Logistics Management: Celebrating the life and career of Mick Barr
Michael A. Levans, Group Editorial Director -- Logistics Management, 11/1/2008
What you’re about to read starting on page 26 just may be the most satisfying editorial project I’ve ever completed. In fact, I suggest that you make the panel discussion celebrating the life and career of Mick Barr required reading this month.
Mick’s sudden passing in September 2007 stunned the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL), its membership, and everyone who had the pleasure of working with him. And while I never met Mick, there were times while I was piecing these discussions and notes together that I felt as if I was sitting across the table from him. The insight friends and colleagues shared with me—and now the greater logistics community—has painted a portrait of a man we should all get to know just a little bit better.
I was honored to tackle this special project, and even more pleased to announce that for his more than 29 years as an international logistics visionary for Procter & Gamble (P&G) and for his time as a steadfast spokesman for the industry overall, the NITL and Logistics Management (LM) present the late Mick Barr with the 2008 John T. McCullough Award, also known as the NITL Executive of the Year.
This annual award recognizes an individual for achievement and leadership in the logistics and transportation industry and is co-sponsored by NITL and LM. The award is named after John T. McCullough, a former chief editor of Distribution magazine, a predecessor of LM. I will be presenting the award to Mick’s wife Connie on November 17 at NITL’s 2008 Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the panel that made this terrific look into Mick’s life and career possible. It’s made up of a colleague who Mick mentored; a carrier partner turned career-long friend; and three NITL stalwarts who helped Mick use his influence and the League’s position to sing the praises of industry collaboration and wage a battle against adversarial relationships in the ocean freight arena.
The esteemed group includes Pat Lillard, P&G’s senior international logistics operations manager; Tom Pellington, senior director of transportation for the David J. Joseph Company; Dennis Derby, vice president of sales and marketing with Crowley Marine; Curt Warfel, manager, logistics and distribution for Eka Chemicals Inc. and current NITL Chairman; and Peter Gatti, executive vice president of the NITL.
They share a collection of vignettes of their personal experiences with Mick, times that they say helped them to forge their own visions of the business and made them more considerate professionals. But as Dennis Derby eloquently summarizes for us, perhaps the most important lesson that we can all learn from this panel discussion “is to enjoy every moment that you are alive…because our time with those we love may be shorter than we think.”
Comments? E-mail me at michael.levans@reedbusiness.com
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