ILTA Honors Industry Leaders and Recognizes Safety Excellence at ILTA 2026 Conference & Trade Show
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOUSTON, Texas (June 15, 2026) – The International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) kicked off its 2026 Conference & Trade Show by honoring industry leaders and recognizing safety excellence during its annual Safety & Leadership Awards presentation at the Marriott Marquis Houston.
The annual awards celebrate the individuals and companies whose leadership, service, and commitment to safety continue to strengthen the liquid terminal industry.
Leadership Awards
ILTA presented its Outstanding Young Professional Award to Peter McHenry, Director of Operations at Sprague Operating Resources, in recognition of his professional achievements and growing impact on the industry.
McHenry helped lead Sprague's Albany Terminal to an impressive 25-year recordable-free milestone while also partnering with the U.S. Coast Guard to strengthen cybersecurity and digital resilience across terminal operations. An active ILTA volunteer, he contributes to the Association's Joint Committee Meetings and Terminal Operating Practices Symposium (TOPS), where he shares his expertise with fellow industry professionals.
ILTA also presented its Distinguished Service Award to Byrne Evans of IMTT and Dennis Mendenhall of Marathon Petroleum Company.
A rare tie, the award recognizes Evans and Mendenhall for their years of volunteer leadership and lasting contributions to ILTA and the liquid terminal industry. Together, they have guided the Association's Health & Safety Committee as co-chairs, supported the Education and Programming Council, and served on the Platinum Safety Award Selection Committee, shaping programs and initiatives that benefit all ILTA terminal members.
2026 Safety Excellence Awards
Since 2003, ILTA has conducted an annual safety survey of its terminal members, creating one of the industry's most valuable benchmarking resources. This year's survey included participation from 48 terminal member companies, representing more than 70 percent of ILTA's terminal membership.
Based on the survey results, ILTA recognized 30 terminal member companies with the 2026 ILTA Safety Excellence Award. Recipients ranked among the top two quartiles in both leading and lagging safety indicators, demonstrating a strong commitment to workplace safety, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
The 2026 Safety Excellence Award recipients are:
- Advario North America LLC
- Benchmark River and Rail Terminals, LLC
- BWC Terminals
- Colonial Pipeline Company
- Energy Transfer
- Ergon Inc.
- Flint Hills Resources
- Howard Energy Partners
- Intercontinental Terminals Company, LLC
- International Raw Materials LTD
- Jefferson Energy
- Kinder Morgan, Inc.
- LBC Baton Rouge
- LBC Freeport
- LBC Houston
- Marathon Petroleum Company
- MIPC, LLC
- Motus Energy LLC
- Murphy Oil USA, Inc.
- Odfjell Terminals US
- ONEOK
- Saudi Aramco
- Seaport Canaveral Corp (VTTI)
- Shell Pipeline Company LP
- Sprague Operating Resources LLC
- Tidewater Terminal Company
- US Venture, Inc.
- USD Group, LLC
- Vecenergy
- Vopak North America Inc.
2026 Platinum Safety Awards
The Platinum Safety Award is ILTA's highest safety honor, recognizing terminal companies that go above and beyond in fostering a culture where safety is embedded in every level of the organization and reflected in daily operations, leadership, and decision-making.
The 2026 ILTA Platinum Safety Award recipients are:
Small Company Category
- Colonial Pipeline Company
Large Company Category
- Intercontinental Terminals Company
The Platinum Safety Awards were presented by the 2025 recipients, Howard Energy Partners and Marathon Petroleum Company. Before announcing this year's winners, each company shared a video offering a behind-the-scenes look at the safety philosophies and operational approaches that set them apart.
"The Safety & Leadership Awards recognize the individuals and companies whose leadership and commitment continue to strengthen the liquid terminal industry," said Leakhena Swett, President of ILTA. "We congratulate this year's recipients for raising the bar and inspiring excellence throughout the liquid terminal community."
About ILTA
Founded in 1974, the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) is the leading advocate and primary resource for the liquid terminal industry. Headquartered in Washington, DC, ILTA represents the liquid terminal industry, including terminal companies and the suppliers that support them, before Congress and federal regulatory agencies while advancing education, technical collaboration, and meaningful networking opportunities that strengthen the industry. Through advocacy, education, and member engagement, ILTA supports safe, environmentally responsible, and efficient terminal operations that enable the reliable movement of essential liquid commodities throughout the global supply chain.
Media inquiries can be directed to Loren Eisenlohr, Vice President, Brand Strategy and Member Engagement, leisenlohr@ilta.org.