Barge companies change leaders

Barge companies change leaders    Two of the nation’s largest barge companies are changing leadership.
   Mark Knoy, 52, is leaving AEP River Operations to become president and chief executive officer of American Commercial Lines, based in Jeffersonville, Ind.
   David Huls has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer. Huls, 45, after having served as president and CFO at PBH Marine Group, which like American Commercial Lines is owned by Platinum Equity and operates a fleet of about 130 towboats and 2,400 barges.
   Replacing Knoy, Keith Darling has been named president of AEP River Operations, the barge operation of American Electric Power, effective immediately.
   With a fleet of 3,275 barges and 94 towboats, a full-service shipyard, and six barge repair and cleaning facilities, Chesterfield, Mo.-based AEP is one of the largest dry-bulk barge companies on the inland waterways, transporting 77 million tons of commodities each year.
   Darling, who joined AEP in 1975, will oversee all managerial and operating activities related to AEP River Operations functions, including sales, planning and budgeting, accounting, business development, logistics, operations and maintenance.