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STB, IANA announce leadership appointments

First week of January brings new board members

STB and IANA announced leadership appointments. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

The Surface Transportation Board (STB) and the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) announced appointments this week.

Surface Transportation Board gets new member

Robert Primus is officially a member of the Surface Transportation Board. House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., officiated the swearing-in ceremony Thursday.

Primus was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 18. Another nominee, Michelle Schultz, is pending confirmation.

Primus most recently worked as chief of staff to Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., after serving as chief of staff for Rep. Mike Capuano, D-Mass., from 2002 to 2018. He began his career in government service with the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., in 1991.


Primus hails from Madison, New Jersey. He graduated with honors from Hampton University in 1991. He also has a certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government for his participation in its executive education program, STB said.

IANA welcomes new board member, elects board chairman

The Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) has added a board member and elected officers.

Effective Jan. 1, Barbara Melvin of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) now is part of IANA’s board. According to SCPA’s website, she is chief operating officer and oversees terminal operations, carrier sales, information technology and support services, crane and equipment maintenance, engineering, environment, port police, procurement, the logistics solutions center and cruise operations. 

Meanwhile, Noel Hacegaba, deputy executive director of the Port of Long Beach, was elected chairman of the board. According to IANA, Hacegaba joined Long Beach in 2010 and manages day-to-day administrative and operating functions for the port.


“Noel’s and the Port of Long Beach’s commitment to the industry and the association have helped to progress important intermodal initiatives,” said IANA President and CEO Joni Casey. “As we move into another challenging year, we will certainly need Noel’s breadth of knowledge and insight as IANA’s chairman.” 

The other board officers elected were Vice Chairman Shelli Austin, president of InTek Freight & Logistics, and Treasurer Tom Williams, group vice president of consumer products at BNSF.  

Kevin Lhotak of Reliable Transportation Specialists and Douglas Hoehn of Milestone Equipment Holdings were also reelected to the board. The term of service for each of these board seats is three years, beginning Jan. 1, IANA said.

Continuing board of directors members are Trevor Ash, CIE Manufacturing; Derrick H. Broome, C.A.T. Global; Michael Burton, C&K Trucking; Robert A. Cannizzaro, Virginia International Terminals; Jason M. Hess, Union Pacific; Maryclare Kenney, CSX; and Joseph R. Tovo III, DNJ Intermodal Services. 

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Joanna Marsh

Joanna is a Washington, DC-based writer covering the freight railroad industry. She has worked for Argus Media as a contributing reporter for Argus Rail Business and as a market reporter for Argus Coal Daily.