b'LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTAT THE HELM The Power of Getting InvolvedSTEVE JONES // PRESIDENTF irst, I would like to thank all the attendees at thethats by car. By boat, its a 2200-mile journey that took PVAAnnualConventionatMariTrends2025intwo and a half weeks. The very first cruise was the day after Savannah, Ga., this year. I would also like to thankthe boats arrival, May 18, 1958. They took a group of 25 2024 President Pat Murphy, the PVA Board of Directors,Girl Scouts out on a sightseeing cruise, and the Gateway PVA staff, past presidents, PVA committee members, andClipper Fleet was born. We are currently heading into our theassociatemembersforalltheirdedicationandhard67th season running five vessels spanning the entire gamut work throughout the year. of subchapter regulations.In my first article for Foghorn, I would like to review whatDuring my speech at the closing dinner I touched on my I consider some 2025 convention highlights and share mybackground, talked about how I ended up at the Gateway 2025 focus, but first a fewClipper Fleet, and some of words on how the compa- the people that influenced ny I work for, the GatewayI started as a member ofmealongtheway.Ialso Clipper Fleet, got its start.shared that our owner, Ter-the Safety and Securityry Wirginis, encouraged me TheGatewayClipperCommittee in 2009 at my to get involved if I wanted Fleet was started in 1958to come to future Passenger byamannamedJohnfirst national convention inVessel Association events. Connelly.IfyouknowTampa, Fla., and I must admit, anythingaboutPitts- I was a little intimidated.MY INVOLVEMENTburghs history, it was andIstartedasamemberof still is known as the SteelHowever, the committee chairtheSafetyandSecurity City.Althoughweveat the time, Dave Anderson,Committeein2009at shiftedourfocusfrommyfirstnationalconven-steel and iron to technol- and former PVA Directortion in Tampa, Fla., and I ogyandhealthcare,andof Safety and Security Bethmustadmit,Iwasalittle the city has gone throughintimidated. However, the acompleterenaissance,Gedney could not have madecommitteechairatthe thesteelmillsthatlinedme feel more welcome.time, Dave Anderson, and PittsburghsriversbackformerPVADirectorof in 1958 truly made Pitts- SafetyandSecurityBeth burgh a dirty, smoky city at the time. Connelly saw some- Gedney could not have made me feel more welcome. thing in the rivers that no one else saw, especially at that timepotential. In 2014, I became the chair of the PVA Rivers Region. Not only did we have a packed agenda, but being the chairper-I obviously was not involved in this, but the first Gatewayson assured me traveling to all the Rivers Region meetings Clipper Fleet vessel arrived in Pittsburgh from Erie, Pa., onand gave me the opportunity to see how other region mem-May 17, 1958. You might think Erie to Pittsburgh is notbers run their operations. It was a great learning experience. that far since its only about a ninety-minute drive. Well,I held that position until 2024.Continued on page 54FOGHORN 4'