Page 78 - Rukert - 100th Anniversary

RIGHT: John Coulter, pictured at work in 1988
BELOW: This 1985 Port of Baltimore magazine cover celebrates the reconstruction of the Lazaretto Lighthouse.
McHenry. The cannons at Fort McHenry responded by firing blanks back and as the flag was raised, the national anthem was played, followed by spectacular fireworks. It was a fitting tribute to Norman Sr., whose fifth and final book recounted the defense of Fort McHenry.
The reconstructed Lazaretto Lighthouse is a testimony to Norman Rukert Sr.’s legacy as a port businessman and preservationist. One resident noted that the lighthouse symbolized the light that Norman Sr.’s series of books shined on the port and its neighborhoods. In addition to honoring Norman Sr., the lighthouse embodies the third Rukert generation’s determination to weather the storm of the tunnel project and emerge stronger than ever. And last, the replica lighthouse proved to be Rukert Terminals’ gift to the city of Baltimore. As it had for nearly a century, the Lazaretto Lighthouse once
again welcomes all who enter Baltimore’s harbor by water.
The Fort McHenry
Tunnel finally opened to traffic in November of 1985. Over
a decade of planning and construction and $750 million
in the making, the tunnel was the biggest single construction project in the history of the U.S. highway system to that point. Most drivers have no idea that above the immersed steel tubes of the tunnel, Rukert and Beacon employees discharge vessels and move cargo around an active marine terminal. By the same token, boaters on the water between Lazaretto Terminal
and Fort McHenry may not
appreciate the impressive feat of engineering below them.
After the passing of Norman Sr., the management team pressed on to maintain Rukert Terminals’ reputation, which had been cultivated through hard work and customer service. Cap’s grandsons, Norm and Bud, and Vice Presidents Rick Wolfe and Bill Bienert, were a successful group of men all in their prime. Yet, Norm and Bud knew they had to look ahead and prepare for the future. They sought outside help finding a Management Trainee who could learn the business and carry it into the next century. On February 5, 1985, after months interviewing several candidates, John Coulter, a recent graduate of Towson University, was hired for this vital position. John recalls knowing from day
one that his role was to be a “gap filler” who would
be taught by the third generation and remain in place to train the fourth generation. John first worked alongside the Crane Crew for several months before rotating through other departments. Like company leaders before and after him, John spent several years
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