Central Ohio River Business Association

What Central Ohio River Business Association does

The Central Ohio River Business Association (CORBA) is a nonprofit trade association founded in November 2011 in Cincinnati, Ohio, that represents businesses conducting commerce along the Ohio River in the tri-state region of Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Its membership spans barge tow companies, terminal operators, fleeting companies, industrial shippers (steel, energy, chemicals), utilities, port authorities, government agencies, and hospitality operators along the river corridor from approximately mile marker 356 to 560 (Port of Huntington, WV to Madison, IN). CORBA's mission is to provide a unified voice for river-dependent businesses, advocating for commerce, safety and security, environmental stewardship, and public relations.

CORBA's primary product is CORIS (Central Ohio River Information System), a nationally acclaimed, award-winning interactive web-based mapping platform co-developed with the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Planning Agency (OKI). CORIS visualizes ports, terminals, dam locks, marinas, railroads, river mile markers, river gauges, and real-time vessel activity via integrations with Mapbox, VesselTracker AIS data, and rail networks from CSX, Norfolk Southern, CIND, and IORY. Supporting offerings include the Knowledge Port educational resource hub covering maritime commerce, cargo capacity comparisons, boater safety, and the Ohio Maritime Plan.

The business model is a membership-based subscription funded by flat $500 annual dues. General Members (river-dependent businesses) and Affiliate Members (supporting businesses) both pay $500/year, with voting rights differing by tier; Associate Members (government agencies, trade associations, honorary members) pay no dues. Revenue is supplemented by event programming (Fall Maritime Industry Interaction Day, Ohio River Way Summit, golf outings, member meetings) and strategic partnerships, including a thrice-renewed MOU with Port NOLA and collaborations with ODOT, KDOT, U.S.C.G., AWMI, and NKU. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and operates with 1–10 staff under Executive Director Eric Thomas.

Name

Central Ohio River Business Association

Legal name

Central Ohio River Business Association

Website

https://centralohioriverbusinessassociation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Central Ohio River Business Association (CORBA) is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit trade association founded in 2011 that represents Ohio River commerce businesses across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, funded by $500 annual membership dues and operating the CORIS interactive river-infrastructure mapping platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CORBA generates revenue through annual membership dues from General Members ($500/year with voting rights and full privileges), Affiliate Members ($500/year, non-voting but participates in meetings and activities), and Associate Members (government agencies, trade associations, honorary members with no dues).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CORBA is a nonprofit trade association that unites businesses conducting commerce along the Ohio River in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana tri-state region. It sells membership subscriptions (General, Affiliate, and Associate tiers) and delivers advocacy, networking events, educational resources, and the CORIS interactive mapping platform covering river infrastructure from mile 356 to 560. Its membership includes barge tow companies, terminal operators, shippers, utilities, and port authorities.

Product overview

CORBA is a trade association representing businesses engaged in Ohio River commerce across the tri-state region (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana). The organization's primary digital offering is CORIS (Central Ohio River Information System), an interactive web-based mapping and data visualization platform that displays maritime infrastructure including ports, terminals, docks, rail connections, and vessel activity along the central Ohio River. Supporting offerings include the Knowledge Port educational resource hub and a structured membership program with three tiers. CORBA does not operate as a commercial software company; its products serve the association's mission of promoting river commerce, safety, and environmental stewardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CORIS (Central Ohio River Information System): An interactive mapping system providing infrastructure information along the Central Ohio River including port details, dock activity, dam locks, marinas, railroads, river mile markers, river gauges, and tug boats. Developed in partnership with OKI (Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments).

Products and services

• CORBA Membership Program
• CORIS (Central Ohio River Information System)
• Knowledge Port Educational Resource Hub

Quantifiable outcome

• Barge transport is the safest, most environmentally friendly, most energy efficient, greenest, cleanest, and most cost-effective means of bulk cargo transport
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OKI (Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Planning Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOKI is a key strategic partner in developing and hosting the CORIS (Central Ohio River Information System) mapping platform. The partnership enables interactive visualization of river infrastructure including ports, locks, marinas, railroads, and vessel tracking along the Central Ohio River.
• Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KDOT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerState transportation agency partner supporting CORBA's mission to promote commerce along the Ohio River corridor in Kentucky.
• Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerState transportation agency partner. ODOT has released the Ohio Maritime Plan for public comment, with Eric Thomas from CORBA serving on the OMP Steering Committee. ODOT supports regional maritime planning and infrastructure development.
• Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCORBA and Port NOLA have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for joint marketing initiatives. This marks the third renewal of the port-to-port relationship, creating a direct bridge between the Ports of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky and Port NOLA. MOU signed by Brandy D. Christian, President and CEO of Port NOLA and Errin Howard as CORBA Chairperson.
• Waterways CouncilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational waterways advocacy organization partnering with CORBA on policy and infrastructure issues affecting inland waterway commerce.
• We Work The WaterwayscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional advocacy organization for waterways. Errin Howard serves as Executive Director of We Work The Waterways and as CORBA Chairperson. Partners on Maritime Interaction Day events to inspire next generation of maritime professionals.
• REDI CincinnatiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional economic development organization supporting CORBA's mission to promote commerce along the Ohio River.
• Ohio River Commission (ORCO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerState commission focused on Ohio River issues, collaborating with CORBA on regional maritime policy.
• Northern Kentucky University (NKU)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational institution partner supporting CORBA through university programs and workforce development initiatives in the maritime industry.
• Maritime Administration (MarAd)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal Maritime Administration partner, supporting national maritime initiatives and programs that benefit CORBA's regional maritime community.
• GCHMCC (Greater Cincinnati Hazard Mitigation Coordinating Council)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmergency management and hazard mitigation organization partnering on safety and security initiatives for the river corridor.
• AWMI (Association of Women in the Metals Industry)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerAWMI Cincinnati/NKY and CORBA partnered for a joint riverboat meeting on July 17, 2025 aboard BB Riverboats, bringing together leaders from steel, logistics, manufacturing, and maritime industries.
• SOSINK AMSC (Southern Ohio Southeast Indiana Northern Kentucky Area Maritime Security Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional maritime security committee that coordinates safety, emergency response, and security initiatives among public safety first responders and commercial maritime partners on both sides of the Ohio River.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Waterways Operators: National trade association for the U.S. tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. Direct functional analog to CORBA's mission of representing river-dependent businesses, but operating at national scale with paid staff and policy advocacy in Washington.
• Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT): Trade association for inland waterway ports, terminals, and related businesses. Closest structural analog to CORBA: member-driven, advocacy-focused, regional events, but national in scope rather than tri-state.
• Waterways Council Inc. National advocacy organization for modernizing inland waterways infrastructure. Already a CORBA partner; comparable member/advocacy model but focused on federal lock-and-dam funding rather than regional commerce.
• National Waterways Conference: National trade association advocating for waterway infrastructure investment and policy. Comparable membership-association structure focused on river commerce, but operating at the federal level rather than regional.

Regional players

• Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO): Interstate compact commission managing Ohio River water quality across the same corridor as CORBA. Shares the Ohio River geography and tri-state institutional footprint, but is a regulatory body rather than a private business association.
• Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative: Coalition of mayors and municipal leaders along the Mississippi River. Comparable regional river-advocacy model focused on river commerce and community interests, but operates on the Mississippi rather than the Ohio.
• Red River Waterway Commission: Louisiana state commission managing Red River navigation and commerce. Comparable regional waterway-management scope and member-stakeholder engagement model, but in a different geography.
• Ohio River Foundation: Nonprofit focused on Ohio River conservation, water quality, and stewardship. Shares the Ohio River geography with CORBA but is mission-aligned around environmental advocacy rather than commercial trade.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Federal corporation managing navigation, power, and economic development across the Tennessee River system. Operates at vastly larger scale and is a government entity, but shares river-region commerce and infrastructure mandate.
• American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA): Alliance of port authorities across the Western Hemisphere. Broadly comparable trade-association model advocating for port and waterway interests, but serves public port authorities at much larger scale than CORBA's private membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Corba513
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/corba-usa
• Xx.com/central_ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Central Ohio River Business Association