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People of Saltchuk

People of Saltchuk

The stories behind the Saltchuk family of companies

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shipping to caribbean

Tropical’s trailer triumph keeps trucking along

February 8, 2023February 8, 2023 7 min read

In 2016, Tropical Shipping embarked on an inland transport Continuous Improvement project that’s saved millions and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 17,000 metric tons. In 2016, Dave Hearl and Van Kent had an idea. “Our teams are always looking for

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Merrilee Gorman

Tropical operations manager celebrated for Distinguished Service in Safety

November 15, 2022November 15, 2022 4 min read

Merrilee Gorman is ‘deeply concerned with doing the right things the right way.’ Vessel Operations Manager Merrilee Gorman began her career at Tropical Shipping 38 years ago as a File Clerk in Accounting. “When I first started at Tropical, it

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Robert Ackley, Tropical

Safety Q&A with Robert Ackley, Tropical Shipping

October 11, 2022October 11, 2022 4 min read

Tropical Shipping Shipside Operations Supervisor Robert Ackley is a 2021-2022 Saltchuk Safety Award nominee after a series of pinch-point finger and hand injuries led to co-creating a tool that allows the company’s stevedores to hold lifting cables away from cargo,

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Erika Vega, TMPR

2020 Safety Award nominee Q&A: Erika Vega, TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico

August 3, 2021August 3, 2021 3 min read

In the fourth of a nine-part Q&A series, TOTE PR Risk Management Generalist Erika Vega answers questions about her life, career, and nomination for this year’s awards. In 2019, TOTE received its 45001 ISO certification for safety. Erika Vega led

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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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Julissa Moreta, Tropical Shipping

Safety Award finalist ‘fearless’ in preventing safety incidents

December 10, 2020December 10, 2020 4 min read

Julissa Moreta calls ‘time out’ on unsafe work situations in her native Dominican Republic Saltchuk Safety Award finalist Julissa Moreta was born and raised in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Her father, a regional sales manager, and her mother,

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Nic and Marjorie Zoretic

Complementary careers key to couple’s early success

November 19, 2020November 19, 2020 11 min read

Nic and Marjorie Zoretic spent the past decade navigating parallel sailing careers and now shoreside positions with Foss, TOTE. Nic and Marjorie Zoretic first crossed paths at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. Nic, born

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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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Career mariner embraces life shoreside

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020 3 min read

Don Croal: ‘After 45 years, it’s still an adventure, not just a job.’ By Hilary Reeves Across the street from Dornsford (Don) Croal’s childhood home in Guyana lived a ship captain and merchant mariner who would one day change his

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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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Three years later, Foss’s FMC stays steady course

November 4, 2019November 7, 2019 5 min read

Career mariner Art Dahlin was named General Manager of Foss’s Columbia Snake River region – and the Fleet Monitoring Center – in 2018. By Hilary Reeves Foss Martime’s Fleet Monitoring Center (FMC) debuted to much fanfare on June 1, 2016

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JP Marcantonio, VP of Marine Services for TOTE Services in Jacksonville, Florida.

Former Foss Director relishes new role at TOTE Services

September 27, 2019November 7, 2019 8 min read

Georgia native JP Marcantonio accepted the position of VP of Marine Services in February. By Hilary Reeves During his 13 years at Foss Maritime, JP Marcantonio’s motto was, “Happy to be here. Proud to serve.” “I never had a bad

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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

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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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