Names in the News

Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Mae Schunk looked right at home taking command of USS Great Lakes Fleet's vessel Presque Isle. Her visit in October to the Port of Duluth, one of the nation's premier bulk cargo ports, was in conjunction with Governor Jesse Ventura's "Big Plan" proposals regarding increased global competitiveness.

Ronald L. Johnson, Port Authority trade development director, has been named to serve on the board of the Transportation Policy Insititute. The Institute, a new organization, will perform research and reporting tasks for the Minnesota Transportation Alliance. Mr. Johnson maintains and develops programs to retain and generate commerce for the Port Authority.

Bill Kron, a veteran St. Louis County commissioner, has been reappointed by the County Board to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Mr. Kron, a county commissioner since 1997, serves as the vice chair of the County Board. He has chaired the Board and served as chair of numerous committees. He was originally appointed to the Port Authority Board in 1992.

Steve Raukar has been elected chair of the St. Louis County Board. He has been a county commissioner since 1989. He was appointed by the County Board to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority Board in 1998 and serves as the Port Authority's assistant treasurer.

L. Keith Yetter, for 40-plus years an engineer and vice president of Zenith Dredge Co. and its successor, Marine Tech of Duluth, retired in December. Widely recognized as an expert on harbor infrastructure, he supervised myriad harbor maintenance and engineering projects. He served on numerous community boards and commissions. Mr. Yetter will continue to act as a consultant on local projects.

Gary Nicholson, president of Lake Superior Warehousing Co., Inc., has been elected to serve on the board of directors for the Minnesota Northwest Warehouse Association. The MNWA is composed of public and private warehousing companies throughout Minnesota and other border states. Lake Superior Warehousing operates the Port Authority-owned Clure Public Marine Terminal's general cargo facilities.

LDCR Suzanne Englebert (MSE '93), executive officer for the Marine Safety Office, Duluth, was nominated for the Alumna in Residence honor by the University of Michigan department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. The nomination recognized her professional achievements in ship and safety and environmental protection.