The International Intermodal Center at the Port of Huntsville is celebrating 30 years of operation. As a part of the celebration, at a breakfast event on April 03, the Port of Huntsville recognized some of the organizations and individuals that played a significant role in the development and success of the International Intermodal Center. The event, from 7:45 a.m. until approximately 9:00 a.m., was held inside the airport terminal building due to weather preventing it from being hosted on the rail yard.
Honored today were the late J.E. "Ed" Mitchell, Jr., the visionary that first dreamt of the facility and believed in combining air, rail and highway transportation modes at one single location. It was his vision and determination that led to the facility becoming a reality. This honor was accepted by his wife, Dean Mitchell. In addition to Ed, special guest U.S. Senator Richard Shelby was honored for his support through the years. Senator Shelby not only worked to provide multi-year funding of the original development, but his relationship with then CEO of Norfolk Southern, David Goode, resulted in increased activity and funding for an $18 million expansion of the International Intermodal Center which more than doubled the capacity.
The celebration also highlighted the partnership between Norfolk Southern and the International Intermodal Center, noting that the two organizations will continue to grow in the coming years by building on one another's respective strengths. Both Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission Chairman Dale Strong gave remarks and received honors as representatives of the Port of Huntsville's partnership with the City of Huntsville and with Madison County. U.S. Congressman Mo Brooks and a representative from the state commerce department were also presented with gifts for their support over the years. Lastly, many of the "firsts" were recognized. These included: Ron Hamby, the International Intermodal Center's first director, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) who teamed up to provide one of the first significant grants to cover initial construction costs, Joe Cadile, the facility's first and only crane expert and Glen Wright, representing our first customer to ship intermodal loads (Champion/International Paper).
"It is an honor to remember and pay tribute to all of those who have shaped our history, but we also recognize those that are today continuing this multi-modal mission. We are so thankful for the men and women who work tirelessly day in and day out on the yard, the draymen, steamship lines, customs and the whole team that make the wheel turn. They are the ones who literally keep the train on the tracks", said Rick Tucker, Port of Huntsville Executive Director.
The International Intermodal Center invited guests from across the 18 county region that the Port of Huntsville serves and provided each guest with an authentic rail spike bottle opener and keepsake artistic print that listed 30 facts about the facility.
"We are grateful to be located in a region that will continue to grow and thrive. The Port of Huntsville and the International Intermodal Center's commitment to our partners is that we will continue to be at the forefront of innovation and vision, taking proactive measures to always move this region and Huntsville forward. "More than just an airport" is a theme that we have always and will always embody", said Rick Tucker, Port of Huntsville Executive Director.
