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People of Saltchuk

People of Saltchuk

The stories behind the Saltchuk family of companies

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Hurricane

Tamara Lowe

Dominica Island Manager’s unlikely career a roadmap for women in shipping

July 22, 2021March 10, 2022 6 min read

Tamara Lowe: ‘My roles involve aligning efforts toward promoting an awareness among young women of the career opportunities available within the Maritime sector with the hope of addressing the under-representation of women in the industry.’ Tamara Lowe grew up on

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Mary Kiernan, Tropical.

Honoring “the Mother of Tropical”

May 24, 2021May 24, 2021 6 min read

Mary Kiernan passed away May 10; she recently celebrated 40 years with Tropical Shipping. Tropical Shipping Vessel Analyst Mary Kiernan, dubbed “the Mother of Tropical,” celebrated 40 years with the company on March 18, 2021. She passed away last week

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Van Kent, VP, Tropical Shipping.

VP sees core values at work during 15-year tenure with Tropical

October 29, 2020October 29, 2020 10 min read

Van Kent: ‘We’re always the first to arrive after a storm, and we not only help our employees but also provide help to entire communities. You don’t see that from a lot of other companies.’ Van Kent’s mother worked two

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Married couple Lan, left, and Ko are both cargo pilots for Northern Air Cargo.

Married NAC cargo pilots took different routes to heavy-jet dreams

November 13, 2019November 13, 2019 8 min read

Ko and Lan pilot Boeing 767s from Honolulu and Miami. By Hilary Reeves Hongchul An (Ko) and Ran An (Lan) have many things in common: they were both born and raised in Tokyo, emigrating to the United States as teenagers.

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After years on the move, Tropical Controller finds home in Florida

August 28, 2019November 7, 2019 5 min read

Patti Tripp: ‘I want to continue to learn new things that will help me to keep advancing my career.’ By Hilary Reeves If there was anything constant about the early years of Patti Tripp’s career, it’s that she was constantly

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Keyla van Heyningen, Tropical Shipping Island Manager, St. Maarten.

St. Maarten Island Manager turned devastating setback into success

May 6, 2019May 6, 2019 7 min read

Keyla van Heyningen had been Tropical’s St. Maarten Island Manager for only a day when Category 5 Hurricane Irma crippled the island. By Hilary Reeves In 2015, Keyla van Heyningen was managing a produce company that imported goods from the

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TOTE President Jeff Dixon aboard the North Star in Tacoma, Washington.

TOTE President Jeff Dixon sails through first two months

March 13, 2019November 11, 2019 7 min read

Dixon: ‘It’s been supremely rewarding to me already.’ By Hilary Reeves Captain Jeff Dixon spent 27 years on active duty in the United States Coast Guard before joining TOTE Services almost two years ago. He assumed the role of President

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Foss mission leaders reflect on Puerto Rico disaster relief

September 14, 2018 6 min read

Robert Wagoner:‘It takes a village, constant effort, and focus to achieve success.’ By Hilary Reeves Five days after Hurricane Maria savaged her way through the Caribbean last September, Foss Maritime Director of Cargo Operations Rob Wagoner was on the ground

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TOTE and Tropical raise funds and pack meals for those impacted by the hurricanes, Saltchuk companies come together to support colleagues

October 20, 2017March 4, 2020 3 min read

TOTE Maritime partners with Hunger Fight to send emergency meals This week, 36 stateside TOTE Maritime employees in Jacksonville, Florida spent two hours packing meals for their fellow employees in Puerto Rico. In partnership with the local charity Hunger Fight,

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Operations restored at all eight hardest-hit Tropical ports

October 19, 2017January 29, 2018 3 min read

Tropical VP: ‘Without a doubt, Maria is the fiercest storm I’ve ever seen…’ By Hilary Reeves As TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico and Tropical Shipping employees continue picking up the pieces of lives shattered by the one-two punch of Hurricanes Irma

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Stories of the storm: TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico employees recount Maria’s devastation

October 19, 2017January 29, 2018 7 min read

In San Juan, focus shifts to serving Puerto Ricans across the island By Hilary Reeves TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico and Tropical Shipping employees living and working in the Caribbean knew Hurricane Maria was slated to do significant damage to their

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Categories

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Topics

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ABOUT THE MAGAZINE

People of Saltchuk was created in 2014 to highlight the hard working people dedicated to making Saltchuk companies the best in their industries. We think the transportation industry is fascinating, and hope you find the stories here interesting, inspiring and enlightening as you learn about the companies and people that make up the Saltchuk family. If you have a suggestion for a feature, please > contact Emily Reiter

> VISIT SALTCHUK.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

HILARY REEVES

Hilary Reeves spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter and editor before joining the Saltchuk family of companies as a consultant. Since People of Saltchuk launched in 2014, Reeves has interviewed more than 200 Saltchuk employees from operating companies all over the world. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Reeves is a former president of both the collegiate and local professional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists, a graduate of the Society’s Ted Scripps Leadership Institute, and a Toastmaster. When she’s not writing, she loves to read, ski, and practice the piano. She lives in West Seattle with her husband and two young daughters.

Interested in working for the Saltchuk family of companies? Check out the Saltchuk Job Board for opportunities throughout the nation.

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