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Aloha Air Cargo lands atop the list of Hawaii’s largest women-owned businesses

April 17, 2015

Honolulu- Aloha Air Cargo was honored to have been named TOP Women Owned Business by Pacific Business News at the PBN Women Who Mean Business Event recently. Aloha Air Cargo, based on Saltchuk owners – Nicole Engle, Michele Seaver & Denise Tabbutt and Aloha 2014 revenue of $77 Million, was recognized along with 24 other notable local companies.

Link to article

Foss Christens New Arctic Class Ocean Tug

April 14, 2015

Powerful Michele Foss designed for the most extreme conditions

The Michele Foss Arctic Class Tug

TACOMA- The first of three Arctic Class tugs being built at the Foss Rainier, Ore. Shipyard was christened Thursday, April 9, at the Foss Waterway Seaport in Tacoma, Wash. The vessel, the Michele Foss, will see its first assignment on an oil field sealift this summer from South Korea to the Alaskan Arctic.

Mike Magill, Vice President of Foss’ Technical Services, made opening remarks at the christening, praising the hardworking men and women who constructed the vessel.

“As we know, a construction project of this magnitude requires significant teamwork to accomplish,” Magill said. “Engineers, craftsmen, purchasing and logistics experts, to name a few, have gone beyond the call of duty to deliver this vessel safely, on time and on budget.”

Ken Hawkins, Executive Director of the Mission to Seafarers – Seattle, delivered the invocation to bless the vessel.

Michele Seaver, her son Aiden and husband Rick.

The vessel’s namesake is Michele Seaver, one of the three sisters who are primary shareholders of Saltchuk, the parent company of Foss Maritime. Seaver had the honor of breaking the ceremonial bottle of champagne across the hull of the Michele Foss.

Mike Garvey, Seaver’s father and one of the founding shareholders of Saltchuk, said he hoped the vessel would share some of his daughter’s finest qualities: an adventurous spirit, a commitment to working hard, and a passion for being the best at what she does.

The Michele Foss is ice class D0. This means the hulls are designed specifically for polar waters and are reinforced to maneuver in ice. The vessel complies with the requirements in the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Vessels Intended to Operate in Polar Waters, including ABS A1 standards, SOLAS and Green Passport.

The Michele Foss includes a Caterpillar C280-8 main engine, which complies with the highest federal environmental standards; a Nautican propulsion system; and Reintjes reduction gears. Markey Machinery supplied the tow winch. The tug has a bollard pull of 221,000 pounds.

The vessel incorporates several environmentally focused designs and structural and technological upgrades, including:

• Elimination of ballast tanks, so there is no chance of transporting invasive species;
• Holding tanks for black and gray water to permit operations in no-discharge zones (such as parts of Alaska and California);
• Hydraulic oil systems compatible with biodegradable oil;
• Energy efficient LED lighting; and
• High-energy absorption Schuyler fendering.

The Michele Foss has been designed to withstand the rigors of Arctic operations and is suited to work across the globe as Foss competes for opportunities in the oil and gas industry.

Interstate Distributor to host “The Wall That Heals”

March 16, 2015

Tacoma, WA – Next week South Sound residents will have the opportunity to honor and remember veterans of the Vietnam War at “The Wall That Heals,” a traveling half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC.

Interstate is hosting The Wall That Heals at their Tacoma headquarters Thursday, March 26th and Friday, March 27th through a partnership with the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund (VVMF) and the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA).

The VVMF has a mission to honor and preserve the legacy of service and educate all generations about the impact of the Vietnam War. On Veteran’s Day 1996, the VVMF unveiled The Wall That Heals, a 250-foot replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial designed to allow communities throughout the country to honor and respect the heroes inscribed on the Vietnam Veteran Memorial Wall. The traveling installation has visited more than 400 communities and includes a mobile education center that tells the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the era surrounding the conflict.

“We are honored and humbled to host The Wall That Heals. Our organization employs a large number of active, reserve and retired military personnel as well as many family members who have served in the Armed Forces. It is important to us to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in keeping our great country free,” said Marc Rogers, President of Interstate.

The event will be opened on Thursday, March 26th with a formal gathering of invited guests. Members of the press are welcome to attend the event at Interstate’s terminal.

Thursday, March 26th, 11AM PDT
11707 21st Ave Ct S Tacoma, WA 98444

The Wall That Heals will be available for public viewing from 12 noon, Thursday, March 26th – 5pm Saturday, March 28th.

For more information about the events, contact Tonya Todd at 253.538.4182.

About Interstate Distributor Co
Headquartered in Tacoma, WA, Interstate Distributor Co. is a leading provider of transportation services including local, regional, refrigerated, dedicated, intermodal and transcontinental. With terminal and yard facilities located in major markets throughout the United States and Western Canada, Interstate has a national presence in the transportation industry. Established in 1933, Interstate currently employs more than 1,800 associates. For more information visit www.intd.com.

About Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
Based in Washington, D.C., VVMF (the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) is the nonprofit organization authorized by the U.S. Congress in 1980 to build a national memorial dedicated to all who served with the U.S. armed forces in the Vietnam War.

Since the dedication of The Wall, VVMF has pursued a mission of preserving the legacy of The Wall, promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War. Our latest initiative is the campaign to build the Education Center at The Wall. The Education Center will show the pictures and tell the stories of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, provide a rich educational experience on the Vietnam War, show some of the more than 400,000 items left at The Wall, and celebrate the values exhibited by America’s service members in all wars. For more information visit www.vvmf.org.

Terry Howard to lead Carlile

March 9, 2015

Anchorage, Alaska – Terry Howard has been promoted to President of Carlile. Howard joined Carlile in September 2013 as Director of Maintenance & Equipment and was promoted to Vice President of Operations in the fall of 2014. Howard’s expanded responsibilities as President will include setting strategic direction for Carlile’s Alaska and Lower 48 business and overseeing all operations for the company.

Howard has a distinguished career as a leader in the transportation industry, including more than 20 years of experience in fleet maintenance management.  “Terry’s significant level of trucking business expertise rooted in Alaska is a tremendous asset moving Carlile forward as the company celebrates its 35^th year in business in 2015,” says John Parrott, board chairman for Carlile. “His considerable customer knowledge, inclusive leadership skills and ability to find solutions to unique challenges will build upon Carlile’s reputation for innovation and solidly position Carlile into the future.”

Prior to joining Carlile, Howard held several senior level positions over a span of 18 years with Coast Crane Company, including President from 2010 to 2013. Howard’s well-rounded work history also includes five years with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, and four and six years respectively with Construction Machinery Incorporated and McDonald Crane Industries.

“Alaska as our primary focus of business continues to be a place of growth and I am excited to carry forward the incredible legacy established by the McDonald family,” says Howard. “Leveraging Carlile’s strengths with the suite of products and services offered by the complete line of Saltchuk companies is truly a unique opportunity,” says Howard.

Founded in 1980 by brothers John and Harry McDonald, Carlile celebrates its 35^th anniversary in business in 2015 as Alaska’s premier trucking company. Today with more than 300 tractors, Carlile offers a full range of transportation and logistics services. Carlile employs roughly 650 people and is based in Anchorage, Alaska, with terminals in Fairbanks, Kenai, Seward, Kodiak, Prudhoe Bay, Tacoma, Washington, Houston and Edmonton, Alberta. In 2013, Carlile became a proud member of the Saltchuk family of companies.

Saltchuk honored as Corporate Partner of the Year

February 26, 2015

SEATTLE – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound held its annual Big Breakfast this week, celebrating the relationship between its adult volunteer mentors and the young people they help guide to successful adulthood and honoring its top corporate community partner of the year

At the mentoring organization’s annual Big Breakfast in downtown Seattle, BBBSPS shared the story of two matches as shining examples of the organization’s work to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Brianne King, a financial services director for the Orting School District, was matched with her Little Sister, CyCy, when CyCy was 12. King helped guide CyCy through a difficult time early in her high school years. The two bonded over cooking and King was always there to offer support and guidance as CyCy made a courageous move to a new school that allowed her to succeed. CyCy is now 18 and preparing for nursing school. When Eric Olson and Octavio were matched, Octavio was an extremely shy and retiring 9-year-old. To help draw him out, Olson suggested that the two write a book together. When the book was finished, Olson suggested that they publish it, and that Octavio sell it around his neighborhood for a dollar. Later, Octavio suggested that they write yet another book. Olson also worked successfully with Octavio’s mother and teachers to improve his reading and writing. When he returned from summer break, Octavio had improved his reading by several levels and had become more outgoing.

During the Big Breakfast the agency named Brianne King as the 2014 Big Sister of the Year and Eric Olson as the 2014 Big Brother of the Year. This week King and Olson were also named Big Brother and Big Sister of the State of Washington and nominated for the nationwide Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year competition to be named at the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference in Philadelphia in June 2015.

“King and Olson are shining examples of the power of one-to-one mentoring in the lives of our Littles.,” said Amy R. Mack, President and CEO. “Working with parents, teachers and their individual case managers they helped their Little’s set and achieve goals putting them on the path to success.”

The organization also honored Saltchuk as its 2014 Corporate Community Partner of the Year. Saltchuk, a diversified transportation company that owns local companies including Foss Maritime, Interstate Distributor, North Star Petroleum and Totem Ocean Trailer Express, has been a long-time supporter of BBBSPS at every level including board leadership, event sponsorship, and employee involvement.  In 2014 Saltchuk invested more than $170,000 in agency programs through sponsorships and a new multi-year grant.  

“We are incredibly grateful for organizations like Saltchuk that value what we do and want to see our work grow and succeed,” said Mack. Simply put Saltchuk is doing all it can do to make Big Brothers Big Sisters programs available for children facing adversity in the Puget Sound community.”