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WINNIPEG – The second annual CentrePort Canada Footprint Award was handed out recently to founding president and CEO Diane Gray.

The award recognizes an individual whose contributions and influence left an indelible impression in carving out the path to CentrePort’s success.

According to a release, in 2009, Gray was hired as the founding president and CEO of CentrePort Canada Inc. following a global search facilitated by the board of directors.

She led the organization from 2009 to 2022, overseeing the creation of the master plan and strategy that ultimately resulted in transforming empty fields from a vision into a reality – a thriving tri-modal inland port.

During her tenure she also secured the special planning area, worked with municipal governments on staged servicing plans for CentrePort North and South, and advanced the development plan for the CentrePort Canada Rail Park in collaboration with a private developer.

“Receiving the CentrePort Canada Footprint Award is very meaningful to me,” said Gray in a statement. “This award is a shared celebration of the vision and execution by so many private and public sector partners. It truly takes a whole province to see the potential and realize the opportunity for Manitoba’s economy and Canada’s future. I continue to be impressed by the investment in and the growth of the inland port and congratulate the CentrePort board and team for their ongoing leadership.”

Since 2009, CentrePort Canada has become one of North America’s largest trimodal inland ports, with over 1,000 companies located onsite. At full build out, the inland port will boost Manitoba’s GDP by nearly $8 billion and generate almost 100,000 person-years of employment, the release notes.

Last year’s inaugural Footprint Award was presented to former Manitoba Premier Gary Doer.