Letter from the President - November 2014

I had the privilege of representing the Propeller Club of Jacksonville at the 88th Annual Convention of The International Propeller Club of the United States in Louisville, Kentucky in October. This was quite an experience. I had so much fun bragging about the success of our club and the people that make it happen. There were three full days of great speakers such as Mark Knoy of American Commercial Lines, Rear Admiral Kevin Cook, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District, U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, and Chip Jaenichen, Maritme Administrator, just to name a few. Panel discussions covered topics such as the maritime industry and the energy sector, the industry’s commitment to the environment and the impact and interaction of America’s waterways on the world. You can view any of the power point presentations from this conference by visiting ohiovalleypropellerclub.com. The 89th Annual Convention will be held in Savannah, Georgia on October 28-30th, 2015.Click an image to enlarge:[one_third][/one_third][one_third][/one_third][one_third_last][/one_third_last][one_third][/one_third][one_third][/one_third][one_third_last][/one_third_last]During this Convention our very own Rick Schiappacasse, JAXPORT Director of Latin America Sales, was elected to serve as the international first vice president of the International Propeller Club of the United States. The first vice president serves in that role for two years, before being automatically elevated to president. Rick Schiappacasse has been a part of the organization for 30 years, and previously served on the board of directors at this level and is active in the Port of Jacksonville club.I am very excited, but not surprised, with the turnout and generosity shown by our industry and community. Through the tireless, committed efforts led by Tammy Emerson, VP Programs and lots of volunteers, the 4th Annual Pirate Party Fundraiser was a huge success. We presented Safe Harbor Maritime Academy with a check for $14,000 which will help the Boys Home complete renovations and construct a visitation room for family visits. Our reservations exceeded 250 and as evidenced from the photos on the website, a good time was had by all.On November 6th we held our Annual CEO Dinner at the University Club, with special guest speaker Jim Wagstaff, Vice President Operations, Sea Star Line, LLC who shared the progress of and provided information regarding Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). This event was well attended and we thank Mr. Wagstaff for taking time out of his schedule to share with our group.We still have a number of events scheduled for the remainder of 2014 and into 2015. Our Holiday Gala held at the Hyatt Regency on Friday, December 12th. For more details and reservations please visit the event page on propclubjax.com.Don’t forget to register for the JAXPORT Logistics & Intermodal Conference, March 23rd- 25th where the Propeller Club of Jacksonville will take the opportunity to host the 2015 SERAC Conference in conjunction with this event.I encourage you and our Corporate Members to continue to enjoy your membership with the club by attending events and networking with longtime members as well as newcomers in the industry. As a member and partner, your financial commitment to the club is essential to maintaining the level of quality and class of our events and initiatives.Please take advantage of all the opportunities your club has to offer. Visit our website at propclubjax.com. Always feel free to promote the club, invite prospective members to our events, and volunteer to help us produce the best events possible. Visit the “Calendar of Events” section on our website to view upcoming events with our growing organization.I want to continue to challenge and encourage you to continue this journey with me to build the Propeller Club – Port of Jacksonville to be its best. Thank you again for your support, confidence and encouragement. I look forward to seeing you along the way.HAPPY HOLIDAYSFROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS!Sincerely yours,Liz MillerPresidentPropeller Club of the United States - Port of Jacksonville