Rob Cannizzaro is the Chief Operating Officer at the Intermodal Association of North America.
In this role, Rob is the key leader for the IANA’s operations and business development activities,
including industry technology products and services providing the leadership, vision, and management
necessary to ensure that IANA has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting
procedures, and staffing resources in place to effectively grow the organization, ensure financial
strength, and operating efficiencies, while ensuring a high level of service and value to IANA’s members
and customers.
Rob came to this position from the organization’s Board of Directors. In addition, he served on IANA’s
Intermodal Interchange Executive Committee from 2012 to 2019. This body governs the language of the
Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA).
Prior to this, Rob spent over 25 years in Port, Terminal and Ocean Carrier operations, holding roles such
as Vice President of Operations, Vice President of Logistics, as well as positions in Procurement, Vessel
Planning, Equipment Control and Risk Management.
Rob spent significant time and attention collaborating through the Ocean Carriers Equipment
Management Association (OCEMA), serving for several years as the Chairman of the Operations Council
as well as service on the boards of Consolidated Chassis Management and various individual chassis
pools. He spent much of the first half of 2016 leading the North American Ocean Carrier effort on
successfully implementing the SOLAS VGM Requirement in the United States.
In addition, Rob serves on the board of the Containerization and Intermodal Institute.
Passionate about education, Rob trained as a ship’s navigator and earned a B.S. in Marine Business and
Commerce from the State University of New York Maritime College at Fort Schuyler. He returned to
earn an M.S. at SUNY Maritime and later taught graduate courses there for almost 10 years in an
adjunct position. He also holds an M.B.A. from Centenary University of New Jersey.
Rob lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with his wife of 25 years and their 19-year-old son, who is a
freshman at Virginia Tech.
