Port Authority Board elects officers

Bill Kron, a St. Louis County commissioner since 1977, was re-elected Duluth Seaway Port Authority president at the board's annual meeting. The St. Louis County board originally appointed Mr. Kron to the Port Authority board in 1992. He is past chair of the county board and has served as chair of a number of its committees over the years.

Steve Raukar, a St. Louis County commissioner since 1989, was elected as Port Authority vice president. Mr. Raukar is chair of the County Board and serves on 16 additional committees, boards and commissions. He was originally appointed to the Port Authority board in January 1998. The other officers are Janet E. Nelson, Duluth, secretary; Helena Jackson, Duluth, treasurer; and Thomas E. Cashman, Mankato, assistant treasurer. They are joined on the board by Thomas A. Clure, Duluth.

U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar, widely known among colleagues as "Mr. Transportation," was honored as "Port Person of the Year," by the American Association of Port Authorities at its spring conference in Washington, D.C. Since 1975, his first year in office, Rep. Oberstar has been a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which prior to 1995 was known as the House Public Works committee. In the four years preceding his election, he served as staff administrator for that committee.

Dr. Richard Stewart, associate professor of transportation and logistics management at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, was named a 2003-04 Wisconsin Teaching Scholar by the UW System. The program recognizes outstanding UW System faculty and teaching academic staff who have more than 10 years of teaching experience.

The Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, which manages the Seaway System along with its U.S. counterpart, the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, named Richard Corfe president and CEO at the opening of the Seaway's 2003 shipping season. He succeeds Guy Veronneau, who retired after successfully guiding the Corporation through its first five-year business plan. Mr. Corfe previously held various executive positions with the Canadian Seaway Corporation over a period of 20 years.

The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association was presented in April an "Excellence in Interpretive Partnerships" award by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Detroit District Commander Lt. Colonel Thomas Magness. The award recognized the Association's 29-year support of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, Duluth, making it the oldest continuing cooperating association within the Corps of Engineers.

American Steamship Co. of Buffalo, N.Y., in February named Jerome K. Welsch its president and chief executive. Mr. Welsch, who joined the company in 1979, most recently served as its vice president of planning and business development.

James D. McConnell, an employee of U.S. Steel Mining Co. since 1977, took over April 1 as general manager of the company's Minntac Mine in Mountain Iron, Minn. Mr. McConnell, who formerly served as vice president of employee relations and administrative services for U.S. Steel Mining Co., replaced retiring Minntac Mine General Manager Jim Swearingen.

Great Lakes Transportation LLC, Monroeville, Pa., announced in April the rotation of its key managers as follows: Charles Patterson was promoted to vice president and general manager of Great Lakes Fleet, Inc., Duluth. He most recently was the company's chief commercial officer. He succeeds Elliott M. Hughes III, who will now serve as vice president and general manager of the Eastern Business Unit with offices in Greenville, Pa., and Conneaut, Ohio. Jerrry E. Vest was named vice president and assistant to the president with headquarters in Monroeville, Pa. He formerly served as vice president and general manager of the Eastern Business Unit.