b'LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTAT THE HELM A Busy Fall for PVAJIM SWINDLER // PRESIDENTT here are busy months ahead for our PVA staff. LikeMeetings with legislators and/or their staff will be prear- Putting power most of us, our PVA staff is always busy, but therangedbythehardworkofournewLegislativeDirector,next several months will be especially challenging.Richard Patch, and Ed Welch. The day of the PVA Con-In addition to four regional meetings, staff are also pre- gressionalFly-Inbeginswithabreakfastatthehotelandparingforaface-to-facePVABoardofDirectorsmeeting a discussion to go over the issues that will be discussedback in the hands coupledwithaPVACongressionalFly-InandaPVA/U.S. with the various legislators and their staff. PVA members Coast Guard Quality Partnership (QP) meeting with se- are often grouped by region or subject matter. A PVA staff nior Coast Guard leadership. PVA members may attendmember is usually attached to each group to issue support, any or all of the three events. to help with transportation, and to provide assistance inof the operatorgetting from Congressional building to building. The ex- PVACongressionalFly-In,Tuesday,Nov.14 perienceofparticipatinginthePVACongressionalFly-Inis, in and of itself, a full day of work, but a lot of fun as well.PVABoardofDirectors,Wednesday,Nov.15Congressional offices are located in different buildings andPV not necessarily always next door to each other. Try as theyThe cloud commerce platform A/Coast Guard Quality Partnership Meeting,Thursday, Nov. 16 may, PVA staff have little control over the meeting times so you may find yourself doing a lot of walking and waiting.built for tours & ferriesRemindersandadditionalinformationincludinghotelWith that said its well worth the trip. If youve not visit-accommodations for these meetings will be well publicizeded Capitol Hill before, there is plenty to take in and it is a in FOGHORN and in thevery impressive landmark. To regular PVA Member Up- activelytakepartinasmall dates which are delivered toThe planning continues forway in our nations legislativerocketrez.comPVA members via email. the PVA Congressional Fly-In. process is very rewarding.Hopefully, by the time youMost members I talkedThePVABoardofDirectorssee this article you will havewith about the experienceMeeting will be held the next participated in a successfulhad no clue that it oftenday and all PVA members are PVARegionMeeting,butinvited to attend. If you have the planning continues forinvolves sitting one-on-onenotattendedacommittee thePVACongressionalFly- with various Congressionalmeetingoraboardmeeting In and the QP meeting. Forits a good opportunity to get those of you who have nev- legislators to discuss the manya feel for how your association er experienced the meetingsissues impacting our industry.ismanagedandtherolethe on Capitol Hill, I stronglyboard plays in overseeing that. suggestyougiveitatry. Most members I talked with about the experience had noThe QP meeting is next and will include discussions with cluethatitofteninvolvessittingone-on-onewithvarious Coast Guard leadership on several different issues of impor-Congressional legislators to discuss the many issues im- tance to all of us. We expects, among other things, to wrapA proud partner with the Passenger pacting our industry. up a discussion on the plate assessment tool, to receive anVessel Association since 2015Continued on page 47FOGHORN 4'