Gary Cross, the CEO and president of Elizabeth-based Maher Terminals LLC, has been named the 2024 Person of the Year by the New York/New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association. Cross will be honored at the association’s 106th dinner gala on Jan. 31, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. An industry veteran with 45 years in the global logistics industry, Cross has been at the helm of Maher Terminals for more than a decade.
Cross began his career in 1978 in the safety department of Maher Terminals. From there, he moved to the operations department, where he spent 17 years. He rose through Maher’s ranks from general manager to executive vice president, and, in April 2013, he was appointed to his current role of CEO and president of Maher Terminals and Maher Terminals Holding Corp., the marine terminal that Maher developed in Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
Cross is a committed steward of the environment, and Maher has dramatically upgraded and electrified its container handling equipment to cut emissions by 62% and reduce its consumption of diesel fuel by 750,000 gallons annually. With respect to emissions, Maher mapped a plan to be net-zero by 2040, a full decade ahead of the Paris Agreement and the target set by Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
“Gary’s leadership is a reflection of his lifetime dedication to the advancement of the industry. He is passionate about developing environmental and sustainability solutions that not only benefit Maher’s business operations and local port community, but the entire global supply chain,” Jeanette Gioia, NYNJFFFBA president said. “He has ambitious goals and the commitment and tenacity to make his vision a reality.”
Cross also will be honored at ROI-NJ’s Champions of the C-Suite Gala, an event to recognize the Top 150 business leaders in the state, which will be held Thursday evening at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover.