Horizon Lines names permanent CEO

Steven Rubin, who has been serving on an interim basis, is named president and chief executive officer at Horizon Lines.    Horizon Lines, Inc., which offers container shipping services between the continental U.S. and Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, has named Steven Rubin as its president and chief executive officer.
   Rubin, a director of the company since November 2011, has been serving as president and CEO on an interim basis since his predecessor Samuel Woodward resigned on June 27 after two years on the job.
   Between 2008 and 2011, Rubin was president and CEO of TRAC Intermodal, North America’s largest chassis leasing company. Prior to joining TRAC, he spent 17 years at “K” Line in a number of roles for North American operations.
   He was chairman of the Intermodal Association of North America in 2011, and as principal of the consulting company InterPro Advisory, he became a well-known expert in the challenges the transportation industry has faced in recent years as container carriers made the decision to divest themselves of their chassis fleets.
   At the helm of Horizon, Rubin will face the challenge of leading a company that has a well-known brand, being the only carrier that operates in all three of the major Jones Act container trades, but has an aged fleet, with its 13  ships built between 1968 and 1987.
   Horizon faces vigorous competition from Matson in the Hawaii trade,  Totem Ocean Trailer Express in the Alaska trade, and Sea Star, Crowley and Trailer Bridge in the Puerto Rico trade. Matson, Sea Star and Crowley are all building new vessels.
   “Throughout this interim period, Steve’s experience and skills as a seasoned transportation executive have made the transition seamless,” said David N. Weinstein, chairman of the Horizon board. “Steve brings a tremendous amount of energy to the role, and his focus on safety, reliability and world-class service makes him the perfect steward of our strong transportation legacy. We look forward to his continued leadership.”
   Rubin said that he has spent the past two months traveling around the country and “actively engaging with Horizon Lines’ associates, customers and management team. I am excited to lead the Horizon Lines team as we continue to provide our customers with the excellent service they have come to expect from our company.”