Albany Port CEO Elected Vice Chair at National Ports Association
Port of Albany-Rensselaer CEO Richard J. Hendrick was unanimously elected Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) at its Annual Convention in Boston. AAPA is the trade association for 140 seaports in the western hemisphere.
“It’s no surprise that Rich’s Port Executive colleagues elevated him to the Vice Chair position on AAPA’s Board” said Cary S. Davis, AAPA President and CEO. “Rich is a skilled leader and a tireless advocate for our nation’s maritime gateways and his home port of Albany. That is exactly why I’m glad to continue working closely with him on the issues that matter most to our industry.”
Hendrick will serve a two-year term in this role. Previously, he served the AAPA Board as the representative of the North Atlantic Region and as President of the North American Port Association.
AAPA, the unified voice of more than 80 large and small, coastal and inland U.S. ports, serves a vital role in job-creation, international competitiveness, and economic prosperity. In its recently released 2024 Port and Maritime Industry Economic Contribution Report reflecting insights and analysis in collaboration with Congressional economists from EY, findings show that the maritime industry, its consumer spending, suppliers, and port users support 21.8 million American jobs, meaning that the port and maritime industry supports more than one out of eight jobs in the total United States workforce and contributes nearly $2.59 trillion to the national GDP. This report not only highlights the tremendous growth in port operations over the past decades but also provides a detailed look at the vital role ports play in ensuring the stability and success of the U.S. economy.
Hendrick has been with the Port of Albany – Rensselaer since 2004. During this time, the Port has experienced historic increases in ships, tonnage and longshore labor hours worked – as well as investments in infrastructure and Port district growth. Hendrick has overseen the largest capital investment and infrastructure upgrades since the Port was established in 1932, overseeing the reconstruction of all Port wharves, adding 30% covered storage to the maritime terminal and increasing the maritime area by 25%. With plans for continued investment and expansion in the future. Under Hendrick’s leadership, the Port of Albany received its eight-year consecutive Green Marine certification, a voluntary program that sets an environmentally forward benchmark for ports in North America.
Additionally, Hendrick serves on the Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York, has served in several leadership roles of the North Atlantic Ports Association, and was recently named to City & State NY’s 2024 Transportation Power 100 list. Hendrick was invited to Washington DC on two separate occasions in recent months to join industry roundtables: first, to attend the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy Roundtable at the White House and second, for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) National Maritime Day Ceremony.