Ricardo Hernandez P. to Lead WEDA Mexico Chapter
Ricardo Hernandez Perez will head up the resurrected Western Dredging Association (WEDA) Mexico Chapter.
Hernandez attended the Pacific Chapter meeting in October at the invitation of Michael Gerhardt chair of the WEDA Latin America Committee which was created in June. Gerhardt explained that his first goal in that position was to create the Mexico Chapter in short order and he found an enthusiastic proponent of the chapter in Hernandez.
Celso Morales the Mexican government director of Operations for Maritime Works and Dredging gave an update on port development projects in Mexico.
Hernandez is bi-lingual in Spanish and English. His career has revolved around dredging. He was administrative manager for Mexicana de Dragados S.A. de C.V. from 1994 through 1999 where he managed bookkeeping human resources and administration on dredging in Puerto Madero Salina Cruz Oaxaca; Lázaro Cárdenas Michoacán; Mazatlán Sinaloa; Guaymas Sonora; and in Ensenada Baja California. He worked for Jan de Nul Company’s Mexicana de Dragados S.A. de C.V. from 1999 through 2009 as general manager preparing tender documents with commercial responsibility in the Mexican market. He was also legal representative for the Jan de Nul Group in Mexico and responsible for Mexicana de Dragados accounting human resources and administrative and tax issues.
From 2010 to 2012 he was commercial manager and legal representative of Van Oord de Mexico S.A. de C.V. with responsibility for the Mexican market. There he prepared tender documents for government bids.
Rogelio Gordon manager of the Panama Canal Dredging Division described the Canal expansion progress since it began in 2009.
Since 2012 he has been director general of his own survey company Grupo MH Servicios Corporativos headquartered in Mexico City.
With Hernandez working on the Mexico Chapter organization Gerhardt will next ascertain whether the president of the Panama Chapter wishes to remain in place and if not to identify a new president.
Along with the Brazil Chapter there are three chapters south of the border that Gerhardt is working to re-engage with WEDA. His task also includes growing the membership base social network and professional dredging port and marine engineering fields throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.
“A WEDA Regional Latin America Meeting may be held next year and it would be hosted by Ricardo and the new Mexico Chapter” Gerhardt said. He hopes for good cooperation from other Central and South American countries.
“We may also coordinate with our new partner the Organization of American States (OAS) who is planning a meeting in Mexico next year as well” Gerhardt said.
The location of the WEDA annual dredging conference in Houston next year is intended to facilitate attendance by people from Latin American countries.
Latin America was also represented at the Eastern Chapter meeting by Rogelio A. Gordon executive manager of the Panama Canal Authority Dredging Division. He presented a compelling talk describing the Canal expansion with photos depicting the progress beginning in 2009.
Celso Morales deputy general of Operations Maritime Works and Dredging Directorate of the Mexican government also attended the Eastern Chapter meeting at Gerhardt’s invitation. He presented a discussion of ongoing port development projects and dredging opportunities in Mexico and was available to network with other members in the course of the meeting.
