AWO Chairman Scott Merritt
The participants of the American Waterways Operators, the nationwide tugboat, towboat as well as barge sector organization, chose a brand-new slate of leaders previously this month throughout the organization’s yearly Spring Convention kept in Washington, D.C.
Scott Merritt, previous Chief Operating Officer for Foss Maritime Company, LLC, was chosenChairman Arthur F. Mead, Vice President as well as General Counsel at Crowley Maritime Corporation, was chosen Vice Chairman.
Mr Merritt is successful outward bound Chairman Tom Marian, General Counsel at Buffalo Marine Service.
AWO commemorates its 75th Anniversary this year,
Mr Merritt highlighted the organization’s several success in 2018, yet additionally kept in mind the value of ongoing caution.
“In addition to continuing to stave off Jones Act repeal efforts, we completed a 15-year collaboration with the United States Coast Guard to bring about Subchapter M, a regulatory doctrine designed for our industry, and in partnership with our industry,” kept in mindMr Merritt in examining AWO’s 2018 success. “We passed VIDA to move us closer to a regulatory regime that is not subject to the whim of state politics and politicians. We enacted legislation to protect our harbor services members against anticompetitive negotiation practices by ocean carrier alliances. And we developed groundbreaking safety resources to help our companies manage fatigue risk and implement best practices to prevent and respond to cyber incidents…[but] like Dabo Swinney of Clemson or Nick Saban of Alabama will tell you, work on the next season starts the day after the championship game, and that day is now.”
Highlighting the sector’s reliability,Mr Merritt discussed that AWO participants’“message is powerful because it is a great story. Our accomplishments are real; we don’t need to spin them. We move our nation’s good and services in the safest, most environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner when compared to any other transportation mode.”
Mr Merritt additionally prompted AWO participants to be entailed as well as make their voices listened to.
“I ask you to embrace your role as an AWO member company. As a member company, AWO is your voice and presence in Washington. We have great leadership in our CEO and COO roles at AWO and we have assembled a talented staff of smart and dedicated professionals. We have tasked them to carry our message forward and defend our industry from those who would improperly regulate it by accident or with intent. But in the end, it needs to be our message, our voice that is carried forward. Our message will only be effective if it is clear and complete. It needs to include your voice.”
