NEW ORLEANS – The World Trade Center of New Orleans will host the 2015 C. Alvin Bertel Award Luncheon and Ceremony today, Wednesday, June 24, 2015, and honor Michael W. Kearney, Chairman and CEO of The Kearney Companies Inc., as this year’s recipient.
The event takes place at noon at the Sheraton New Orleans, 8th Floor, Armstrong Ballroom, 500 Canal St.
The World Trade Center of New Orleans annually presents the C. Alvin Bertel Award to an individual in recognition of his/ her outstanding contributions to the advancement of Louisiana’s ports. The award recipient is selected by eleven nominating organizations including the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, City of New Orleans, International Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers Association, Louisiana Maritime Association, Jefferson Parish, New Orleans Board of Trade, New Orleans Chamber of Commerce, Plaquemines Port, Harbor, & Terminal District, Port of South Louisiana, St. Bernard Port, Harbor, & Terminal District, and the World Trade Center of New Orleans.
The award is named after C. Alvin Bertel because of his dedication to the Port of New Orleans. In the 1940s, Bertel worked to amend the state constitution to allow for the non-political selection of commissioners for the Port of New Orleans. The first Bertel Award was presented in 1967 to former Louisiana Governor John J. McKeithen.
