NWC Annual Meeting Set For Memphis
The National Waterways Conference (NWC) will hold its 2019 annual meeting at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tenn., September 17–19.
The agenda includes a wide-ranging look at issues affecting water resources in this country, with perspectives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, barge and towboat operators, port authorities, levee districts, environmental specialists and others.
Confirmed speakers from the Corps of Engineers include R.D. James, assistant secretary of the Army-civil works; Maj. Gen. Mark Toy, commander of the Mississippi Valley Engineer Division; Edward Belk, chief of the Corps’ Programs Integration Division; and Thomas Smith, chief of operations and regulatory at Corps headquarters.
Shining a light on regional issues will be Edward Grimm III, president and CEO of Southern Towing Company; and Stephen Gambrell, executive director of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association. Ken Ericksen from Informa Economics will provide a market outlook for the barge industry, with a particular focus on the impacts from the region’s devastating floods.
A panel of industry leaders will offer insight into how a comprehensive and collaborative approach to water resources management can yield multiple benefits. The panel will feature Rick Johnson, executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency; Kirsten Wallace, executive director of the Upper Mississippi River Basin Authority; Dustin Boatwright, chief engineer and executive vice president of the Little River Drainage District, and Michael Klingner, chairman of the Upper Mississippi, Illinois & Missouri Rivers Association.
Providing a more in-depth look at balancing economic development and environmental stewardship will be Elliott Bouillion, president and CEO of Resource Environmental Solutions, a pioneer of environmental mitigation.
The annual meeting will kick off on September 17 with meetings of NWC’s nominating, membership, legislative policy and executive committees, as well as a meeting of Inland Rivers Ports & Terminals’ Lower Mississippi River Basin. A welcome reception will be held that evening beginning at 5:30 p.m.
NWC’s general sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. September 18 and continue throughout the day. That evening’s dinner will be held at Charlie Vergos Rendezvous, featuring Memphis singer/songwriter Chris Gales.
General sessions will continue on the morning of September 19, and the annual meeting will adjourn at noon that day.
For more information or to register, visit http://waterways.org.
