LaHood names members of new MTS advisory council

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has announced the appointment of 29 members to the new Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council (MTSNAC), established to advise the Department on matters relating to marine transportation.

“Shifting some of our freight from the highways to open inland waterways is a fuel-efficient, cost-effective way to move goods and reduce roadway congestion,” said Secretary LaHood. “The recommendations developed by the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Council will help us increase transportation efficiency, improve the environment and grow the economy.”

The Department will task the MTSNAC with developing recommendations on establishing new marine highway services and port infrastructure development, among other issues.

“The experience brought to bear by this diverse panel is impressive,” said Maritime Administrator David Matsuda. “These maritime experts have a lot to contribute. I look forward to their advice as we tackle the industry’s most pressing challenges.”

In creating the MTSNAC, the Department sought members with exemplary experience in serving on other government and industry maritime advisory panels. Members were nominated through a full and open process published in the Federal Register.

The new members are:

• Sarah Dunham, Director, Transportation and Climate Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
• John Parrott, President, Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc., Federal Way, WA
• Craig Philip, President and CEO, Ingram Barge Lines, Nashville, TN
• Thomas B. Crowley, Jr., President and CEO, Crowley Maritime Corp., Oakland, CA
• John Kaltenstein, Marine Program Manager, Friends of the Earth, San Francisco, CA
• David Moseley, Assistant Secretary, Washington State Department of Transportation, Ferries Division, Seattle, WA
• Genevieve Boehm Clifton, Manager, Office of Maritime Resources, New Jersey Department of Transportation, Trenton, NJ
• Alice Cheng, President, Cheng Solutions, LLC, Brooklyn, NY
• Jeffrey Platt, Chief Operating Officer, Tidewater Marine, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Fred Harris, President, NASSCO, General Dynamics, San Diego, CA
• Jerry A. Bridges, Executive Director, Virginia Port Authority, Norfolk, VA
• Timothy L. Byrd, Director, Global Logistics, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc., Wilmington, DE
• Michelle Noble, International Trade Operations Leader for North America, Proctor and Gamble, Cincinnati, OH
• Faye Stewart, President, Faye Stewart Transportation Services LLC, Glendale, AZ
• Judith A. Druskovich, Great Lakes Maritime Academy, Traverse City, MI
• Omar Benjamin, Executive Director, Port of Oakland, Oakland, CA
• James Lyons, Director and CEO, Alabama State Port Authority, Mobile, AL
• Adolph Ojard, Executive Director, Port of Duluth, Duluth Seaway Port Authority, Duluth, MN
• James R. (Randy) Richardson, Executive Director, Port of Memphis, Memphis, TN
• John Baker, President of the Great lakes District Council, International Longshoremen’s Association, Cleveland, OH
• Mark Locker, Administrator, Office of Maritime and Freight Mobility, Ohio Department of Transportation, Columbus, OH
• Ron Mitchum, Executive Director, Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments, Charleston, SC
• Gary Gallegos, Executive Director, San Diego Association of Governments, San Diego, CA
• Augustin Tellez, Executive Vice President, Seafarers International Union of North America, Camp Springs, MD
• Thomas J. Simmers, President and CEO, Ceres Terminals, Inc., East Brunswick, NJ
• Rick Larrabee, Director, Port Commerce Department, Port of New York/New Jersey, New York, NY
• Joseph M. Mabry, Executive Vice President of Logistics and Distribution, Lowe’s Companies, Inc., Mooresville, NC
• Mark Barker, President, Interlake Steamship Company, Richfield, OH
• Margaret Vaughan, Representative, U.S. Exporters Competitive Maritime Council, Houston, TX

August 29, 2011