b'LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENTAT THE HELM Strengthening Relationships and Supporting Future LeadersPATRICK MURPHY // PRESIDENTO n Jan. 30, 2024, I had the pleasure to address PVAfirst as a director of operations and eventually I became members, staff, family, and friends at the PVApresident of the company in 2017. Annual Convention at MariTends 2024 closing banquet in Portland, Ore. It was an honor to be recognizedThe convention also gave me an opportunity to ruminate as the 2024 PVA president. As I did then, and will now, Iabout my time in the industry and my fathers legacy. Not express a heartfelt thank you to the past PVA presidents,only at Blue & Gold Fleet but also at PVA. He founded the especially outgoing President Jim Swindler, the board ofSafety Committee, and has an award named after him, an directors,andcommitteeaward won by the Blue & Gold members, as well as the PVAFleet in 2013. He also served as staff. Additionally, I want toPVA has lots of great people,PVA president in 1998. At Blue thank all those who gave pre- and it is these people that&GoldFleethewasbeloved sentations, sponsored events,make up the strength of theby his employees who saw him andthecompaniesthatex- moreasafatherfigurethan hibitedontheconventionorganization. I enjoy thataboss.Heencouragedem-floor.Everyonescontribu- many of us have developedployees,especiallythosewith tions culminated into a highlydiverse backgrounds, to never successful convention.long-lasting relationships.stoplearningandbettering Even competitors are oftenthemselves.Somanyemploy-Forme,personally,itwasaees at Blue & Gold Fleet did not specialconventionwhichseen discussing trends andattend the traditional maritime allowed me to reflect on mythe newest technologicalcollegetobecomecaptains, timeinthepassengervesseladministrators,orexecutives. industry.Ihaveworkedforadvances. It is a unique groupThey took the time to further Blue & Gold Fleet since I wasof people. educatethemselvesbecause a teenager. Our company wasmyfatherencouragedthem founded by my father, Rogerto do so. What a great legacy Murphy, in 1979 with one sightseeing vessel. Today, Blueand I am super proud to follow him. This is why I became & Gold Fleet has become one of the largest tour and ferrya board member for the Passenger Vessel Foundation. The boat companies on the West Coast. We own and operateFoundation began to ensure that the passenger vessel indus-twenty-four vessels and carried about three million pas- try continued with its dedication to furthering education sengers last year.and development of safety resources.IstartedworkingforBlue&GoldFleetasapart-timeWhen I started thinking about the PVA Annual Conven-employee,workingweekendsandsummersduringhightion at MariTends 2024 and all the other PVA events that I school and college. Since then, I have worked in about everyattend, that we all attend, I had to ask: What is the reason position in the company. Selling tickets in the box office,we all keep coming back in the first place. chippingandpaintinginourmaintenancedepartment, working as a deckhand, and as a captain for ten years, be- PVA has lots of great people, and it is these people that make fore moving into the administrative side of the company,up the strength of the organization. After all we just finished Continued on page 53FOGHORN 4'