Newsletter: June/July Newsletter

Our guest speaker for the June meeting will be Ms. Marjorie Mayfield Jackson, Executive Director, Elizabeth River Project, who will provide a valuable update on the organization’s progress. Ms. Jackson has been with the Elizabeth River Project since its initial conception in November 1991. She was a founding volunteer, founding member of the Board of Directors and became the first paid staff member in 1993, as Coordinator. She now serves as Executive Director, overseeing the Elizabeth River Project in its mission to “restore the Elizabeth River to the highest practical level of environmental quality through government, business and community partnerships.”

 

In this role, Ms. Jackson oversees a staff of nine pursuing numerous actions in the Elizabeth River Project’s Watershed Action Plan, Elizabeth River Restoration. The plan was adopted by the Commonwealth of Virginia as its Regional Action Plan for reducing toxics in the Elizabeth River. Ms. Jackson received the William H. Savedge III Environmental Achievement Award from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in 2002 for her personal commitment to environmental restoration of the Bay.

 

Under Ms. Jackson’s leadership, the Elizabeth River Project recently christened the world’s first Floating Wetland Classroom, the “Learning Barge”, a self-sustaining, mobile education center. Moored throughout the Elizabeth River, the barge serves as an interactive classroom designed to help students of all ages learn how to take care of the River and its resources – with the ultimate goal of helping to make the river swimmable and fishable by 2020. VSRA is leading the effort to compile a detailed maintenance plan for the barge and has coordinated the assistance of the Association’s members’ Apprentice Programs to provide hands-on maintenance support to the barge’s long term maintenance needs – a win-win effort.

 

Prior to taking a position with the Elizabeth River Project, Ms. Jackson was a journalist for daily newspapers. She served as staff writer for the Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Va., for 10 years, covering education, City Hall, religion and other issues. She was named one of the 10 best religion writers in the country in 1991 and was nominated by the Pilot for a Pulitzer for her coverage of Norfolk’s desegregation busing case. Prior to that, she was a reporter with The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Ga.

 

The website for the Elizabeth River Project is www.elizabethriver.org.

 

Our guest speaker was Senator Frank Wagner, who provided us with an invaluable insight into this year's legislative session with his annual legislative update.  Senator Wagner explained that the recession has significantly reduced tax revenue for the state, but the General Assembly was determined to balance the budget through budget cuts rather than tax increases. He discussed the proposal to install a toll on Interstate 95 at the Virginia/North Carolina border in order to pay for the maintenance to that road. If the proposal is approved, the money the state usually budgets for I-95 can be allocated to other transportation requirements. Senator Wagner said Virginia is a net importer of power, and he supports wind power, nuclear power, and oil exploration and drilling in order to reduce Virginia’s dependence on foreign oil.

We will announce our July speaker once the speaker is confirmed. Please check back for the speaker’s biography.

We will NOT have a General Membership meeting in August. The annual golf tournament on August 17^th will replace the General Membership Meeting.

The date and location of the September General Membership Meeting has changed. The meeting will be held September 14, 2010 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, in conjunction with the American Society of Naval Engineers’ Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium 2010. Please note that this is the second, not the third, Tuesday of the month. Our guest speaker will be Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations.

At the May meeting, the Board of Directors approved the membership of the following four companies:

 

Berkley Staffing

Motor-Services Hugo Stamp

Advanced Integrated Technologies

LTD Management

Motor-Services Hugo Stamp (MSHS) is an authorized distributor, service center and field service center for marine diesel engines and related equipment, including MAN Engines and Turbochargers, SEMT Pielstick, Deutz, Daihatsu Diesel, G.E., Napier, KBB, Boll and Kirch, FPT Motors, Hamilton Jets, LEMAG and HATLAPA, Factory Trained MAK Service and Woodward Governors. MSHS maintains a unique and extensive inventory of spare parts, and their service engineers, technicians, and parts department are on 24-hour call worldwide. MSHS also offers the very latest in laser alignment, engine performance analysis, as well as filtration systems and engine component overhaul techniques.

 

For additional information, please visit their website at www.mshs.com.

 

 

At the May General Membership Meeting, VSRF recognized the Senior Tradesman of the Year, Crispin Dimla Ongoco of AMSEC, LLC.   He received a plaque and a check for $500.

 

VSRF also recognized the following nominees for Senior Tradesman of the Year: 

 

Michael D. Blankenship of VSE Corporation

Travis E. Jones of LPI Technical Services

Charlie Kelly of MHI

Craig Mallory of Tecnico Corporation

Nelson McQuillan of Earl Industries

Cornelius Parker of BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair

Dean Payne of Ocean Tech Services

Ed Preneta of Dresser-Rand

 

All of the nominees received a certificate recognizing their significant contribution to their trade. Mr. Ongoco was also recognized at the National Maritime Day celebration on May 21st at the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk.  

At the May General Membership Meeting, VSRF recognized the Junior Tradesmen of the Year. The Junior Tradesman of the Year is Ashley Wilber of BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair. She received a plaque and a check for $500. 

 

VSRF also recognized the following nominees for Junior Tradesmen of the Year: 

 

Percival Ballesteros of VSE Corporation

Nikolas Leonidas of MHI

Jared Martin of Tecnico Corporation

Emilio Dimla Onoco, Jr. of AMSEC

Edward Stinson of Dresser-Rand

 

All of the nominees received a certificate recognizing their significant contribution to their trade. Ms. Wilber was also recognized at the National Maritime Day celebration on May 21st at the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk.  

The much anticipated Human Resources Seminar was unfortunately postponed because two of the key speakers were called away at the last minute. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. The rescheduled date is September 29, 2010. The committee will distribute a survey to refine the seminar in order to make it more relevant to more members.

The Communications Committee conducted its annual survey in January/February 2010. The committee is reviewing the responses and prioritizing the recommendations for taking action. The results follow.

 

QUESTION 1

COMPANY RESPONSES FROM THE SURVEY

44 Companies:

5 Large Ship Repairers

9 Ship Repairers

15 Subcontractors

15 Supplier/Service/Other

 

QUESTION 2

DEMOGRAPHICS

67 Responses

31% Executives

24% Managers

12% Human Resources

9% Safety

6% Quality Assurance

6% Business Development

5% Contracts

5% Miscellaneous

2% No Response to This Question

 

QUESTION 3

What are the most valuable programs you or your employees participate in?

84% General Membership Meetings

79% Committees

73% Safety Seminar

73% Annual Lunch Meeting

 

QUESTION 4

What areas of the website are most beneficial to you?

91% Membership Directory

85% Newsletter

84% Calendar

 

QUESTION 5

Please rate the quality of information provided by each committee throughout the year.

84% Safety

67% Quality Assurance

64% Communications

 

QUESTION 6

Would any of the following improvements to the website add value for your company?

55% Company Profile

53% Upload Resource Publications

53% Legislative Issues

 

QUESTION 7

Rate the value of the newsletter articles.

75% Upcoming Seminars

72% Next Month’s Speaker

75% Recap of Previous Month’s Meeting

75% Upcoming Training Courses

 

Question 8

Are there improvements to the newsletter or communication that would be beneficial to your company?

Library of helpful websites, Contract award summary, Expand website access, Being able to speak with a live person, Making the audit and auditor site a little easier to access, logging in at two different levels is sometimes confusing, Headlines from other ship repair organizations’ newsletters, E-mail notifications

 

QUESTION 9

What improvements could VSRA make to the website so it provides more benefit to your company?

Make the website easier to navigate, Continues to improve providing a good site for organizational activities, Extend the Safety Orientation to a 2-year requirement vice annual, Publish board meeting minutes, I think the VSRA website is good now, Current information on status of MSMO RFQs and awards, Member advertising opportunities, Awarded contracts, Profiles of new companies, more articles/information from charter companies posted on website, I think that the website is already great, Send an e-mail to the members when there are updates to the site, List affiliate organizations and links to their pages if applicable, Satisfied, Move forward with Safety Blog site to enhance free flow of information to all members, Excellent website, Website should be more user friendly, drop downs are not all inclusive, Formatted differently for easier read, Establish VSRA Facebook page for staff, Company links, Make it easier to use, The website is user friendly for the most part. I do have issues with trying to get logged into the QA site, More technical links, Easier navigation of members with contacts and titles, pretty comprehensive, Having the job board publicized more to membership and to the outside, I like the way the website is set up now, Member companies listing of services, Overall, I think the website is very functional. The biggest issue remains finding the time to utilize all of the different electronic information being sent to me during the day, it’s pretty good but could improve on easier ability to move around the site and better interactive links

I am happy with the website, More safety related information from across the industry both public and private, Provide annual ship repair salary survey information for members to include exempt positions typical in ship repair (i.e., Project Managers, Shop Superintendents, etc.), Adding profile to directory, Recap of meetings, Better links to national websites such as Virginia congressional sites, Spotlight a member company each month, Put the most recent committee minutes at the top of the list and make it so that you don’t have to request the minutes twice before you see them

 

QUESTION 10 COMMENTS

Website is nice but seldom used, VSRA website, committees and training are very beneficial, Create Safey Awards Program to recognize members who have exemplar TRIR/LTCR/DART most improved, etc., Provide a quality award that could be displayed. Could model after SCA and/or Signal, I really believe that VSRA provides superior services and in conversation with member companies from other SRAs, certainly is a step above, Staff is doing an outstanding job! Keep up the good work! Change VSRA by-laws to improve general membership representation on the Board of Directors

As suggested by our member companies, the VSRA staff has just completed a major revision to the Safety Orientation. The price for member companies remains unchanged at $3 per person. However, the price for non-members has risen from $5 to $15 per person.   The price for member companies of Shipbuilders Council and other ship repair associations is $8 per person.

As we discussed last month, VSRA member companies are the lead companies for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Virginia. In May, 150 representatives from VSRA member companies, Grainger, and Amerigroup were trained by the American Red Cross to be mobilized as a community-based volunteer force when disaster strikes. Currently, volunteer opportunities include sheltering, feeding, damage assessment, bulk distribution, casework, phone bank, disaster education, and staff services. With the extensive capabilities of our member companies, this list is expected to grow. For more information, please contact Pam Wakefield, RWTC Program Manager at 446-7740 or rwtc@myredcross.net.

 

Join us at the beautiful and challenging Bayville Golf Club in Virginia each, a short distance just off Shore Drive at the site of a spacious 268-acre former dairy farm, open to capricious winds and salt air of the nearby Chesapeake Bay.

 

 

Tournament Schedule 

10:00-12:30  Registration and Practice Range

11:00 a.m.  Lunch

12:30 p.m. Shotgun Start

“After Golf” Social – Prizes and Awards Presentation

Beverage carts, photos, snacks, goody bags, raffles

 

The specifics of the sponsorship packages will be available on the APPLICATION FORM when it is posted on Monday, June 15th.

 

 

Registration is now open.  All reservations are FIRST-COME FIRST-SERVED, so don't wait to apply.  We had a waiting list last year.

 

For specific questions, please contact: Josephine Anderson at 757-233-7034 or janderson@virginiashiprepair.org

If you are a dues-paying member of the Virginia Ship Repair Association, Inc. and have between 2 and 99 employees, you are eligible to receive Optima Health value-added benefits for your employees and their families.

 

Groups receive these value-added benefits at no additional cost to the member when received from an in-network provider:

• Annual gynecological exam and Pap test

• Annual mammogram and colorectal cancer screenings

• Routine prostate exam and prostate specific antigen (PSA) test

• Routine immunizations and well child care

• Flat copays for specialist office visits and outpatient surgery

• Additional Employee Assistance Program sessions

 

There are no additional premiums for these value-added benefits. Once your company is insured by Optima Health at the determined premium level, indicate you are a member of the Virginia Ship Repair Association, Inc., and these value-added benefits will be included in your plan at no additional premium cost.

 

If you already offer an Optima Health plan, you can add these benefits to your plan at no additional cost. Contact your local agent for more information.

 

Optima Health can also meet your unique needs with Optima Individual health plans. To get a free quote, apply online or to get more information, please see contact information below.

 

Contact your local agent, Gregg Kennerly, Advanced Benefit Strategies at (757) 536-4554 by phone or gregg@absofva.com by e-mail

or

Suzanne Stewart with Optima Health at (804) 901-1082 or visit us at www.optimahealth.com/associations

 

All Optima Health plans have benefit exclusions and limitations and terms under which policy may be continued in force or discontinued. For cost and complete details of coverage please contact Optima Health or log on to optimahealth.com www.optimahealth.com/associations.

8/10-11/10 – The Automation and Controls Symposium 2010 will be held at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee, WI. There will be a special reception at the Harley-Davidson Museum. For registration or exhibits information, go to www.navalengineers.org.

 

8/24-26/10 - The 2010 Office of Naval Research Naval Science and Technology Partnership Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, VA. For registration or exhibits information, go to www.navalengineers.org.

                                                                                               

9/13/10 – ASNE FMMS 2010 Golf Tournament to benefit the ASNE Scholarship Fund. Florida Best Ball, Captain’s Choice at The Signature at West Neck Golf Club, 3100 Arnold Palmer Dr., Virginia Beach, 23456. Shotgun start at 1300, box lunch at noon.   Contact Rob Ploeger at rploeger@caci.com (647-0069) or Richard Sobocinski at rsobocinski@colonnaship.com (545-2414, Ext 383).

 

9/14-15/10 – The Tidewater Section of American Society of Naval Engineers will hold its Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium 2010 at the Virginia Beach Conference Center. Confirmed speakers include Admiral Gary Roughead; Admiral John C. Harvey; VADM Kevin McCoy; RADM Clarke Orzalli and VADM Pete Hekman, USN (Ret.). For information on registration, exhibits, sponsorships, or the program, go to http://www.asne-tw.org/asne/FMMS10.

 

9/15/10 – Tidewater Association of Service Contractors will hold their September meeting in conjunction with the ASNE Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium 2010 at the Virginia Beach Conference Center. For information, please go to http://www.tasc-tgic.org.

 

9/16/10 – The annual JINII Conference will be held at the Virginia Beach Conference Center. Registration information will be available in July.

At the June meeting, the committee met to review the June/July newsletter and discuss the action items from the survey results. The committee meets the second Monday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at QED Systems, Inc. at 4646 N. Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

 

At the June meeting, CDR Eric Stump briefed the committee on the hiring of contract specialists (1102’s) and the funding for the backlog of ship’s force work. He will be leaving in September, and his relief is coming from Philadelphia. Joe Yurso briefed the committee on the ASNE Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium. The committee meets the first Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Troutman Sanders conference room, 150 Main Street, 16th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510.

 

The committee met in March. However the minutes have not been posted. The committee meets on odd-numbered months on the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.

 

At the May meeting, John Crenshaw with AmWINS presented a plan to manage health and fringe obligations for government service contractors and Davis Bacon contractors with 2-99 employees. The committee discussed the May 19^th seminar. The committee meets the first Wednesday of the month at 11:00 a.m. in the Troutman Sanders Conference Room, 150 Main Street, 16th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510.

 

At the May meeting, the committee discussed standardizing the Standard Item 009-77 PCP for cofferdams. Ken Edwards commented on the outcome of the NSSA’s NAVSEA audit. Auditor training is ongoing. Ken requested everyone submit proposals for the SSRAC to either himself or Mike Aldredge. The committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. at Q.E.D. Systems, Inc., 4646 North Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

 

At the May meeting, the committee voted on the safety suggestion of the quarter and discussed the September Safety Seminar. The committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.

                                                                                                

At the June meeting, the committee was informed that the NCIS Field Office is investigating teams of individuals who are offering free cigarettes in exchange for being able to scan CAC cards. Everyone was warned that their employees should not submit their CAC cards to anyone outside of a government facility because that can compromise PKI certificates and potentially lead to identity theft. The committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Conference Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.

We are pleased to offer the following courses:

 

Location sponsored by United Coatings Corp.

COST: $90.00 VSRA members; $125.00 Non VSRA members

DATES:  September 29, October 27, November 17, December 16, 2010, 7:30 am – 11:30 am

LOCATION: United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707

 

 

Location sponsored by United Coatings Corp.

COST: $115.00 VSRA members; $150.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: September 28, October 26, November 16, December 15, 2010, 7:30am - 4:30pm

LOCATION: United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707

 

Emergency First Responders ~ OSHA Approved/Internationally Accepted

*This certification is OSHA-approved/internationally accepted and is a step beyond the Red Cross certification and is more oriented to industrial environments.* This course provides comprehensive instruction in CPR and First Aid, as well as Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use, emergency oxygen administration and conscious choking management skills. Upon successful completion of this course, attendees receive a Certification Card.

 

 

COST: $325.00 VSRA members; $465.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: August 26-27, October 7-8, December 2-3, 2010, 7:30am - 3:30pm

LOCATION: Tecnico Corporation, 831 Industrial Ave, Chesapeake, VA 23324

 

This course is designed for supervisors with more than five years of experience. Course learning centers on leadership demands, behavioral management, tracking professional goals, and developing stronger workers through career development and goal setting. The course delivers 16+ hours of lecture, video, hand-on activities, the Kouzes & Posner Leadership Challenge System and text-based assignments over a two-day period. Students spend four hours developing leadership communication patterns using job safety analysis, inspection and investigation scenarios to apply what they learned to real world examples.

 

 

Location sponsored by Old Dominion University

COST: $485.00 VSRA members; $575.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: September 3, September 10, September 17, September 24, October 29, November 5, November 12, November 19, 2010, 8:00am - 4:00pm

LOCATION: Tecnico Corporation, 831 Industrial Ave, Chesapeake, VA 23324

 

This course weaves Leadership and Management applications throughout the National Safety Council course.  Supervisors will learn about the labor market, their own leadership and management strengths and how to effect change on the waterfront.  Passing students receive the National Safety Council Supervisors Certification. This course will be for 4 weeks, only on Friday.  The course dates are Jan 23, Jan 30, Feb 6, and Feb 13 2009.  This course is for supervisors with 5 years or less experience.

 

 

COST: $250.00 VSRA members; $325.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: October 21-22, 2010, 8:00am - 4:00pm

LOCATION: United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707

Standard Items Update uses on-line capabilities along with text copy to overview Standard Items and hone-in on pertinent changes for 2000-2010. After a general overview, the instructor covers the material MOST relevant to the students in class. Little time is wasted in covering areas that students don't need. So, every class is different, but they meet all needs of the students and companies who send them! There are only 15 slots for this course, so please don't delay in signing up those employees who need this training!

 

 

Location sponsored by Earl Industries

COST: $225.00 VSRA members; $275.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: June 22-24, October 13-15, November 30-December 2, 2010, 8:00am-4:30pm both days

LOCATION: Metropolitan Laboratories, 330 County Street, Suite 200, Portsmouth, VA 23704  

 

 

                                                                                            

This course will review coating documents such as SSPC PA-2, NSTM Chapter 631 and NSTM Chapter 634 for non-skid and others. It will also provide a thorough review of SI 009-32 and applicable sections of 009-04. Recent changes to the NAVSEA NBPI Exam have resulted in lower pass rates. In order to better prepare your workers, VSRA is offering a 1-1/2-day pre-course specifically to address exam standards and increase inspector-level knowledge. Each attendee will receive a current copy of NAVSEA Standard Items 009-32 and 009-04.

 

 

Sponsored by VSRA and course approved by NAVSEA

COST: $675.00 VSRA members; $850.00 Non VSRA members

DATES: July 12-16, October 25-29, December 6-10, 2010, 7:00am - 5:00pm

LOCATION: MARMC Building LF-18, Norfolk Naval Base

 

Attendance is limited to 20 applicants. A score of 80% or higher is required to be eligible for the certification. Students passing the exam will receive a four-year certification and a laminated wallet card from SSPC. Test results will come directly from SSPC. 

 

Due to changes with the SSPC, all documents related to this course need to be submitted to the SSPC representative, Jeannine Bodack. Her email address is: bodack@sspc.org, phone: 877-281-7772 x 2204, fax: 412-281-9995. These documents must be submitted two weeks before the first day of class. Please go to the SSPC website http://www.sspc.org to view the current required documents.

 

 

This training is certified by NAVSEA

COST: $725.00 VSRA Members; $845.00 Non-VSRA Members

DATE: August 23-27, November 1-5, 2010, 8:00am – 4:00pm

LOCATION: Earl Industries, 3128 Victory Blvd., Portsmouth, VA 23702

 

Attendance is limited to 20 applicants. This course delivers 35+ hours of lecture, video, hands-on lab work and text-based assignments over a five day period. A score of 70% or higher on the comprehensive exam is required for successful completion. The course covers all NAVSEA requirements and skill sets in depth. Upon successful completion of this course, the attendee will receive a NAVSEA Cableway Certification Card.

 

 

Location sponsored by Earl Industries

COST: $375.00 VSRA Members; $475.00 Non-VSRA Members

DATE: September 14-17, 2010, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

LOCATION:  TBA

This course is directed to rising welders and shipfitters, or workers who need a familiarity with blueprint terminology, symbols and design features specific to ships. The course provides 28 hours of instruction with take-home activities, 3 quizzes and a final exam.  Attendees will receive critical drawing analysis experience, as well as hands-on blueprint activities.  For a complete course outline please contact the VSRA office.

 

 

Please register on the VSRA website www.virginiashiprepair.org for above seminars. Online registrations are preferred; however, phone reservations can be accommodated. For questions/help registering please call our office at 757-233-7034.

 

**Please note, you must be logged in to receive the discounted VSRA price for seminars.**

 

Refund & Cancellation Policy: VSRA offers courses at a greatly reduced rate to our members. Cancellations must be made within 4 business days of the course date to receive full credit contingent on slots being filled. Late cancellations will be given a 50% credit towards future training or 100% if open slot is filled. No-shows WILL BE CHARGED the course fee, and no refunds will be made. Substitutions are welcome; however, please contact the VSRA office as soon as possible. If VSRA has to reschedule or cancel a course, we will work with your company to place employees in a future training course.