Company News

John Roberts To Become Ingram President/CEO

Ingram Marine Group announced January 10 that David O’Loughlin will retire from his role as CEO effective February 1, and John Roberts, the company’s current chief operating officer, will become president and CEO.

O’Loughlin will stay with the company as vice chair for the remainder of 2022 to assist with the transition. 

“Dave has been invaluable to our company and our people,” said Ingram Barge Company Chairman Orrin Ingram II. “His extensive barging experience and strong leadership were exactly what we needed in recent years. We wish him luck in this new chapter and are grateful for everything he has helped to accomplish during his time here.”

O’Loughlin will celebrate 35 years at Ingram in February, having begun his career as a tankerman and worked his way up through leadership of vessel operations and customer service before assuming the role of chief operating officer and president in January 2019, and CEO in March 2020.

O’Loughlin has also been a leader in the industry. He has been a board member of the River Industry Executive Task Force since 2013, serving as industry chairman from 2017–2019. O’Loughlin currently serves on The American Waterways Operators Executive Board since 2018 and serves as a member of the Board of Advisors for the new Supply Chain Management Program at Jack C. Massey College of Business at Belmont University.

John Roberts
John Roberts

Roberts, who will assume the position of president and CEO, has more than 35 years of experience in the marine transportation industry. He worked as a liquids merchandising manager for Ingram from 1991–1994 until the company sold part of its liquids fleet to Coastal Towing. Roberts worked for Coastal Towing for 17 years, and then served in several executive roles in the barge industry, including as president of Florida Marine Transporters LLC.

He returned to Ingram in 2018, and most recently has served as senior vice president and chief operating officer for Ingram Marine Group.

“John’s vision and leadership are already helping shape where we are headed,” Orrin Ingram said. “Ingram is on a great trajectory and with John’s ability to develop talent and build strong teams he is absolutely the right choice for Ingram at this juncture.”

“Dave has certainly set us on a course with great positive momentum,” Roberts said of O’Loughlin. “His knowledge and leadership have played a major role in setting up our future success. Dave leaves big shoes to fill, and I am honored to build on all that he has achieved for Ingram.”

Ingram Marine Group is a subsidiary of Ingram Industries Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., which is one of America’s largest privately held companies.