Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 484 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • FOGHORN A Year to Remember… We had an interesting start to the 2016 kick-off of the Annual Convention which took place in the midst of a snow storm that basically shut down Washington D.C. Even with the stormy beginning, we have had a successful convention and a successful year in the PVA. At the start of my Presidency in January 2016, President Obama signed into law su- perseding amendments to the one-size-fits-all survival craft law. This fulfills PVA’s long-sought goal of con- tinuing to have the Coast Guard establish survival craft rules based on risk analysis. This was a major legisla- tive victory for PVA. This goal was achieved due to the work started by my predecessor Dave Anderson and prior PVA Presidents. As you know, for 10 years PVA has been involved in the TWIC Reader rulemaking process, all the while advocating against TWIC readers for passenger vessel operators. In the final rule, the Coast Guard used risk-based analysis for determining which vessels needed readers, which essentially exempted all U.S. flagged-passenger vessels. We are pleased that the Coast Guard supports PVA’s long-held position that TWIC Readers are unnecessary for the vast majority of passenger vessel operators. As reported previously in FOGHORN, PVA has developed a new online training portal for members making PVA’s safety and security training resources more accessible than ever. This exciting new member service is a direct result of the excellent work of the PVA Safety and Security Committee and I thank them for their efforts. Additionally, PVA worked with the Coast Guard to obtain a blanket waiver from new Federal Communications Commission rules requiring upgraded radio systems. Without this waiver, vessel operators would have had to purchase new devices that are more expensive and overly complex than what is needed for domestic passenger vessels. Thankfully, we can continue to use a radio system that is more appropriate for our industry’s needs. I am also pleased to report that the PVA Flagship Safety Management System (SMS) has been submitted to the Coast Guard for approval. Developed under the auspices of a chartered working group through the PVA/Coast Guard Quality Partnership, this important program will provide PVA members with a valuable tool that will enhance safety and enhance regulatory compliance in a format that is malleable to meet individual opera- tor’s size and scale. All of the above are some of what PVA has done for you in the past 12 months. Please consider now how you can assist PVA. I first became involved in PVAbecause of the networking within the membership. I have been overwhelmed over the years with the helpful- ness that exists in the passenger vessel industry. There is so much sharing of valuable information, the more you participate the more you learn. As I leave office, I want to encourage you to get involved in PVA for the benefit of our organization and our industry. There are so many ways to become involved if you are not already. Our committees, councils and Board of Directors are wonderful examples of how individuals from all across this country and from very different operations can work together for the common good. If you want to become involved we welcome your participation. I would like to extend my thanks to Executive Director, John Groundwater and the entire staff who have served me, the board, and the PVA constituency well with their hard work and dedication. Also thank you to my Vice President, Jeff Whitaker, Secretary Treasurer, Gus Gaspardo, and the Board of Directors for their support of me this past year. This has been a wonderful experience for me and I have enjoyed serving you in my time as PVA President. Thank for your support and trust in me. I wish everyone a successful and prosperous 2017 and I know that I am leaving you in good hands under the able leadership of my successor, President-Elect Jeff Whitaker of Hudson River Cruises in Kingston, NY. Sincerely, Sincerely, Margo Marks President n LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Margo Marks As I leave office, I want to encourage you to get involved in PVA for the benefit of our organization and our industry. There are so many ways to become involved if you are not already.