Hendon Reflects On Long Career, Namesake Vessel And Future Of The Industry

As long as Glenn Hendon can recall, the towboat and barge industry has been part of his life.

“As far back as I can remember, my dad was in the industry,” Hendon said. “He was working for Crounse Corporation when I was born.”

It didn’t take long for Hendon to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Hendon got his start in the maritime industry 50 years ago while he was still in high school, driving crew changes for R&W Marine in Paducah, Ky. Then, after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., Hendon went to work for his father’s company, Hendon Barge Company. In that role, Hendon helped his dad manage about 50 barges, primarily in the aggregate business. He also helped arrange barge transport of agricultural lime on the Mississippi River. In 1983, Hendon’s father pivoted, placing the company’s equipment on long-term charter, due to the economy at that time. That same year, Hendon went to work for Hunter Marine Transport.

“When I went to work for Mr. [Ron] Hunter, Hunter Marine was still a very small company,” Hendon said. “I was young, and Mr. Hunter was my mentor.”

At Hunter Marine, Hendon began as a dispatcher, running a trio of boats on the Cumberland River and one harbor tug in the Nashville, Tenn., area. Hendon saw Hunter Marine’s growth over the years with the addition of boats and barges and the expansion of the company’s barge terminal in Nashville. Hendon also helped with the launch—and helped run—Hunter Sand & Gravel.

“I worked my way up to vice president of operations and chief operating officer, overseeing 25-plus boats and three dredges with a fleet of barges, and assisted with management of our river terminal in west Nashville,” Hendon said.

In 2016, Hendon assisted with the sale of Hunter Sand & Gravel to Pine Bluff Materials. Then, following Ron Hunter’s death in 2017, Hines Furlong Line (HFL) acquired the assets of Hunter Marine in 2018. That’s when Hendon went to work for HFL as the company’s chief operating officer.

“Kent’s family was always in the business,” Hendon said, “and Kent has always loved everything about towboats. Before the Hunter Marine acquisition, Kent had tank barges, but he wanted to get into the boat business.”

Barely a month ago, Hines Furlong Line announced an agreement to acquire Campbell Transportation Company’s river division. Like with Hunter Marine’s expansion over the years and that company’s sale to HFL, Hendon has been part of the HFL-Campbell acquisition.

“That doubled the size of our company overnight,” said Hendon, who added that HFL leaders are dedicated to preserving the family culture that’s defined both companies. “We always want to do our best to hold onto that. We want to maintain the family atmosphere, the small company atmosphere.”

Outside of his roles at Hunter Marine and HFL, Hendon is a past president of the Nashville Propeller Club and previously served on the board of directors for The American Waterways Operators (AWO). He’s the current president of the Tennessee River Valley Association and the Tennessee-Cumberland Waterway Council.

Now, Hendon has an announcement of his own. Effective January 1, he’s transitioning from his full-time role of chief operating officer to begin a part-time role of executive adviser.

“I’m going to ride more boats and visit with the mariners and spend more time with my grandkids and at my hunting camp,” he said.

Reflecting on his career in the maritime industry, Hendon said he’s seen a lot of change over the years. The growth of the industry’s safety culture is one positive development, he said. Telling the industry’s story is another.

“We’ve earned the respect of the politicians and people as a whole,” he said. “I think we’ve earned the respect of the other industries, as well, and businesses all around.”

He also sees some parallels to the industry today compared to when he was a newcomer in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Back then, there was a new generation of mariners taking on leadership roles and bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to the industry. The same is happening now, Hendon said.

“It’s time for us to get out of their way and let them do their thing,” Hendon said, speaking of himself and other retiring leaders and young leaders in the industry. “We did that when we were young, and it’s their turn now.

“We’ll still be involved,” he added. “We want them to do the right thing, but we also want them to make their own decisions—to grow, improve and do better.”

The Mv. Glenn A. Hendon

Nashville-based Hines Furlong Line recently placed the 4,200 hp. towboat mv. Glenn A. Hendon back into service after an extensive refurbishment. The vessel, originally named the Conti Afton, was built at Jeffboat in Jeffersonville, Ind., in 1980. The vessel was renamed Afton while operated by American Commercial Lines. Hunter Marine purchased the Afton in 2003 and changed its name to mv. Tennessee Hunter. After Hines Furlong Line acquired the vessel in 2018, the company named it after Hendon.

National Maintenance & Repair (NMR) of Kentucky performed the recent renovation, replacing a significant portion of the hull plating of the 140-foot by 44-foot vessel. The Glenn A. Hendon spent about 15 months at NMR’s yard in Paducah. All shafting, wheels and rudders were also reconditioned. The vessel’s head log and tow knees required significant work, and NMR also installed new Schuyler fendering. Other work included installing all-new stainless steel tank hatches and coating the wash water tanks and voids, installing Fernstrum main engine coolers and Duramax generator and gear box coolers and equipping the vessel with four 65-ton Wintech winches. Marine Systems Inc. of Paducah overhauled both GM12-645E7BA main engines. Marine Industrial Gears Inc. rebuilt both Lufkin 4.224:1 gear boxes.

United Mechanical Marine replaced the HVAC system, and Gemini Marine supplied upgraded navigation and communication electronics, including Koden 5200 radars. Monitoring and Control Solutions furnished a new machinery alarm system, and Controlled Water supplied a new water filtration system. NMR workers rebuilt and upgraded all the hydraulic systems on board the Glenn A. Hendon. Omega Products provided new stainless-steel doors and showers, and Donovan Marine outfitted the boat with all-new Bomar windows. The galley was furnished with new equipment, including True brand refrigerators and freezers.

Hines Furlong Line’s Smith Freeman, who has overseen several HFL boat refurbishments, managed the mv. Glenn A Hendon project. Hendon said he was grateful for Freeman’s attention to detail.

“These refurbishment projects are more difficult and time-consuming than new construction,” Hendon said. “Smith did a great job.”

The mv. Glenn A. Hendon went back to work for Hines Furlong in mid-November. Following the acquisition of Campbell’s river division, HFL will deploy the mv. Glenn A. Hendon to the Ohio River.

Featured image caption: A profile of the newly refurbished mv. Glenn A. Hendon. National Maintenance & Repair, which conducted the roughly 15-month project, delivered the Glenn A. Hendon to Hines Furlong Line in mid-November. (Photo by Capt. Mike Lemmons)