Part of local roadway named in honor of Irvin Garms

A traffic route leading to the Southeast Missouri Port now officially bears the name of Irvin H. Garms, the internationally recognized contractor who pushed the port access road's construction and served two decades on the port authority's board.

On Monday, Garms' family, with government officials and past and present port management, held a highway dedication ceremony in honor of the late Garms, who died in 2011 at 96 years old.

Garms was an expert in the construction, engineering and business fields, having spent more than 70 years leading major projects around the world such as dams, harbors and highways.

Port officials said they believe if it had not been for the efforts of Garms, who in the 1990s advocated for building and helped design Route AB, or Nash Road, the port would not be the economic success it has become today, with millions in public and private investments.

State Rep. Kathy Swan sponsored legislation to have the highway named for Garms.

Irvin Garms

"He could foresee how crucial this highway would be for the future growth and the viability of our port," Swan said. "Truly, Mr. Garms was an outstanding, inspirational example of what can be accomplished through hard work and through commitment and dedication."

John M. Thompson, former port board chairman, pointed out Garms spent over 20 years as a volunteer to the port as a board member and head of the construction committee.

"It's just incredible the time he spent here at the port authority," said Thompson, who described Garms as a hands-on leader.

Garms, whose career began amid the Great Depression, when his first job was to water mules used for a road-building project, was a founder of Potashnick Construction Inc., a company based in Cape Girardeau. He raised a family locally while leading major domestic and international engineering and construction projects, and he made many contributions to the community through his service on the port board's construction committee and other boards.

During his time on the port board, he continued to work as a consultant for projects around the world and served on leadership boards for several national and multinational companies.

"Here was a man who had forgotten more about construction than most of us will ever know, and it is so fitting that we honor Irvin Garms today," said Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who previously served on the board with Garms.

Kinder said Garms was "a remarkable man, who was always soft-spoken," but when he spoke, others would lean in to listen.

The stretch of highway named for Garms is between Ramsey Creek and County Road 303 and was selected, port director Dan Overbey said, because of Garms' advice to raise the level of the road to protect it from flooding.

The ceremony was at the port authority office.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3632

Pertinent address:

10 Bill Bess Drive, Scott City, MO