           |
   |
   |
| Back to Press Releases |
|
April 11, 2005 Contacts:
SSA Marine gives $500,000 for Port of Tacoma Chair at University of Washington, Tacoma TACOMA - SSA Marine will give $500,000 to the University of Washington, Tacoma to help establish the Port of Tacoma Chair, an endowment focused on advanced research in marine environmental science. The gift is the latest cornerstone in SSA Marine's long relationships with both the Port of Tacoma and the University of Washington. Now the nation's largest shipping terminal operator and a global leader, SSA Marine's first expansions more than 40 years ago were to Tacoma and Seattle, after it began operations in Bellingham. The Seattle-based company's Chairman, Ricky Smith, and current President and CEO, Jon Hemingway, both received their undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Washington. "You could say SSA Marine grew up with the Port of Tacoma and was educated at the University of Washington," Hemingway said. "As a locally based company with a strong commitment to environmental stewardship in Commencement Bay and other waters where we operate, we're extremely proud to support the Port and UW in this endowment." SSA Marine's pledge follows a $1 million leadership investment in December from the Port of Tacoma. Both investments will receive a 50 percent match from the University of Washington Matching Gift Initiative that is funded through private donations. The match increases SSA Marine's contribution to $750,000 and the Port's pledge to $1.5 million. "SSA Marine's contribution demonstrates the company's long-standing dedication to Tacoma," said U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks. "When a local company like SSA Marine steps forward together with the Port of Tacoma and University of Washington, it's a leadership example of what public-private partnerships can accomplish." The Port of Tacoma Chair will allow UW Tacoma to attract leading professors to focus on teaching and research on topics related to Port priorities, initially focusing on environmental science. The chair will initially focus on the city's Urban Waters project, an effort to establish a center for marine research in waters around urban areas. Urban Waters' research will be conducted under the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Board led by Arthur Nowell, dean of the University of Washington's College of Ocean and Fishery Science. "The University of Washington, Tacoma has emerged as one of Tacoma-Pierce County's most important resources," said Port of Tacoma Commissioner Connie Bacon. "The Port greatly appreciates the generosity of SSA Marine in supporting higher education in this manner. We are proud to work with SSA in the important work of helping create a more highly skilled, better educated workforce that will drive our economy for years to come." Urban Waters' research initially will concentrate on:
"SSA Marine's gift brings us a substantial step closer to a plan that promises to support the local and regional economy and the health and safety of our community's waters through research and education," said Urban Waters Board Chair Bill Philip. "Our board is gratified to see the businesses that have benefited from our local waters step forward to invest in protecting it. We plan to show how environmental leadership can coexist - and even spur - economic development in our region." When SSA Marine first began operations at the Port of Tacoma, it handled general cargo, including lumber and other forest products. Over the decades, SSA Marine gradually expanded operations and now serves as contract stevedore and terminal operator for Totem Ocean Express in Tacoma. As a general stevedore, SSA Marine also handles break-bulk and general cargo at Pier 7 and Blair Terminal. The company's affiliate, Pacific Rail Services, operates the South Intermodal Rail Yard for the Port of Tacoma, serving both the Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. About SSA Marine About the Port of Tacoma About UWT |
|