Business View Magazine | Volume 9, Issue 3

155 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 3 INLAND R I VERS , PORTS AND TERMINALS , INC . ( I RPT ) BVM: Congratulations on your fantastic award, Aimee! You obviously have a passion for the industry. That being said, can you share some background on IRPT? Andres: “Thank you, I’m so honored to have received that award! “Our association was formed in 1974, right before Christmas in the beautiful state of Mississippi. The port directors at that time needed some resources and guidance from those that came before them, so they created this association for networking opportunities, for collaboration between them and other ports directors. Since then, it’s blossomed into a national trade association with over 350 members and still growing. “I started in August 2013, but my history with the association goes back a bit further, to when my father was president of IRPT in the early 2000s. He was a port director for many years, gateway ports, establish new trade networks with significant public benefits, and create a foundation for future trade growth. A multitude of ports and terminals service the inland waterways, with a primary focus to grow national economies by providing an access point for multimodal and intermodal transport via river, rail and road. An efficient intermodal freight network is vital to both domestic and international commerce of the U.S. and its contributions to the integrated freight network. IRPT hosted its 2021 Annual Conference in Biloxi at the IP Casino and Spa on October 18-20, 2021. At that time, the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives (IAMPE) awarded its first Industry Leadership Award to Aimee Andres, Executive Director of the Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminal Inc. (IRPT), for “Outstanding Leadership in the Port and Maritime Industry.” Business View was pleased to speak with Andres about IRPT and her insights into the industry.