Chao appoints 29 members to maritime advisory panel

   U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced Wednesday the appointment of 29 members to the Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC).
   The MTSNAC, founded in 2010, is composed of members from public and private entities to guide the Transportation Secretary on matters relating to marine transportation and its seamless integration with other transportation system segments. Committee members serve two-year terms with no more than two consecutive term reappointments.
   Members are nominated through a full and open process published in the Federal Register.
   “The insights, experience, and perspectives of these committee members are essential to federal transportation decision-making,” said Maritime Administrator Mark Buzby in a statement. “The MTSNAC is a strategic resource needed to strengthen and re-energize the maritime industry, and I look forward to their bold ideas and strong recommendations.”
   The members are: Gary Adams of Walmart Inc.; Lindsey Brock of the Northeast Florida Regional Transportation Commission; David Cicalese of the International Longshoreman’s Association; Berit Eriksson of the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific; David C. Fisher of the Port of Beaumont, Texas; Joe Gasperov of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union; John Graykowski of Maritime Industry Consultants; Daniel Harmon of the Texas Department of Transportation; Jared Henry of Hapag-Lloyd USA, LLC; Capt. Robert Hughes of Cargill Inc.; Jim Kruse of Texas A&M – Transportation Institute; Paul C. LaMarre III of Port of Monroe, Mich.; Griff Lynch of Georgia Ports Authority; Brian Jones of Nucor Corp.; James Pelliccio of Port Newark Container Terminal; Bryan Ross of the Missouri Department of Transportation; Gene Seroka of the Port of Los Angeles; Scott Sigman of the Illinois Soybean Association; Karl Simon of the Environmental Protection Agency; Sean Strawbridge of the Port of Corpus Christi Authority; Anne Strauss-Weider of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority; Andrew Strosahl of The Lawrence Law Firm; Jack Sullivan of Matson Navigation Inc.; Capt. Richard Suttie of the Center for Homeland Defense & Security; Augustin Tellez of the Seafarers International Union of North America; Robert Wellner of Liberty Global Logistics LLC; Thomas Wetherald of General Dynamics-NASSCO; Lisa Wieland of Massachusetts Port Authority; and Brian Wright of Owensboro Riverport Authority.