b'LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTAT THE HELM Looking AheadJIM SWINDLER // PRESIDENTA s I step into the role of PVAs president for 2023, let me shareEach year, after the conclusion of the annual convention at MariTrends, a little about my backgroundhow I came to the passengerone of the first things your PVA board, officers, and staff do is meet and vessel industry and eventually became involved with PVA. discuss the coming years strategic plan. This includes many subjects from budget to equity and diversity. After six years in the United States Air Force, in 1974, I began my career in the marine industry as an apprentice shipbuilder at GeneralBecause equity and diversity touch all members, vessel and associates Dynamics, Quincy Shipbuilding Division. After completing my ap- alike, at this years strategic planning meeting we, the board and of-prenticeship, I was convinced shipbuilding was what I wanted to do asficers, found ourselves discussing the importance of emphasizing our a career. However, after seven years my career path was not advancingequity and bylaw diversity policy that encourages members of all walks as I had hoped. of life to become more involved in committees, leadership, and oth-er special programs such as the Congressional fly-in. As a result, your As luck would have it, one of my bosses at the shipyard had movedboard of directors is now reviewing a final draft of a more detailed on and was working for M. Rosenblatt and Son (MR&S), Naval Ar- equity and diversity policy, expanding upon our bylaw commitment. chitects and Marine Engineers. He offered me a job and for the nextWe expect to vote on adoption of the expanded policy guideline at the several years I was a structural draftsman and worked on many navyupcoming board meeting.and commercial projects. However, my favorite assignment was when MR&S was awarded a contract as owners representative for the con- Im sure most, if not all of you, have heard the term equity and diversi-struction of two Military Prepositioning ships being built at the Gen- ty, but how many of us actually understand what those two words to-eralDynamics,QuincyShip- gether really mean? I know I had buildingDivision.Givenmyto give it some serious thought.experience I was assigned as an inspector and once again foundAs you could tell from myAs a result, I found myself think-myself back in the shipyard do- ing about my view on the issue. I ing what I really loved. remarks at the Presidents Dinnerthink its safe to say that depend-ingontheyearyouwereborn, AtsomepointMR&Sclosedat this years annual conventionyour view on the matter may likely their office in Massachusetts andin Long Beach, Calif., I think ofdiffer significantly. I went out on my own for several years, which led me to the pas- PVA members and staff as family.Thoseofusborninthefifties senger vessel business. and sixties will remember a pro-It is truly an honor to serve asgramcalledaffirmativeaction After doing several jobs for theand,speakingformyself,when Woods Hole, Marthas Vineyardthis years PVA president.thephraseequityanddiversity andNantucketSteamshipAu- surfaced, I felt it was simply a con-thority, they asked me to cometinuation of the above-mentioned aboardastheirspecialprojectsprogram. However, while similar, manager. This began my career in the passenger vessel industry. For thethe affirmative action program and objective was somewhat different next 32 years, I worked on both the engineering and operations side ofthan managing diversity and equity within an organization like PVA. the business, loving every minute of it.Simply put: affirmative action is a numbers-oriented program, aimed In the mid-nineties, I began attending PVA conferences, however itat changing the demographics within the organization. Managing eq-wasnt until 2013 when PVA President Carolyn Horgan suggested Iuity and diversity is behavioral, aimed at changing the organizational should get more involved. Shortly thereafter, I began attending the Con- culture and developing skills, policies, and opportunities that get the gressional fly-inss. At the annual convention in Savannah, I volunteeredbest from everyone.for a committee, and have served on the legislative committee ever since. Several years later, I was selected to serve on the board of directors andWhile there are many different versions of diversity and equity pro-decided that if I was going to do it, I needed to be fully committed. Asgrams, I think the one below fits PVA well:you could tell from my remarks at the Presidents Dinner at this years annual convention in Long Beach, Calif., I think of PVA members andDiversity,equity,andinclusion(DEI)isaconceptualframework staff as family. It is truly an honor to serve as this years PVA president.that seeks to promote the fair treatment and full participation of all Continued on page 41FOGHORN 4'