Our Story

American Electric Power (AEP) River Operations concepts the idea of  RiverWorks Discovery (RWD) to educate the public about the importance of our nations working rivers. 

• First public presentation of RWD at Tall Stacks in Cincinnati.
• Errin Howard signs on to lead RiverWorks Discovery exhibit at Tall Stacks.
• McGinnis Inc. sends help for Errin at event and becomes the first in-kind supporter of RWD.

Ingram Barge Company brings RWD to Dragon Boat Races in Nashville, TN. 

Errin Howard and AEP River Operations begin to work on getting other companies involved to bring RWD to their communities. 

Cincinnati Bulk Terminals becomes the first financial supporter of RWD, providing support for Errin to take the RWD program to local events in Cincinnati. 

The Waterways Association of Pittsburgh contacts Errin to ask about content for high school students. RWD contracts with< NEED (National Energy Education and Development Project) to develop a curriculum for middle and high school students.  

• The curriculum developed by NEED “Energy and Our Rivers” is completed.
• RWD continues to expand. AEP River Operations gifts RWD to the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.
• RiverWorks Discovery becomes the national outreach program to the National Rivers Hall of Fame. 

The first “Who Works the Rivers” event is held in Pittsburgh, onboard the Gateway Clipper Fleet, in partnership with the Waterways Association of Pittsburgh. 

RWD receives the Champions of Change Award from the White House for our unwavering commitment to transportation innovation.

RiverWorks Discovery’s first national traveling exhibit “A Journey of Imagination and Exploration of America’s Waterways” goes on tour, visiting 15 different cities. One of those stops included Washington, DC. Congressman Thomas Massie sponsored RWD, and the exhibit was on display in the Rayburn Foyer. During Waterways Council Inc.’s (WCI)hill visits, RWD held a luncheon reception in the exhibit for congressional and WCI members.

The Louisiana Team of RWD supporters led by Associated Terminals, and Turn Services helps RWD develop an interactive and graphics-based computer presentation on the Prezi platform. Who Works the Rivers is restructured to be a career awareness day instead that includes a presentation time and activity stations with engaging, hands-on activities and demonstrations.

Online content and videos produced by ACBL and Turn Services’ creative teams, featuring industry representatives from Canal Barge Company, ACBL, Turn Services, Associated Terminals and Ingram Barge Company.