Mike Bruns, the recently retired president and founder of Comtrak Logistics, has been named the winner of the 2010 IANA Silver Kingpin Award.
The award is presented to individuals for their “significant, long-term contributions to the intermodal industry.” It is awarded by the Intermodal Assn. of North America (IANA). Bruns received the honor at the 2010 IANA Intermodal Expo in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Bruns turned a small business into an industry leader during his time running Comtrak. He began his career in 1973 after graduating from the University of Illinois. In 1983, he founded Comtrak in an old freight shed with a tiny dock office with barely enough room for three employees, IANA said.
By the time of his retirement, Comtrak had grown to 23 terminals, 1,300 owner-operators, 350 company drivers, 250 non-driver employees and annual revenues of $160 million.
“Mike Bruns serves as an example to us all,” said IANA chairman Steve Branscum. “He has contributed greatly not only to our industry, but to his employees, and shown us that nice guys don’t always finish last.”
Bruns has been involved in a number of volunteer and leadership activities, including his involvement in various charitable organizations in the Memphis community. He is an active IANA member and was the association’s first chairman from the organization’s motor carrier division. He has been involved in the ATA Intermodal Council, Traffic Club International, the Society of Entrepreneurs, and the University of Denver’s Intermodal Transportation Institute among other organizations.
