Mississippi River Cities and Towns InitiativeCopyright 2014
City of Dubuque ITEM# 21.
ITEM TITLE: Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative
SUMMARY: City Manager transmitting information from the Mississippi River Cities and
Towns Initiative annual meeting held September 16-18, 2014.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
D Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative Supporting Oocumeniation
MRCTI 2014 Annual Meeting, Sept. 16-18
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, INLAND WATERWAY TO THE WORLD
Mayors alon
creating apace at
the Mississ
e tab
s x
Bemidji, MN
Brainerd, MN
Baxter, MN
Sartell, MN
Sauk Rapids, EN
St. Cloud, MN
Clearwater; MN_
Monticello, MN
Dayton. MN
Rams
Minneapolis, MN
St. Paul, MN
Hastings, MN
Prescott, WI
Red Wing, MN
Winona, MN
Onalaska, WI
La Crosse, WI
Dubuque, IA
Clinton, IA
Savanna, IL
,.$ettendorf, IA
East Moline, IL
-Moline, IL
bck Islaiid,'IL
IZavenport, IA
Muscatine, IA
gurlirigton, IA
Fort Madison, IA
Canton, MO
LaGrange, MO
Quincy, IL
Clarksville, MO
Grafton, IL
Alton, 1L
Hartford, IL
Prairie du Rocher, 1_I.
Ste. Genevieve, MO
Chester, IL
Cape Girardeau_, MO
Cairo, IL
Wickliffe, KY -
Columbus, KY
• Hickman, KY
=:Madrid, MO
Tiptonville, TN -
Osceola, AR
Memphis, TN
Helena -West Helena, AR
Clarksdale, MS
Rosedale, MS
Greenville, MS
Vicksburg, MS
Natchez, MS
Is your city Or; board
Elsberiy, MO
Prairie du Chien, WI
Guttenberg, IA
St. Louis, MO
Sauge, IL
St. Joseph. LA
Baton Rouge, LA
Port Allen, LA
New Orleans, LA
Mississippi River Traveling
Photo Exhibit
A Coordinatec Project of the
Mayors & Arts Organizations
along the Mississippi
Listed here are the arts
organizations that contributed to
this exhibit. Photos were
submitted by each entity
depicting one of three themes:
Beauty of the River
Life on the River
Challenges of the River
OH
6 18
IN
Gulf o f
Mexico
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
T '-ONE. -ONGR_ESSIONA DISTRICTS. ONE 1iLINDftED ,VENTY-FOUR CITIES... ONE PJVE
7.
477.7-
. -LN STATES. THIR_TY-ONE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. ONE HUNDRED & IN/VENTY-FOLIR_ CITIES... ONE RIVE
Policy Platform 2014
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Capitol Meeting
2014 Policy Platform
Create policy movement toward managing the Mississippi
River as one unified system through the formation of a
Mississippi River Management Plan that incorporates existing
practices into a general management model;
Foster the continued growth and increased state collaboration
between mayors along the waterway and the bipartisan U.S.
House & Senate Mississippi River Caucus;
Establish a National Drought Council that builds off of the
2014 Farm Bill Managers Report calling for greater integration
between local governments and the Federal National Drought
Resiliency Partnership;
Establish a multi -agency Federal initiative to develop and
implement a coordinated strategy that aids local governments
as they address aquatic invasive species in the Mississippi
River Basin;
Economic Development funding priorities:
Pre -Disaster Mitigation program - $400 million
Mississippi Valley Division Civil Works Budget - $5.43 billion
Flood Operations & Mitigation/Assistance - $176.3 million
USDA Conservation Innovation Grants - $1.6 billion for EQIP
State Revolving Loan Funds - $2.4 billion
USDA Rural Business & Cooperative Grants - $57.5 million
Delta Regional Authority - $12.319 million
Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
Celebrating success for
America's Great Waterway
Helped establish the first bi-cameral
Mississippi River Caucus in the U.S. House
and Senate;
Executed the first Memorandum of Common
Purpose between the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and a coalition of mayors along
the Mississippi River;
Reestablished the historic link between
conservation compliance and crop insurance
premium subsidies;
Secured directive language in the Farm Bill
Managers Report requiring that local
governments be an integral part of national
drought policy construction;
Secured stakeholder commitment to pursue
container shipping on the Mississippi;
Preserved the Pre -Disaster Mitigation Grant
Program
N STATES, TI-IIRTY-ONL CONGRESSIONAL DIS I RiCTS, i NE K INDRED TWEI
CITIES, I RIVE
House
Senate
Tim Walz
Ron Kind
Rick Crawford
Stephen Fincher
Dave Loebsack
Cheri Bustos
William Enyart
Sam Graves
dward Whitfield
arsha Blackburn
Steve Cohen
Tim Griffin
Bill Cassidy
om Harkin
oy Blunt
y Klobuchar
f Franken
ck Grassley
£:
ard Durbin
ark Kirk
e McCaskil
Boozman
ark Pryor
fad Cochran
±tiger Wicker
Landrieu
Mississippi River Caucus
Members
N STATES, TE-CIR FY -ONE CONGRESSIONAL DIST CTS, C)NE I-ILINDRED TWENTY-FOUR CITIES, 1 RIVE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER CITIES & TOWNS INITIATIVE
Resolution 002-2013
Aligning Investment to Support Local Prosperity
Whereas, the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative (MRCTI) is an effort dedicated to
making the Mississippi River ecology and economy more sustainable through a coalescence of
local government influence within individual cities and at a regional level;
Whereas, MRCTI co -hosted with the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) a Mississippi River
Economy Summit in Memphis, TN October 16 and 17, 2013 to explore agreements and
alignments of investment along the waterway that can support sustainable development;
Whereas, the entire Mississippi River generates over $200 billion in revenue annually;
Whereas, the lower River was responsible for generating $164 billion in revenue in 2011 and
supported nearly 585,000 jobs in 2011;
Whereas, manufacturing is responsible for a bulk of the revenue ($115 billion) followed by
tourism ($16 billion) and then agriculture/aquaculture ($9 billion) for the southern stem;
Whereas, the entire Mississippi River directly supports over one million jobs;
Whereas, the Mississippi River supports over $400 billion in gross municipal product annually;
Whereas, a significant portion of a city's gross municipal investment is driven by local inputs;
Whereas, said local inputs are ultimately supported, in part, by the at -large community of near -
water economies;
Whereas, these near -water economies are most organically represented by the community
foundations that reside within them;
Whereas, seventeen community foundations that reside near the Mississippi River have formed
a River Partnership housed and managed within the Funder's Network for Smart Growth and
Sustainable Communities;
Whereas, larger regional economies adjacent to the Mississippi River are represented, in part, by
World Trade Centers;
Whereas, the World Trade Centers next to the Mississippi River have foamed the World Trade
Center Mississippi River Alliance;
Whereas, the Alliance is currently Chaired by the World Trade Center of New Orleans whose
CEO presented at the MRCTI Economy Summit October 17, 2013 in Memphis, TN;
Whereas, MRCTI is pursuing agreements that bring stakeholders of the Mississippi River
together in such a way that more investment at the local level can be structured to aid the
ecological and economic sustainability of the waterway;
Therefore,be it resolved, that the signatories to this resolution do hereby commit to foniiing a
collaboration that creates an alignment of investment between the Alliance, River Partnership,
and MRCTI member cities;
Be it further resolved, that World Trade Center Alliance members agree to adopt a community
foundation(s) as a client for the purpose of offering investment opportunities and/or technical
assistance toward the completion of a sustainable waterfront development project agreed to by
the participating community foundation(s) and sponsoring World Trade Center Alliance
Member(s);
Be it further resolved, that the participating community foundation(s) agrees to be a client of a
World Trade Center Alliance member of mutual choice for the purposes of receiving investment
opportunities and/or technical assistance toward the completion of a waterfront development
project(s) of the Foundation's choosing agreed upon by the sponsoring World Trade Center
Alliance member;
Be it further resolved, the sustainable waterfront projects involved in pursuance of this
resolution be within the city limits of a MRCTI member city;
Be it finally resolved, that MRCTI will work with the Alliance, the Partnership, and
participating cities as a coordinating entity providing validation, credibility, and promotion of the
commitments enacted through this resolution.
SIGNATORIES
AC Wharton, Co -Chair Roy Buol, Co -Chair
Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
Dominik Knoll, Chair Don Hickman, Chair
World Trade Center Mississippi River Alliance River Partnership
Speaker Bios
MRCTI Annual Meeting Sept. 16-18, New Orleans, LA
David Muth
Director
Mississippi River Delta Restoration
Program
National Wildlife Federation
David Muth is a New Orleans native who has spent a lifetime in the Mississippi River
Delta and on the Louisiana coast, studying its geology, ecology, plants, wildlife, history
and culture. He took his degree in history at University of New Orleans and became
professionally interested in the connection between culture and environment in the
context of the delta. He worked for 30 years with the National Park Service at Jean
Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in south Louisiana, eventually managing its
natural and cultural resources programs. At the beginning of 2011, he joined the
National Wildlife Federation and is the Director of the Mississippi River Delta
Restoration Program. The program is part of a joint effort among the federation,
Environmental Defense Fund and the National Audubon Society, along with local
partners like the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin
Foundation, the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, and the Nature Conservancy of
Louisiana, to bring about comprehensive, systemic restoration of the Mississippi River
Delta. They are working to find and seek consensus and national support for an
ecologically sound and sustainable program to restore the flow of the Mississippi River
to its dying delta, and to do so in a way that preserves the communities and culture of
coastal Louisiana to the maximum extent possible.
Henry G. Cisneros
Chairman of CityView Capitol
Former U.S. Secretary of HUD
Henry Cisneros is the founder and Chairman of CityView Capitol. Prior to founding
CityView, Mr. Cisneros became the first Hispanic -American mayor of a major U.S. city,
San Antonio, Texas in 1981. He was subsequently elected to four terms, In 1992,
President Clinton appointed Mr. Cisneros to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development ("HUD"). After leaving HUD in 1997, Mr. Cisneros
became President and COO of Univision Communications, the Spanish-language
broadcaster which has become the fifth -most -watched television network in the nation.
Mr. Cisneros currently serves on Univision's Board of Directors. He has served as
President of the National League of Cities and as Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve
Bank of Dallas. He is currently a member of the Advisory Boards of the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and the Broad Foundation and was honored by the National Housing
Conference as the "Housing Person of the Year." Mr. Cisneros sits on each of
CityView's Investment Committees.
Mr. Cisneros graduated from Texas A&M with a B.A. and a masters of urban and
regional planning. He earned an M.P.A. in Public Administration from the John F.
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a Doctorate in public administration
from the George Washington University.
Mr. Cisneros has received numerous awards and honors. In 1982, he was selected as
one of the "Ten Outstanding Young Men of America" by the U.S. Jaycees. Four years
later, City and State Magazine named him Outstanding Mayor, and in 1991, VISTA
Magazine awarded him with its Hispanic Man of the Year honor.
Born on June 11, 1947 in San Antonio, Mr. Cisneros married Mary Alice Perez in 1969.
They have two daughters, Teresa and Mercedes, and a son John Paul.
Mary L. Landrieu
U.S. Senator for Louisiana
Mary L. Landrieu has been fighting and winning for Louisiana since she was first elected
to the Louisiana state legislature at the age of 23. After serving eight years as a state
representative and two terms as State Treasurer, in 1996 she became the first woman
from Louisiana elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.
Senator Landrieu is currently the Chair of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources, chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and a
member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Small Business and
Entrepreneurship committees.
Senator Landrieu has been the leading voice in Washington for the Gulf Coast recovery
effort. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the failures of the federal levee
system, she secured more than $120 billion in recovery dollars and has worked
extensively to jumpstart recovery projects. She is committed to reforming the Federal
Emergency Management Agency to ensure the nation's disaster response arm is
speedy and effective the next time a disaster strikes the United States, be it natural or
manmade.
As the former chair of the Small Business Committee, Senator Landrieu led the effort to
ensure all small businesses have access to capital and contracts, superior health
insurance at a low cost and the resources needed to help boost our economy and
guarantee America's competiveness in the global marketplace.
As one of the chairs on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Landrieu is a
strong and effective voice for Louisiana. In 2012, the Senate appointed Senator
Landrieu chair of the Appropriations Committee's important Subcommittee on Homeland
Security. This subcommittee is responsible for drafting legislation to fund the
Department of Homeland Security's 20 offices and seven sub -agencies. The
Appropriations Committee is considered the most powerful panel on Capitol Hill. From
this seat, she fights for Louisiana's jobs and economic interests and the funding the
state needs to rebuild from the 2005 and 2008 hurricanes.
Senator Landrieu is married to Frank Snellings of Monroe, La, and has two children
and one grandson.
Virginia Burkett, PhD.
Chief Scientist for Climate and Land
Use Change
U.S. Geological Survey
Virginia Burkett is the Chief Scientist for Climate and Land Use Change at the U.S.
Geological Survey. She was formerly Chief of the Forest Ecology Branch at the USGS
National Wetlands Research Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. Burkett has also served as
Secretary/Director of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Acting Director
of the Louisiana Coastal Zone Management Program, and Assistant Director of the
Louisiana Geological Survey. She has published extensively on the topics of global
change and low-lying coastal zones. She has served as a Lead Author of the United
Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third, Fourth and
Fifth Assessment Reports (2001, 2007, 2014) and the IPCC Technical Paper on Water
(2008). She was a lead author of the First, Second, and Third National Climate
Assessments (2001, 2009, 2014) produced by the United States Global Change
Research Program. She has co-authored reports for The Wildlife Society (2004), the
United Nations Convention on Biodiversity (2005), the Everglades Task Force
(2007), the U.S. Department of Transportation (2008) and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (2012) that address climate change impacts and potential
adaptation strategies. Burkett has been appointed to over 60 Commissions,
Committees, Science Panels and Boards during her career. She serves on the Editorial
Board of the journal Ethics in Science and Environmental Policy and is a Senior Editor
of the journal Regional Environmental Change. Burkett received her doctoral degree in
forestry from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas in 1996.
Tim Osborn
NOAA
Central Gulf Coast Regional
Manager
Tim Osborn is a native of Tampa, Florida and presently resides and works in Lafayette,
Louisiana. He received a B.S. in Marine Biology from Florida State University, an M.S.
in Marine Sciences from Louisiana State University, and a Masters of Public
Administration from Louisiana State University. He was a NOAA Sea Grant Fellow in
Washington, D.C., a Staffer with the U.S. Senate, and did staff work on Senate Natural
Resources, Appropriations, and Small Business Committees. He was a Manager for
Government Affairs, Asea Brown Boveri, Inc., in Washington, D.C., and with NOAA,
National Marine Fisheries Service (Research Fisheries Biologist) and Office of Coast
Survey. Tim has worked extensively in Silver Spring, Maryland and Lafayette,
Louisiana as well as working for NOAA on a number of initiatives across the nation and
internationally. He has been involved in many restoration projects, including the first
Targe scale underwater coral reef restoration project implemented by NOAA in the
Florida Keys. He has been engaged in coastal restoration projects, coastal navigation
and port and waterways and coastal hurricane response for over 26 years. Mr. Osborn
is currently the Regional Manager for NOAA's Office of Coast Survey, Eastern Gulf, in
Lafayette, Louisiana. He is responsible for the implementation of surveying and
mapping of the Gulf Coast, charting and navigation programs and projects, and
responding to hurricanes and coastal incidents. He has been involved in Gulf Coast
Height Modernization Initiatives for many years and has participated in the planning and
implementation of new programs such as densification of NOAA's tides and water level
programs and installations (including PORTS, and 1OOS related activities) and the
installation and support of GPS based reference CORS stations in response to the need
for enhanced positioning reference systems for the northern Gulf Coast. A big focus of
his work today is the projection of Sea Level Rise and Subsidence of the coastal Gulf
Coast and the impacts that will be seen in the near to mid to long term. Addressing the
possible impacts on the Mississippi River and its ports, navigation and future is a critical
concern to Louisiana and the region but also the country.
Michael Marshall
Alternate Federal Co -Chair
Delta Regional Authority
In April 2010, Michael G. Marshall was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve
as Alternate Federal Co -Chairman of the Delta Regional Authority. Prior to joining the
Obama Administration, he served as Mayor of Sikeston, MO, from 2003 to 2009.
Mr. Marshall is the former President of First State Bank & Trust, Inc. and served on the
Board of Commissioners of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority for thirteen
years. While serving as the Mayor of Sikeston, he established the Sikeston Land
Clearance for Redevelopment Authority for both commercial and residential property,
along with initiating the revitalization efforts for downtown Sikeston. He also served as
the director of the Joint Transportation Commission of Sikeston's 1-55 Northern
Interchange Project.
Mr. Marshall has extensive background in farm management, and was a past president
of the Sikeston Jaycees and Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, Marshall
was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce.
Mike Marshall, a lifetime resident of Sikeston, Missouri, graduated from Westminster
College in Fulton, Missouri, with a Bachelor of Art in Economic and Business
Administration and Psychology. He is also a graduate of the Graduate School of
Banking at Louisiana State University. Mr. Marshall and his wife, Beth, have two adult
children and attend St. Francis Xavier Church.
Kenneth "Scott" Davies
Program Manager
Office of Marine Highways & Passenger
Vessel Services
U.S. Department of
Transportation/Maritime Administration
Scott Davies currently leads the operations development team in the Office of Marine
Highways and Passenger Services at the Maritime Administration (MARAD) having
recently transitioned from the Office of Infrastructure Development and Congestion
Mitigation. Since joining MARAD in 2003, he has supported the agency's efforts in
expanding its leadership role in seaport development, modernization, and expansion
efforts.
Prior to joining MARAD, Mr. Davies was with INNOLOG, Inc. where he was responsible
for developing the logistics supply chain necessary to track and report on the training,
issue, and deployment of TSA airport security screeners during the federalization of
airport security. Prior to INNOLOG, Mr. Davies served as a logistics manager for Mark
VII Transportation, Inc, of Memphis, TN managing all inbound and outbound freight as
well as warehousing operations. Early in his career, he served as a Mate aboard oil rig
supply vessels for Ensco Marine, Inc. based in Lafayette, LA.
Mr. Davies is a graduate of the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY with
a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation. He is also a licensed U.S.
Merchant Marine officer with an unlimited tonnage Third Mate's license and is a
Commander in the U.S. Navy.
Mr. Davies is a native of Melbourne, FL and currently resides in Washington, DC.
Gary LaGrange
Chief Executive Officer
Port of New Orleans
Gary LaGrange has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port of New
Orleans since 2001. Under Mr. LaGrange's direction the Port made great expansions in
spite of great adversity. During his tenure, the Port opened new, state -of -the art
container, cruise and refrigerated terminals. LaGrange's leadership brought the Port of
New Orleans back into operation two weeks after Hurricane Katrina, the most extensive
natural disaster in U.S. history. With over a decade of investment and expansion, the
Port of New Orleans is now recognized as the #1 Port for logistics in America.
LaGrange serves on the Boards and Executive Committees of the Waterways Council,
Inc., and National Waterways Conference where he is a past President. He also serves
on the Board of the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas. He serves on the Executive
Committee of the Transportation Research Board. A past Chairman, Mr. LaGrange still
serves as a member of the American Association of Port Authorities Board of Directors.
He is also past Chairman and past President of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association.
In 2012, he was the recipient of the Transportation & Infrastructure Summit Excellence
in Maritime Transportation Award and the C. Alvin Bertel Award in recognition for
outstanding contributions to the advancement of the Greater New Orleans port area. Mr.
LaGrange also received the 2012 International Achievement Award.
LaGrange attended Louisiana State University. He received his B.A. in
Geography/Economics from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He also completed
a Master of Arts in Urban Planning, with honors from ULL, in addition to having earned
the Professional Port Manager Certification (PPM) from the American Association of
Port Authorities. Before taking leadership at the Port of New Orleans, LaGrange served
as the Executive Director of the Mississippi State Port Authority in Gulfport, Ms., the
Port of South Louisiana and the Port of West St. Mary.
James Amdal
Senior Research Associate
University of New Orleans
Transportation Institute
Mr. Amdal has extensive experience and expertise in transportation infrastructure
development, urban planning, historic preservation and community design. He served
as Associate Project Manager and private -sector NGO President for the planning,
design, construction and operation of Phase 1 and 2 of the New Orleans Riverfront
Streetcar...; He also authored the Strategic Policy Plan for the New Orleans Riverfront, a
project sponsored by the New Orleans City Planning Commission that encompassed
the entire 26 mile riverfront corridor within Orleans Parish on both the East and West
Banks. Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Amdal staffed the District 5 Recovery
Steering Committee and served on the District 1 Recovery Steering Committee during
the Unified New Orleans Plan. In both capacities, he advised on strategic decisions that
emphasized sustainability. In District 5, this area represented 7 distinct neighborhoods.
In District 1, the emphasis was on the economic sustainability / viability for both the
CBD (Central Business District) and the French Quarter.
Mr. Amdal served as a consultant on the development and implementation of the
Statewide Intermodal Transportation Plan and the Louisiana Statewide Transportation
Plan in their evolution from 1993 thru 2006. He recently served on the UNO project
team for various strategic plans and / or market assessments for Louisiana ports.
Mr. Amdal currently serves as Chairman of the New Orleans Central Business District
Historic District Landmarks Commission. Mr. Amdal also serves on the Board of
Directors of the 2 local NFPs: Louisiana Steam Train Association (LASTA) and Bring
Our Streetcars Home (BOSH).
Nick Rowe
Senior Vice President
American Water, Central Division
Nick O. Rowe is the senior vice president of American Water's Central Division, which
includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and
Tennessee. Mr. Rowe is responsible for driving performance within the division,
establishing consistent best practices and enhancing American Water's efforts to
maintain and build external relationships. He previously held a similar role as senior
vice president of American Water's Eastern Division, which included the states of
Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
Prior to that, Mr. Rowe served as president of Kentucky American, the largest investor-
owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or
wastewater services to approximately half a million people. In this role, he reinforced
and strengthened customer, regulatory and local government relationships, drove
operational and financial results and was the principal external contact for American
Water in Kentucky.
Mr. Rowe serves on the board of St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce. He is
involved with various regulatory agencies, civic organizations and professional
associations and has held board positions with the Lexington Industrial Foundation,
Commerce Lexington (past Chairman), the Central Bank Advisory Board and the United
Way of the Bluegrass, all based in Lexington, KY. He also served on the Executive
Board of the Kentucky State Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Rowe is a member of the
American Water Works Association and the National Association of Water Companies.
Mr. Rowe holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from Western Kentucky University
and a master's in business administration from Lebanon Valley College.
Dominik Knoll, Chair
World Trade Center Mississippi River
Alliance
Dominik Knoll is the CEO of the World Trade Center New Orleans and is an active real
estate investor.
Knoll received his MBA from the Freeman School of Business and also studied at the
Warwick Business School, as well as Purdue University. In addition, he holds a Master
of Science degree in Management from the Business School at the University of
Innsbruck, Austria. He has been a guest at conferences such as the Clinton Global
Initiative and the World Economic Forum. Knoll is a regular contributor to the Huffington
Post and has been featured in several national and international publications including
the Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, China Daily, and others.
Knoll currently serves on the boards of Congressman Steve Scalise's Energy Advisory
Group, French American Chamber of Commerce, Italy -America Chamber of Commerce
of Louisiana, Loyola University International Business Council, and was recently
appointed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to the Louisiana Board of International
Commerce. He also serves as an executive advisor on the Council on Competitiveness
U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness Initiative and a steering committee member for the
Campaign to Fix the Debt.
In 2013, Knoll was recognized as one of the 10 most distinguished Italians living and
working in the U.S. by the Italy America Chamber of Commerce Knoll was also featured
in New Orleans Magazine's 2010 "People to Watch" article.
Don Hickman
VP of Community & Economic
Development
Initiative Foundation
Don Hickman is the Vice President for Community and Economic Development for the
Initiative Foundation in Little Falls. In this capacity he administers approximately $1 M in
grants annually, and supervises community leadership, workforce development, early
childhood education and literacy, and environmental preservation programs. Since
1999 he has administered the Healthy Lakes and Rivers Partnership (HLRP) program to
help Lake Associations develop and implement science -based, citizen -lead surface
water management plans. Hickman is the chair of the River Partnership of Community
Foundations, a consortium of 18 philanthropic organizations from the headwaters of the
Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico which seeks to bolster the capacity and impact of
community foundations to improve the environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of
communities along the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
Prior to joining the Initiative Foundation, Hickman spent ten years as an environmental
consultant in Minnesota and Utah. Hickman has served as a scientist and lobbyist with
the Massachusetts Audubon Society, as a community organizer with the New England
Rural Community Assistance Program, as a biologist with the National Park Service in
Colorado, and as the water quality laboratory director for Gunnison County
(Colorado). He received his undergraduate degree in biology from the University of
Minnesota in 1982, and his master's degree in Water Chemistry from Western Colorado
State in 1986. He was working on a Ph.D. in aquatic ecology at Utah State University
until he met his wife, who made him a better offer.
Christopher Masingill
Federal Co -Chair
Delta Regional Authority
Christopher A. Masingill was appointed by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S.
Senate in 2010, and serves as the Federal Co -Chairman of the Delta Regional
Authority, a federal -state partnership whose mission is to help create jobs, build
communities, and improve lives in the 252 counties and parishes in the eight states of
the Delta region. Chairman Masingill has extensive experience in community and
economic development and developing strategic connections between the public and
private sectors.
Prior to leading the Delta Regional Authority, Masingill served the state of Arkansas as
Governor Mike Beebe's Director of Intergovernmental Affairs and during that time as the
Arkansas Recovery Implementation Director for the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009, which totaled over $2 Billion in Arkansas. While in Governor
Beebe's office, Chairman Masingill also served as the principal staff between the
Governor's Office and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the National
Governors Association, the Southern Governors' Association, the Delta Regional
Authority, and the State Coordinators for Economic Recovery.
In his three years with the Delta Regional Authority, Masingill has worked with the
Governors of the Delta states to leverage $66.3 million into more than $1.1 billion in
private and other public sector investment; helping to create and retain 17,000 jobs
within the region. During a time of economic duress in our nation, Chairman Masingill
has placed a greater emphasis on supporting small business and entrepreneurship
ventures as well as investing in workforce training and education efforts. His priority to
increase economic development in the business sector with a focus on
entrepreneurship has tripled prior DRA investment from $2.1 million to more than $7
million in three cycles. Additionally, the DRA has invested nearly $12 million in
workforce development, more than doubling similar investments in the previous eight
cycles.
Chris and his wife, Melissa, have two daughters, Mia and Ava, and reside in Little Rock.
Alison Dorsey
Volunteer Marketplace
Linkedln
Alison Dorsey is the Social Impact Manager at Linkedln, focused on connecting
Linkedln members with nonprofit and government service opportunities as skilled
volunteers and board members. She also leads Linkedln's Veterans Initiative,
supporting Veteran job seekers. Previously, Alison worked in early stage social venture
support in North Carolina, where she founded an incubator and a student recruiting
platform. Since working with the city government in Durham to support social
entrepreneurs there, Alison has been very passionate about connecting more
professionals with opportunities to serve their cities;
Paul N. Jaenichen, Sr.
Administrator
Maritime Administration, U.S. DOT
Paul "Chip" Jaenichen was appointed by President Obama and sworn in as Maritime
Administrator on July 25, 2014. Before his appointment, Administrator Jaenichen
served as Acting Administrator beginning in June 2013. He joined the U.S. Department
of Transportation, Maritime Administration in July 2012 when he was appointed Deputy
Maritime Administrator.
Captain Jaenichen was a career naval officer, retiring in 2012 after serving 30 years as
nuclear trained Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. His final assignment was as
Deputy Chief of Legislative Affairs for the Department of the Navy from October 2010 to
April 2012. He served as Commanding Officer of USS ALBANY (SSN 753), a Los
Angeles Class Fast Attack Submarine, from September 1999 to June 2002 and as
Commander, Submarine Squadron ELEVEN in San Diego, California from April 2007 to
September 2008.
His shore tours included assignments as Director, Submarine/Nuclear Officer
Distribution; and as Chief, European and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Policy Division on the Joint Staff where he was responsible for military -to -military
engagement on security cooperation and involvement in coalition operations with all 26
NATO member nations.
Captain Jaenichen's hometown is Brandenburg, Kentucky. He earned a Bachelor of
Science in Ocean Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Masters in
Engineering Management from Old Dominion University. His personal military awards
include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Meritorious
Service Medal (three awards), Navy -Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards)
and the Navy -Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards). His wife, Paula Auclair
Jaenichen, is a retired National Board Certified teacher and is currently a small
business owner in Vine Grove, KY.
Cedric S. Grant
Executive Director
Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans
Cedric S. Grant is the new Executive Director of the Sewerage and Water Board of New
Orleans. In this role, he oversees the $3.3 billion capital improvement program
comprised of over 600 projects that will create 20,000 construction jobs. He is also the
immediate past Deputy Mayor of Facilities, Infrastructure and Community Development
for the City of New Orleans. In that role he oversaw capital development related to the
New Orleans recovery valued at over $1 Billion. Previously, Mr. Grant served as Chief
Administrative Officer of Ascension Parish, Louisiana where he was responsible for
management and oversight of all governmental operations for this Parish. Mr. Grant
also served as Deputy Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and
Development. As Deputy Secretary, he was responsible for the daily operations of the
department, public-private partnerships and major economic development capital
projects and he managed a workforce of 5,000 people and a $1.4 billion budget. Mr.
Grant has worked in several other distinct appointments in local government and public
agencies. He has served as Chief Administrative Officer, for the City of New Orleans;
Director of Capital Projects, for the New Orleans Downtown Development District; and
Planning Manager, for the Port of New Orleans. A New Orleans native, Mr. Grant is a
certified City Manager and holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the
University of New Orleans and a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Political Science from
Xavier University of Louisiana.
Michael Hecht
President & CEO
Greater New Orleans, Inc.
Michael Hecht is President & CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., the economic
development organization for southeast Louisiana. GNO, Inc.'s mission falls broadly into
two categories: business development — attracting and growing businesses — and
product development — creating better business conditions. Under Michael's leadership,
GNO, Inc. was recently named the #2 economic development organization in the United
States by Business Facilities magazine.
Before coming to GNO, Inc. Michael led the quarter -billion dollar Katrina Small Business
Recovery Program for the State of Louisiana. While with the State, Michael also
established the $90 million Louisiana Revolving Loan Fund, the first of its kind in the
nation.
In the years following 9/11, Michael worked for Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York
City as an Assistant Commissioner. Michael also served as inaugural Director of
Business Development for the Food Bank for New York City, the largest in the country.
Michael's entrepreneurial experience includes co-founding a conglomerate of restaurant
ventures, including "Foreign Cinema," named Restaurant of the Year 2000 in San
Francisco. He began his career as a strategic management consultant.
Michael holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was a
member of the Public Management Program, and an undergraduate degree from Yale
University, magna cum laude. Recently Michael was recognized as "One of the 25 Most
Powerful People in the 10/12 Corridor," a New Orleans "Innovator of the Year," and one
of "Ten People Who Made a Difference" in the South.
With family roots in Louisiana back to the 1830s, Michael now lives in New Orleans with
his wife, Marlene, an ESL professor at Delgado, and his two sons, Dexter and Kaj
("K ").
Steve Cochran
Director
Mississippi River Delta Restoration
Project
Environmental Defense Fund
As Director of EDF's Mississippi River Delta Restoration Project, Steve has the overall
responsibility for EDF's restoration efforts in therMississippi Delta. Since joining EDF in
1997, he has served in a number of roles there, including: Legislative Director, Director
of Strategic Communications, Executive Vice President and Political Director of EDF's
501 c(4) organization, the Environmental Defense Action Fund (EDAF); Director of the
National Climate Campaign, and Vice President, Climate and Air.
Before joining EDF, Steve served in government and NGO roles at the state and federal
levels, including: Senior Policy Analyst for the Office of Air and Radiation at the U.S.
EPA (1992-1997), Executive Director at the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
(1990-1992), Chief of Staff for Governor Buddy Roemer of Louisiana (1988-1990),Field
Director for the Roemer for Governor Campaign (1987-1988), and Legislative Director
for Congressman Roemer (1984-1987).
A Louisiana native, Steve received his B.S. from Louisiana State University in 1976. He
began his career in the private sector in Louisiana, spending five years negotiating oil
and gas leases for an independent energy exploration firm.
He also serves on the Campaign and Elections Committee of the League of
Conservation Voters.
Charles D. McVean
Chairman and CEO
McVean Trading & Investments, LLC
Memphis, TN
McVean graduated with honors from Vanderbilt University in 1965. He began his trading
career in the grain industry, first with Cook Industries of Memphis, TN, and then with the
Louis Dreyfus Corporation of New York City, both major international trading firms.
Subsequently, McVean spent a number of years with Refco Inc., a large Chicago based
futures trading organization. He was one of three principals of the firm.
McVean founded McVean Trading and Investments, LLC in 1986. The company
conducts extensive research in three broad and interrelated areas: 1) livestock and
meats, 2) grains and oilseeds, and 3) global macroeconomics. McVean is a global
organization with foreign operations centering in Beijing, Osaka, and Geneva. In the
U.S., McVean Trading is nationally recognized as a leading authority on the beef cattle
industry. The company manages investments for over 5,000 clients.
Based on breakthroughs in lithium battery technology, a new McVean company is now
introducing its Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle. The patented Cruiser is billed as "The
World's Most Sophisticated Electric Bicycle," and "The First Truly Capable
Human/Electric Hybrid Vehicle."
McVean founded what is now The Peer Power Foundation in 2004. The organization's
mission is to prepare socioeconomically challenged youth to be professional,
productive, and competitive contributors to our society. The concept is to create and
implement new processes based on personal accountability, discipline, competition, and
incentives, very much like that of the American Free Enterprise System. Peer Power
now operates in eleven schools, employing, for pay, over 150 college and high school
honor students to tutor and mentor over 1,000 students a day. The improvement shown
by foundation "Scholars" is truly exciting. McVean was also instrumental in the founding
of The McVean Learning Center at Christ Methodist Day School.
McVean is particularly proud of two recent developments. The Memphis City Council
recognized him with its Humanitarian of the Year award in 2007 for his successful
efforts to improve public education. Very recently, in September 2009, the Peer Power
program in Shelby, Mississippi was awarded a $600,000 competitive grant from the
21st Century Foundation.
Dr. Michael Strain
Commissioner
LA Department of Agriculture &
Forestry
Dr. Michael Strain graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Louisiana State
University in 1983, and has been co-owner and operator of Claiborne Hill Veterinary
Hospital along with his wife for nearly a quarter century. On top of his veterinary and
commissioner duties, Dr. Strain continues to work in family cattle ranching business.
Prior to becoming Commissioner, Dr. Strain served in the Louisiana House of
Representatives from 2000-2008, and was elected Chairman of the Rural Caucus for
two consecutive terms.
As Louisiana's Commissioner of Forestry and Agriculture, Dr. Strain has ended the
department's long-term construction programs, which involved the substantial use of
LDAF employee manpower and financial resources; reduced the department budget by
20% from $106 million to $85 million; and reduced the debt load of the department and
the Louisiana Agriculture Finance Authority by almost 36% from $97/ million to $62.8
million
Dr. Strain also streamlined the overall workforce by eliminating over 300 positions
(35%), with additional duties absorbed by current personnel. During his time as
Commissioner, Dr. Strain has reduced fuel consumption by 42% while maintaining
services, and reduced the aviation fleet by 30%. He has consolidated departments
which cut program areas and cabinet level positions, while simultaneously creating jobs
in rural Louisiana.
In addition to his work as Louisiana' s Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr.
Strain is a member of the Rural Legislative Task Force, a Parish Officer for Louisiana
Cattlemen's Association, and currently serves as President of the Southern United
Trade Association.
William H. McAnally
Sr. Hydraulic and Sedimentation
Engineer
Dynamic Solutions, LLC
Knoxville, TN
Dr. McAnally is also Research Professor Emeritus at Mississippi State University. He
specializes in sedimentation issues of inland and coastal waterways, teaching and
advising on methods to reduce maintenance dredging costs for ports and channels. He
previously served as Technical Director, Navigation, at the U.S. Army Engineer
Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, MS. At MSU he taught Civil and
Environmental Engineering and served as Co -Director of the 5 -university Northern Gulf
Institute.
Dr. McAnally is chair of the Navigation Engineering Task Committee in the Coasts,
Oceans, Ports, and Rivers Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers and
President of the Mississippi Water Resources Association. He is a Registered
Professional Engineer and a board-certified Diplomate in Navigation Engineering. He
edited and coauthored ASCE Manual 116, Navigation Engineering Practice and Ethical
Standards.
BiII and his wife Carol have four children and seven grandchildren and live in Columbus,
MS.
Edward E. Belk, Jr.
Director of Programs
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mississippi Valley Division
Mississippi River Commission
Vicksburg, Mississippi
Mr. Edward E. Belk, Jr., is the Director of Programs for the Mississippi Valley Division
(MVD) and Mississippi River Commission (MRC), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He
was selected to the Senior Executive Service in May 2012. In this position, Mr. Belk
serves as principal advisor to the Commander, MVD, and President, MRC, for the
development, defense, and execution of the Civil Works Program across the twelve
states served by the Mississippi Valley Division. He provides leadership and supervision
for the Programs Directorate and has regional staff oversight for programs, planning,
operations, real estate, and project management activities in the Division's six district
offices located in St. Paul, Rock Island, St. Louis, Memphis, Vicksburg, and New
Orleans.
Mr. Belk also completed two tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where
he served as the senior U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civilian in the seven Provinces of
northern Iraq and senior advisor to the Commander, Gulf Region North District.
His awards and honors include: LTG J.W. Morris Civilian of the Year, U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers (2012); Bronze Order of the deFleury, Army Engineer Association (2009);
Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Department of the Army (2005, 2009); Global War
on Terrorism Service Medal (2009); Outstanding Executive of the Year, Federal
Executive Association (2006); and Commander's Award for Civilian Service,
Department of the Army.
Norma Jean Mattei, PhD, PE
Member
Mississippi River Commission
Norma Jean Mattei, PhD, PE, currently is Professor at the Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering at the University of New Orleans (UNO). In recent years she
has been Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and has
acted as interim Dean of Engineering at UNO for two years. She now serves as one of
two civilian civil engineer Commissioners on the Mississippi River Commission,
nominated by President Obama.
She recently completed a three year term as a Region 5 Director on the society Board
of Direction for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and is on the Executive
Committee of the ASCE New Orleans' Branch Structural Engineering Institute. Her
current national ASCE committee assignments are the Leadership Training Committee,
the Program and Finance Committee, the Committee on Licensure and the Committee
on Sustainability's Subcommittee on Formal Engineering Education.
A member of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
(NCEES) in 2006, the Norma Jean has served on several NCEES committees and task
forces and just completed her term as chair of the NCEES Education Committee. Dr
Mattel is now an Emeritus Member of NCEES. She was named by the Governor of
Louisiana to Louisiana's licensing board for professional engineers, LAPELS, and
completed her service on that board, also recently. She served as Chairman of the
LAPELS Board in 2011-12.
Her research areas of interest include management of large watersheds, public policy,
mitigation of repetitively flooded structures, engineering ethics, diversity in engineering
and engineering education, experimental testing of large parts, residual stress
measurement using laser interferometry, and materials testing. She is a lifelong resident
of New Orleans where she lives behind the Mississippi River levee with her husband,
Richard, and two daughters.
James L. Cummins, Jr.
President
Mississippi River Trust
James L. Cummins, a certified fisheries and wildlife biologist by training, is president of
the Mississippi River Trust. His professional interests include developing and
maintaining private, voluntary, incentive, tax and market-based solutions to
environmental problems, especially those involving the Lower Mississippi River Valley
and the Gulf of Mexico. He conceptualized legislation for the Wildlife Habitat Incentives
Program, the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, the Emergency Forest Restoration
Program and the Endangered Species Recovery Program. He has been a strong
supporter of the Wetlands Reserve Program since 1991. He worked with Congress to
authorize and fund the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge and the Holt Collier
National Refuge.
Jerome "Zee" Zeringue
Executive Assistant to the Governor
for Coastal Activities
Chair, Coastal Protection and Restoration
Authority
Jerome Zeringue has extensive experience advocating for coastal protection and
restoration matters on a federal, state and local level. Before his appointment as the
governor's executive assistant for coastal activities, he served as executive director of
the CPRA, having already served that agency as deputy executive director and as a
coastal activities advisor in the governor's office.
A native of Thibodaux, he previously served as director of the Terrebonne Levee and
Conservation District. He holds a bachelor's degree in zoology and a master's degree
in fisheries biology, both from Louisiana State University. Mr. Zeringue—or Zee, as his
friends call him—worked as a fisheries biologist at LSU Sea Grant and assisted the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration on seafood regulations. He then became the coastal
resources director for the Nature Conservancy of Louisiana, and also helped to
establish the Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge.
Despite his heavy workload in Baton Rouge, his primary residence is, and will remain,
the city of Houma in Terrebonne Parish.
Martin Hettel
Chairman
Inland Waterway Users Board
Martin Hettell started in the Inland Waterways Industry as a deckhand in 1980. He has
held positions in Logistics, Purchasing, Operations, Insurance/Claims, Personnel,
Shipping & Receiving, Freight Sales, and Regulatory. The last 18 years of his career
have been with AEP River Operations in the Capacity of Logistics, Sales, and most
recently Regulatory. He has held and continues to hold several positions with advocacy
groups within the Inland Waterways Industry, including the Illinois River Carriers
Association (Secretary: 2004-2007; President: 2008 — 2010), the Ohio River Basin
Alliance (Steering Committee 2010-2014), the Waterways Council, Inc. (Board Member
2011-2014; Executive Committee Member 2012-2014), the Inland Waterways User
Board (Board Member Since 2012; Elected Chairman for 2013-2015), and the River
Industry Executive Task Force (Board Member 2014).
Sean Duffy, Sr.
Executive Director
Big River Coalition
Sean M. Duffy, Sr. assumed the duties of Executive Vice President - Maritime Advocate
with the Louisiana Maritime Association in 2011 and was hired to promote
improvements beneficial to maritime stakeholders along the Lower Mississippi River. He
was also chosen to lead the Big River Coalition and accepted the role of Executive
Director. Mr. Duffy served as the President and Chief Executive Office for the Gulf
States Maritime Association from 2005 to 2011. During his previous tenure, Sean
became a proponent for local industry and specialized in lobbying Capitol Hill for
supplemental funds for maintenance dredging and waterway maintenance and on
efforts to fix the broken Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund mechanism. Or "Taxation
Without Channelization." As the third generation of his family to work in the maritime
industry, Sean began working on the docks in the Port of New Orleans in his early teen
years during breaks from school. Previous employment experiences include various
management duties, Boarding Agent, Deckhand, Stevedore General Superintendent
and Marine Surveyor. Mr. Duffy is intimately familiar with obstacles faced by the
maritime industry, both nationally and those specific to Louisiana, and he has become
an expert on coastal restoration and maintenance dredging. The Big River Coalition
under his tutelage has grown and now represents navigation interests across the entire
Mississippi River Basin. He continues in this role to passionately represent the
economic engine of navigation on the largest and most dynamic river system in the
world. The term he prefers is the "world's economic superhighway."
Mississippi River
Cities & Towns Initiative
Participating Cities
Celebrating the River 2014
These cities have joined the MRCTI. All ten Mississippi River states are represented.
Bemidji, ION
Brainerd, MN
Baxter, MN
Sartell, MN
Sauk Rapids, MINT
St. Cloud, MN
Clearwater, MN
Monticello, MN
Dayton, MN
Ramsey, MN
Minneapolis, MN
St. Paul, MN
Hastings, MN
Prescott, WI
Red Wing, MN
Winona, MN
Onalaska, WI
La Crosse, WI
Lansing, IA
Prairie du Chien, WI
Guttenberg, IA
Dubuque, IA
Clinton, IA
Savanna, IL
Bettendorf, IA
East Moline, TT ,
Moline, IL
Rock Island, IL
Davenport, IA
Muscatine, IA
Burlington, IA
Fort Madison, IA
Canton, MO
LaGrange, MO
Quincy, IL
Clarksville, MO
Grafton, IL
Alton, IL
Hartford, IT
East St. Louis, IL
St, Louis, MO
Sauget, IL
Prairie du Rocher, IL
Ste, Genevieve, MO
Chester, IL
Cape Girardeau, MO
Cairo, IL
Wickliffe, KY
Columbus, KY
Hickman, KY
New Madrid, MO
Tiptonville, TN
Osceola, AR
Memphis, TN
Helena -West Helena, AR
Clarksdale, MS
Rosedale, MS
Greenville, MS
Vicksburg, MS
St, Joseph, LA
Natchez, MS
Vidalia, LA
Port Allen, LA
Baton Rouge, LA
New Orleans, LA
MRCTI is a local government -driven effort of mayors along the main stem Mississippi River
from the headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. If you have any questions, or wish to learn more,
please do not hesitate to reach us at the contact information listed below.
Colin Wellenkamp, Director
Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative
1520 Market Street, Suite 2000
St. Louis, MO
(314) 657-3863