Blocker, Woodruff, Haun Honored With River Bell Awards
The 24th annual River Bell Awards Luncheon on December 5 broke records for both attendance and fundraising.
“Paducah is a town that really understands what’s going on on the other side of the floodwall,” River Bell committee co-chairman Damon Judd said, noting that more than 550 people attended the event, which was held at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention and Expo Center.
Judd added, “Our industry and everything we do is driven by the commitment, sacrifice and hard work of our mariners.”
Mark Nestlehutt, president and executive director of the Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), which hosts the fundraiser each year, noted that the money raised supports SCI’s nearly 200-year-old mission of serving mariners “on their best and worst days.” This year, Nestlehutt said, SCI was proud to announce that it reached its $5 million goal to fund two additional maritime chaplain positions as part of the organization’s Ministry on the River.
Awards presented at the luncheon included the River Bell Award to Robert M. Blocker of American Commercial Barge Line (ACBL); the Distinguished Service Award to Matt Woodruff of Kirby Corporation; the River Legend Award to Charles A. “Charlie” Haun Jr. of Parker Towing; and the Life-Saving Award to crews of the mv. Capt. Rodney Adams of Blessey Marine Services and the mv. Hallie M. Merrick of Canal Barge Company.
Lifesaving Awards
In introducing the Lifesaving Award recipients, Mary McCarthy of Moran Towing Corporation mentioned there had been between 40 and 50 nominees for the award, “all very different and all very worthy of recognition.”
In the end, she said, SCI collaborated with the AWO Heroes Program to select the two crews.
“It’s a special time of year that we get to honor our crews for going above and beyond,” she said before showing video clips that explained the situations leading to the awards.
The crew of the mv. Capt. Rodney Adams saved the life of tankerman Chad Cooper, who collapsed in the galley at the door to the upper deck. The crew performed CPR and used an automatic external defibrillator (AED) to restore his heartbeat after two shocks and quickly get him to waiting emergency personnel. He was then airlifted to Herman Memorial Hospital.
“Thanks to the quick and heroic actions of the crew aboard the mv. Capt. Rodney Adams, tankerman Cooper is now recovering at home,” SCI said in its description of the events on the awards luncheon’s program.
In the second life-saving event, the crew of the mv. Hallie M. Merrick responded to the explosion of a passing pilot boat early in the morning of Nov. 20, 2023, near Pascagoula, Miss., rescuing a man in the water and then using its firefighting training and equipment to extinguish the fire, secure the boat alongside and tow it back to the dock.
“The quick and decisive action by the crew led to the speedy rescue of a man from the waterway, avoided an environmental incident and minimized damage to property with their firefighting efforts,” the program description said of that event.
Distinguished Service Award
Woodruff is vice president of public and government affairs at Kirby Corporation, where he has led government affairs since 2004. He is a maritime attorney and has held leadership roles with American Maritime Partnership, the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association, Waterways Council Inc. and the National Waterways Foundation, among others. He is also mayor pro tempore and fire commissioner of Hedwig Village and is an emergency medical technician. He retired as a commander from the U.S. Naval Reserve.
In receiving the Distinguished Service Award, Woodruff said he wanted to focus his message on the importance of family, giving back and being a champion for the industry.
“You don’t realize how much better it is for your generation because of the changes my generation made as leaders,” he said.
Moving forward, he said, the next generation has the same duty to give back.
Woodruff used a football metaphor in talking about championing progress for the industry, such as when he chaired Waterways Council Inc. in 2011, when there had not been a Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) since 2007, and the industry was advocating for one. “Sometimes we’d get a yard or two and then get knocked down, but we’d get back up for the next play,” he said.
Congress has passed bipartisan WRDA bills biennially since 2014 as a result of continued advocacy work, and that must continue, Woodruff said.
“My message is the same,” he said. “Suit up and take the field.”
Woodruff said that balancing work and family life is also important, however. He thanked Margaret, his wife of 40 years, along with his children and his grandchildren, many of whom were in attendance.
“Spend more time with your family,” he said. “Ultimately, they are what is most important to you.”
River Legend Award
Haun is vice chairman of the board of directors of Parker Towing. Alison Phillips, his daughter, who serves as the company’s director of communications, introduced him as he rose to receive the River Legend Award, saying he embodies the essence of wisdom, honesty, humility and steadfast dedication.
Phillips told stories about Haun being recruited as a chemist, then attending law school and eventually turning down higher pay at the University of Alabama to begin work in 1975 for Parker Towing Company, owned at the time by his father-in-law, Capt. Tim Parker. She said he was always so focused on “finding the best solution” in everything he did that he once worked all day, and then went back to his hotel room and used a hotel room notepad and pen to figure out the answer to a seemingly impossible math problem she had for homework, and then taught her how to solve it. The next day, she said, she was the only one in the class who knew how to solve that type of problem correctly.
Haun still is always willing to fully understand a problem and find the best solutions, never taking shortcuts, for the betterment of those around him, Phillips said.
January will mark Haun’s 50th anniversary at Parker Towing.
“And he still puts in 40-hour work weeks,” she said.
“Dad, you have always been a legend in my eyes,” Phillips said. “Today, it’s only fitting that the Seamen’s Church and waterways industry recognizes you as one, too.”
Haun responded to the introduction and applause, saying, “All I can say is thank you, thank you, thank you.”
He said he owed all he knew about the river business to his father-in-law. Parker Towing, he said, is a family business, with long-term employees who are like family, too.
River Bell Award
Blocker is senior vice president of the dry cargo division of American Commercial Barge Line. He is transitioning to retirement after a 37-year career in the maritime and logistics industry, most recently as senior vice president of sales and customer service for ACBL.
Event co-chair Mike Ellis, a former CEO of ACBL, introduced Blocker, calling by the nickname “100 percent Bob.”“When Bob is engaged, there is nobody more 100 percent than Bob, passionate about what he does,” Ellis said.
At times, Ellis said, Blocker’s passionate nature included the display of strong emotions to get results, but he has always been a dedicated professional.
“Bob, this award reflects this industry’s gratitude and admiration for your unwavering dedication and leadership,” Ellis said.
Blocker responded, “Mike, thank you for that 100 percent introduction.”
He also said that after looking at the list of previous award recipients, “It is a great honor and privilege to be in that fraternity.”
Blocker named several mentors who guided him and led him to his goal of doing “anything and everything I can do for the customer and anything and everything I can do for the industry.”
He thanked his “wife and best friend of more than 44 years,” Lori, and his three children for their support. He also acknowledged the Seamen’s Church Institute and its Ministry on the River program for what he called unmatched pastoral care, marine advocacy, continuing education and an understanding of the personal and professional demands on mariners.
“What’s most important to me is getting to thank all of you for getting to play a small role in the industry,” Blocker said. “I am proud to be a part of the inland river industry, and this River Bell Award is a thank you to you all and all of us who make it happen.”
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Featured Photo Caption: Mary McCarthy (left), director of sustainability and corporate responsibility for Moran Towing, and the Rev. Mark Nestlehutt (right), president and executive director of The Seamen’s Church Institute, stand with the crew of Blessey Marine’s mv. Capt. Rodney Adams, recipients of the 2024 River Bell Lifesaving Award. (Photo courtesy of the Seamen’s Church Institute)
