b'On the opening day of the convention, attendees gathered on the MariTrends exhibit floor for this years keynote address FOGHORN FOCUS given by U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Wayne Arguin, Jr., assistant commandant for prevention policy. He spoke about executing the Coast Guard commandants strategies, how the Service is addressing limited workforce resources, and the ways the Coast Guard effectively combines online and in-person training for marine inspectors. Of great inter-est to many in the audience, Rear Admiral Arguin discussed inspection appeals and why theyre an integral part of the regulatory process. Read more about these and additional topics he touched on starting on page 18.Two awards are given annually to recognize PVA mem-ber employees of who have gone above and beyond in the area of safety. The 2024 Roger Murphy National Marine Safety Award recipient was Peter Lindquist, Munising Bay Shipwreck Tours, Inc. Manny Nino, Shoreline Sightseeing was honored with the Captain Elizabeth Gedney Passenger Vessel Safety Award. Both men received their awards pri-or to the keynote address and were congratulated by RearAdmiral Arguin.The MariTrends exhibit floor was also the place to be for social events throughout the weekend. Receptions on Sat-urday and Sunday evenings were a chance to not only talk business but to catch up with colleagues and friends. The Passenger Vessel Foundation (PVF) Region Competition took the form of Family Feud with each region vying to guess the top responses and win the most points while rais-ing money for PVF. FOGHORN 14'