Take home timely and useful information from expert speakers to benefit your port/business.  Key issues at this year's Conference include: Balancing the Economy & Environment at Ports;  Managing Employee Benefit Costs; Greener Ships, Trucks, and Harbors; Achieving Strong Port Bond Ratings; Treating Harbor Stormwater; Optimizing Technology for Efficiency; Accessing Ferry & Cruise Vessels; Protecting Waterfronts for Marine Uses; Port Leadership Succession Planning; and Developing New Cargoes & Customers; and Strengthening Port Security.

Here are three more examples of confirmed outstanding Annual Conference speakers:

Capt. Manfred Aschemeyer, Marketing & Business Development Consultant

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace

Manny graduated from the California Maritime Academy with honors in 1963.  He went to sea as a licensed merchant marine officer, rising from Third Mate to Master (Captain) in five years.  He's served as Port Captain/Operations Manager, Freight Traffic Manager, Fleet Manager, and District Director for several major steamship companies; he's been Vice President of sales, marketing and public affairs for one of the largest stevedoring and terminal operating contractors in America; and he recently retired as Executive Director at the Marine Exchange for Southern California after 15 years of service.  He was responsible for monitoring and facilitating all ship traffic in the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, Santa Monica Bay, Santa Catalina Island, and Oxnard Harbor (Port Hueneme).  He established the first -- and only - private sector VTS in the USA.  He started up a maritime consulting service - "Cap'n Manny & Associates", and is actively serving in that capacity for several firms.

Capt. Bruce Clark, Director of Maritime Security, California Maritime Academy 

Captain Bruce Clark has served as Director of Maritime Security at the California Maritime Academy since July 2005.  He previously served nine years as Vice President for Operations at CEI MARITIME, a subsidiary of Chow Engineering Inc. in Oakland.  Bruce's civilian experience includes over 25 years as an engineering professional with an emphasis on engineering and construction design/build, structural infrastructure and environmental remediation and mitigation projects throughout the U.S.  His 26 years of active duty and reserve military experience with the U.S. Coast Guard, while jointly attached to the U.S. Navy for 8 years, includes field level, senior supervisory, command, and command staff assignments in marine safety, environmental protection, and port security/harbor defense missions both inside and outside of the continental U.S.  Bruce serves as the instructor for the CMA Facility Security Officer and Vessel Security Officer courses.

Dennis Ciocca, Senior Vice President, Stern Brothers & Co.

Dennis Ciocca joined Stern Brothers & Co. in 2010, bringing more than 40 years experience providing financial services to public agencies.  Prior to joining Stern Brothers, he worked with a broad array of governmental issuers including the states of California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Oregon.  He has structured redevelopment agency financing for the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, California as well as Portland, Oregon.  Recently, Dennis' public financing activities have been directed to economic development/public-private partnership issues.  During 2001-07, he raised more than $50 million for the Port of Stockton for renovation and upgrading of maritime infrastructure.  In 2006, he completed a three-phase financing for the Hawthorne Redevelopment Agency that helped construct a new Los Angeles Air Force Base, which is the national headquarters of the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Division.  Dennis is a graduate of Oregon State University (BS) and the University of Oregon (MBA).   

Plentiful networking time at the Annual Conference will enable you to build deeper partnerships with your Pacific port colleagues. 

Your companion is welcome to join you at no extra cost to experience beautiful southern California, enjoy delicious meals, take an informative tour of Long Beach Command & Control Center, and a special boat tour of Long Beach Harbor.  During plenary sessions, your companion will enjoy special tours of local attractions (please scroll down for more details). 

The Hilton Long Beach Hotel & Executive Meeting Center, overlooking the Harbor, has state-of-the-art conference facilities and all modern amenities including fine dining, a fitness center and pool, and wireless Internet access.  Located in the heart of Long Beach, this Conference venue is only a 25-minute drive from Los Angeles International (LAX), 15 minutes from Long Beach (LGB), and 30 minutes from John Wayne/Orange County (SNA) Airports.  Enjoy APP's pre-negotiated discounted room rates of just $139 per night. 

Click here to register or for additional details including the Conference schedule and registration travel instructions. 

A special thanks to our generous Annual Conference sponsors so far:

Your companion is welcome to join you at the APP Annual Conference at no extra charge for golf on Sunday morning, wonderful meals throughout the conference, and Tuesday's tours of the Long Beach Harbor and Command & Control Center (all with APP delegates).

In addition to these events, we have planned free special companion tours just for them.  Monday will feature a tour of the Queen Mary, and on Wednesday companions will enjoy tours of two historic ranchos: Los Alamitos and Los Cerritos. 

Click here to register yourself and your companion.  Remember, each delegate is welcome to bring one companion at no additional charge!

In addition to the confirmed sponsors listed above, we have Annual Conference sponsorship opportunities still available for you!  Our valued Conference Sponsors receive recognition with:

• Logos on the Conference Poster & in the Conference Program.
• Recognition in all newsletters and mailings prior to and following Annual Conference.
• Verbal recognition at the specific event being sponsored.
• Option to include information or promotional items in Conference bags.
• Sponsorships of $1,000 USD and higher also receive podium time to speak to the attendees at the event being sponsored, if so desired.

Sponsorship options are available in the online registration form and by clicking here.  Please feel free to contact APP staff for more information.

The APP Board of Directors recently approved two new APP Life Members: Larry Aikins (right), long-time commissioner for the Port of Redwood City, California USA; and Captain Ray Fosse (left), long-time commissioner for the Oxnard Harbor District/Port of Hueneme, California USA.

APP Life Members are affiliates of member ports who actively participated in APP for at least 10 years (or for the period of incumbency permitted by local law) who have become disassociated with their respective port; or any Past President of APP upon becoming disassociated with their respective port.  Life Members are not required to pay membership fees and may participate in all APP events.  

Congratulations, Larry and Ray! 

• PERSPECTIVES FROM REPORTERS COVERING PORTS: WHAT WORKS & WHAT DOESN'T: James Mayer, Reporter, The  Oregonian newspaper, Portland, Oregon & Erik Olson, Reporter, The Daily News newspaper, Longview, Washington
• DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TOOLS IN YOUR TOOLKIT? DELIVERING YOUR PROJECT MESSAGES TO A DIVERSE AUDIENCE: Carolyn Casey, Communications Manager, Port of Bellingham, Washington USA 
• COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH COMMUNITIES: Duncan Wilson, Communications & Governmental Affairs Director, Port Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, CANADA 
• KEEPING YOUR PORT'S PUBLIC MESSAGE POSITIVE: Elise Hamner, Communications Manager, Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, Oregon USA 
• BEYOND WORDS: A CARTOONIST'S PERSPECTIVE ON COMMUNICATIONS: Jack Ohman, Nationally-Syndicated Editorial Cartoonist & Author 
• BRANCHING OUT: SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR PORTS: Cheryl Bledsoe, Emergency Manager, Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency, Vancouver, WA
• REACHING OUT: NEW WAYS TO CONNECT YOUR PORT & COMMUNITY: Brooke Berglund, Community Affairs Outreach Manager, Port of Portland, Oregon USA

The outstanding seminar speakers educated attendees about new ways to effectively communicate with their ports' media, customers, tenants, elected officials, neighbors, and community; the latest in social media tools for ports; and ways to improve their ports' community involvement.  A special thanks to ALX Technology for co-sponsoring this informative seminar.  

Click here for photos & PowerPoint presentations from the Spring Fly-in Fly-out Seminar.