commitment to helping young athletes pursue academic and athletic success.