July 2016

Communicator Newsletter Letter from the President It’s July! Here in the middle of America, July means several things: Independence day, steamy weather and BBQ with friends, birthdays and the start of the Tour de France. As many of you know, I’ve been a cycling enthusiast most of my life. As someone who has gotten the chance to visit France twice, to personally observe several stages of the Tour de France, it has always been fascinating to me. The Tour de France is simply one of the most physically grueling races in the entire world. It encompasses 21 stages, that this year will cover 3,519 km. The race starts July 2nd in Mont Saint-Michel and ends July 24th in Paris. This year, there are 198 riders making up 22 teams of 9 and averaging nearly 100 miles per day. While many people think that the Tour de France is an individual bike race, those who follow it soon find out that it’s actually a team sport. The team usually selects a rider that will (hopefully) win the race, in advance as their captain. It’s up to the entire team to protect their team’s place in the race throughout the stages and expend all of their energy to put the captain in the best place possible. At the end of the race, the captain sprints to the finish line. Each member of the team has to make great personal sacrifices in order for their team to win. One other interesting caveat of the Tour de France is the team time trial. The recorded finishing time in a team time trial is often based on the fifth rider of that team, out of a total of 9 riders per team. Therefore, a team may choose to have a few of its riders take a death pull towards the end of the team time trial event, where President/CEO the riders take as hard a pull at the front to lift the pace at the cost of exhausting HMS Global Maritime themselves with no hope of being able to latch onto the back of the formation for drafting. They then drop back and leave the remainder of the team to finish the time trial.

John W. Waggoner

So you might ask, what the heck John? Why are you talking about the Tour de France in the company newsletter? One of our core values is teamwork and this is an excellent example of that. For a rider to go out and ride himself to exhaustion for the sake of the entire team is a great example of teamwork. Speaking of teamwork - I need to take a moment to compliment John Keever, Bill Annand and the rest of the Seaward Services team involved with the outstanding effort they made in standing up the new ferry that operates from Portland, ME to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Many people thought it would be impossible to meet the quick deadline. But in true HMSGM fashion, the team pulled together to get the vessel ready and inspected, hire and train all of the personnel, pass a U.S. Coast Guard inspection and receive the COI for the Alakai. They commenced operations right on time. This was an outstanding team effort. Hats off to all involved. If you were in the tour, you’d earn a place on the podium, sipping champagne. One team -- one fight. Until next time,

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HMS Ferries, Inc.

Groundbreaking Opportunity for Gees Bend in the Works

Seaward Services, Inc.

Seaward Services Converts the High-Speed Vessel, USNS Guam

American Queen Steamboat Company Cultivating an Onboard Culture of Excellence

HR Update

Don’t Get Burned! How to Protect Your Body from Sun Damage

Money Matters

Investing Basics: Stocks, Bonds & Cash

Technology

Six Tips for Social Media Security

Recipe of the Month Safety

AQSC Team Attends Vessel Sanitation Program Training

Employee Forum

Job Postings, New Hires, Promotions and Transfers

Employee Spotlight Meet Becky Wright

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Steilacoom, WA | Oklahoma City, OK Gees Bend, AL | Dauphin Island, AL Jacksonville, FL | New York, NY Moline, IL | Philadelphia, PA

Ground-breaking Opportunity for Gees Bend in the Works CORE VALUES: Service Excellence, Safety First Gees Bend is going green! In a tremendous effort that epitomizes our core values of Safety First, Teamwork, Integrity, Innovation and Service Excellence, General Manager Tim Aguirre, and his team in Dauphin Island, AL, is leading an effort to repower the Gees Bend Ferry to an all-battery powered vessel. They recently were successful in submitting an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant for this ground-breaking project for the State of Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT). In June, the EPA approved a $1.1 million grant that will assist ALDOT in converting the Gees Bend to become the first battery-electric “green” passenger/ vehicle ferry vessel in the United States, adding prominence to the historic region. In addition, this project will be of national significance for the passenger vessel industry, serving as a model for companies and operators seeking cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels and facilitating battery-electric U.S. Coast Guard vessel certification. This repower would generate nearly 100% reduction of diesel emissions and associated noise pollution in the pristine Alabama River area of Wilcox County. Local citizens rely on the preservation of the natural resources in this region for their own sustenance and for the tourism it stimulates. Converting Gees Bend to a battery-electric system will have a significant positive impact on the region’s environment and economy.

Greg Dronkert President & COO HMS Ferries, Inc.

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The groundbreaking nature of this project makes it an excellent platform to promote similar emissions reduction initiatives nationwide. We plan to work with the U.S. Coast Guard in developing and meeting necessary regulations that will greatly facilitate a broad usage of battery-electric technology by other marine operators. The proposed vessel engine repower will include:

HMS Ferries congratulates all of our shipmates for their achievements throughout the year. We would like to send special congratulations to the following shipmates for their hard work and achievement. Ethan Daniel St. Johns River Ferry Qualified boat coxswain Melissa Wood Oklahoma City River Cruises Qualified as a Deckhand Jessie Chadwick Oklahoma City River Cruises Qualified as a Deckhand Sherry Morris Steve Davis DeAngelo Robinson Mark Fernandez James Sullivan Justin Daniel Chris Cavanaugh Chris Cobb Emily Pleasants David White Frank Riveria Debby Tretter Marcus Hague Mandy Carpenter St. Johns River Ferry Trained and certified as First Aide/CPR/AED June 21, 2016

Four (4) propulsion motors, approximately 100 kW each. Four (4) reduction gears, or optional direct drive with no reduction gears. Four (4) propulsion motor drives. Power electronics for conversion and charging. DC split bus, with bus-tie breakers. Motors powered from both sides. Steering powered from both sides. Batteries connected to both sides. Two (2) battery banks in separate air-conditioned compartments, arranged port and starboard. Each bank is estimated to provide between 50 and 100 kWh of battery capacity (100-200 kWh total) depending on whether shore power is available on one or both ends. One (1) new steering hydraulic power unit (HPU) with dual pumps and motors. One (1) new auxiliary hydraulic power unit (HPU) for powering the ramps.

Phase II of this project, currently under discussion between ALDOT and HMS Ferries, will seek to provide 100% offset of the annual shore power energy consumption through installation of a 100kW grid connected solar array. The array will generate an estimated 140,000kWh per year of power, and requiring less than ¼ of an acre of land (or 8000 square feet of roof space). Ample land in the vicinity of the ferry provides an opportunity to install the array in a location visible to the public, to maximize community engagement. A ferry charged with 100% solar energy would not only be a likely first in the U.S. and the world, but would provide significant benefits to the community. The media attention garnered from such an installation could be used to draw outsiders and investment to the community. Educational opportunities to study solar power and sustainable transportation could be leveraged from the primary to the higher education levels. Phase II funding opportunities will be sought once funding has been secured for the electric conversion of the ferry. While there is still a tremendous amount of work ahead for the Mobile Bay Ferry and Gees Bend Ferry teams on this ground breaking project, their hard work and dedication to receive the EPA grant is an indication of their commitment to excellence.

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

New Albany, IN | Norfolk, VA | Newport, RI Okinawa, Japan | Dania Beach, FL North Charleston, SC | Panama City Beach, FL Portland, ME & Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

Seaward Services Converts the High-Speed Vessel, USNS Guam CORE VALUES: Innovation, Service Excellence On the morning of May 3, 2016, the USNS Guam completed its journey down the Atlantic coast, from its long-term lay-up location in South Philadelphia, PA, only to begin a new journey upward and into the Cooper River, past Fort Sumter and into Detyens Shipyard in North Charleston, SC. This would be the Guam’s new home for the next eight to ten months, while undergoing the final stages of its conversion from passenger ferry to military transport vessel. The shipyard availability was prepared for heavily and long-awaited. The ship was greeted by Seaward Services (SSI) crew members off the coast of Charleston, all of whom were ready for docking after the two-day dead ship tow. Crew boarded the Guam by pilot ladder while under tow, and started up the emergency generator to bring her back online. Once docked and secured, the Shipyard staff began its initial task: emptying the ship of over 200 pallets of spare equipment and parts and hauling it all about a quarter mile down the gravelly road to a temporary 8,000 square foot warehouse facility. Once completely bare, a lightship survey was performed in order to obtain the baseline weight of the vessel. Everything that came on or off the ship from that point would be weighed in order to ensure an accurate final post-project completion weight. A lean Guam, weighing 1,466 US tons, was eventually ready for conversion.

Bill Annand President & COO Seaward Services, Inc. Left: Ariel overview of the shipyard in North Charleston, SC showing both the Alakai, now being used as the Cat in the Bay Ferries project, and the Guam. Below: Pat Kirkner looks on as the Guam arrives in Charleston, SC.

SSI is converting the Guam to replace the WestPac Express, whose duties are off the coast of Japan. SSI has increased staffing, including two additional port engineers, to support the supervision of these two working shifts every day, seven days a week. The Guam is currently well into the conversion process. Revamping the Guam includes engineering, control, equipment, and crew quarters upgrades. The stern ramp will also be relocated. As the Guam is shifting classification societies, from Germanischer Lloyd SE to the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), several additional modifications have been needed. The anticipated cost for all changes is in excess of $35 million. The conversion is scheduled for completion on or about March 1, 2017. All of us at SSI and HMS Global Maritime applaud those in Charleston and beyond for their dedication to this lengthy and difficult project.

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Memphis, TN | Vancouver, WA

Cultivating an Onboard Culture of Excellence CORE VALUE: Service Excellence Summer has arrived and company morale is at an all-time high! The momentum continues to build as nearly every 2016 voyage is sailing at full capacity with 2017 coming in close behind! What could possibly be more exciting than that? Well, for all of us at American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) it is the fine company culture of mutual respect that we have established which continues to serve as the foundation of our ongoing success. I recently came across an interesting article relative to how happiness and success go hand-in-hand, and I couldn’t help but think of the immense success and growth we have witnessed here at AQSC. If you have ever visited the American Queen or American Empress, you surely have encountered the warm, welcoming and friendly culture we have cultivated aboard both of our vessels. Our staff and crew continually go above and beyond to nurture and protect this culture ensuring that it carries across to the guest experience in every aspect of the cruise. The following is a small excerpt from a five-star review as provided by an American Empress guest that really hit home:

Ted Sykes President/COO American Queen Steamboat Company

“I think one of the major pluses of sailing on this ship was the friendly and efficient crew. On the larger ships no one ever knows your name unless you wear a name tag. On this ship crew members seemed to remember our names and there were no name tags! I realize that part of the job for the cruise directors, hotel managers (both were married couples), the Riverlorian and others was to be friendly and outgoing. And, everyone sure was. In fact, we had breakfast one day with the Riverlorian, one of the hotel managers stopped by our table on another morning for a really nice chat, both cruise directors always knew our names and went out of their ways to ask about our day. Kudos to the Empress crew!”

As this guest has mentioned, it is “part of the job” to have a friendly, polite and professional demeanor in this industry; and while this is most certainly true, it is important to mention that when you hire the right staff and crew who embody the core values of the company… success is bound to follow. Treat others the way you want to be treated. It is a simple motto with a strong impact. When you greet someone with a smile, you’re more likely to receive a smile in return. And while we’re in the business of creating smiles, your personal letters, reviews and testimonials certify that our all-American crew consistently goes the extra mile to deliver gracious hospitality. It brings us such joy to know that the true happiness of our smiling staff is essentially what drives our success and sets us apart from other river cruise lines.

Molly McBride Purser Brent Willits Captain American Queen Molly and Captain Brent choreographed a dance for the guests’ sock hop onboard during one of the recent cruises. Zach Ruch QMED American Empress Zach repaired one of the Hop On - Hop Off buses for the American Empress travelers Rico Reese First Cook American Empress Rico has been getting up early to work additional shifts in the laundry to assists with the workload until the new hire arrives to the American Empress.

Thank you to all of our crew for continuing to impress our guests and building a strong, friendly brand in AQSC. We are proud to have such quality people on our team -- keep up the great work!

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Human Resources Don’t Get Burned! How to Protect Your Body from Sun Damage Sunburn doesn’t just cause pain and redness. It can also cause long-term effects. Learn the risks and find out how to protect yourself.

A sunscreen labeled “waterproof” or “water resistant” will not protect you all day. When you swim or sweat, reapply your sunscreen.

Between the beach, the pool, and the weekend cookouts, you may be having too much fun to worry about sunburn - until that telltale stinging and redness set in. Sunburn isn’t just painful - it’s also bad for your health.

THE UV INDEX Your local news may broadcast daily UV index reports. The higher the index, the less time it will take to burn. Here is your risk for overexposure to the damaging UV rays. The number indicates the daily UV index, followed by the degree of risk. The higher the index on a given day, the greater the need to protect yourself. • 0-2: low • 3-5: moderate • 6-8: high • 8-10: very high • 11+: extreme

THE DANGERS OF SUNBURN The sun’s rays contain two types of ultraviolet light. Ultraviolet A (UVA) causes tanning, aging skin, and wrinkles. Ultraviolet B (UVB) causes sunburn. Both can cause skin cancer. You can burn on sunny days, cloudy days, and cold days. The white sand on the beach and the white snow of winter both reflect the sun’s rays. You can burn whether you’re skiing on water or snow. Signs of sunburn are redness and pain. You may also have swelling and blistering. A bad sunburn can lead to heatstroke and dehydration. LONG-TERM EFFECTS Every time you tan or burn, DNA damage builds up in the deeper levels of your skin. Having 5 or more burns over a lifetime doubles your chances of getting skin cancer. Other side effects of tanning and burning include premature wrinkles and age (pigment) spots. Over time, the sun can age your skin, making it tough and leathery. Remember that your eyes can be affected, too. Too much sun can burn your corneas and lead to various eye diseases, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. These can cause vision loss. THE TRUTH ABOUT SUNSCREEN Wearing sunscreen doesn’t always keep you from burning. No sunscreen can completely protect you from UV rays.

PREVENTING SUNBURN Follow these prevention tips: • Use only water-resistant or waterproof sunscreen. It should protect against both UVA and UVB rays and have an SPF of at least 15. Reapply every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating. • Wear protective clothing when possible. Always include a hat and sunglasses. • Limit sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when UV rays are strongest. If your shadow is shorter than you are, get out of the sun. • Keep children in the shade and in protective clothing. Follow the same sunscreen rules for them that you would for yourself. Don’t use sunscreen on children younger than 6 months old. They should be kept out of the sun. If a child under age 1 gets sunburn, call your pediatrician right away. Also seek emergency care if a child of any age has sunburn with fever, blistering, severe pain, or lethargy. • Be aware that water, snow, and sand all reflect UV rays and increase your chances for sunburn. TREATMENT Cool wet compresses, soothing lotions, and cool baths may help relieve minor sunburn pain. Drink plenty of fluids. For serious burns, call your doctor right away or utilize a Virtual Visit with your UHC medical insurance. Medication may prevent infection and help with the swelling and pain.

Medical Flexible Spending Accounts Have you used all your flex spending dollars yet? If you elected the medical flexible spending account (FSA) benefit for the current plan year, you are eligible to spend unused monies through July 31, 2016. If you have a remaining FSA balance, we have some solutions!

visit the online FSA store to stock up on summer essentials or other items that are getting low in your medicine cabinet. One can visit http://www.infinisource.com/fsaextras to make online purchases delivered directly to your doorstep. If you have any questions regarding your FSA, you can contact Infinisource directly (866-370-3040), download the mobile app to view balances, or visit their website (www.infinisource.com) to access your account.

One option to utilize FSA funds is the rollover feature. Any unused funds, up to a maximum of $500, are automatically rolled over into the next plan year, thus available for use on or after August 1, 2016. Another option to spend unused monies is to

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Money Matters Investing Basics: Stocks, Bonds & Cash Provided by Kevin Maynard, CFA, Sortino Advisory Partners (Part 2 of a 3 part series.)

TYPES OF INVESTMENTS: STOCKS How do stocks work? When you buy a company’s stock, you’re purchasing a share of ownership in that business. You become one of the company’s stockholders or shareholders. Your percentage of ownership in a company also represents your share of the risks taken and profits generated by the company. If the company does well, your share of its earnings will be proportionate to how much of the company’s stock you own. The flip side, of course, is that your share of any loss will be similarly proportionate to your percentage of ownership. If you purchase stock, you can make money in one of two ways. The company’s board of directors can decide to distribute a portion of the company’s profits to its shareholders as dividends, which can provide you with income. Also, if the value of the stock rises, you may be able to sell your stock for more than you paid for it. Of course, if the value of the stock has declined, you’ll lose money.

principal. There are two fundamental ways that you can profit from owning bonds. The most obvious is the interest that bonds pay. However, you can also make money if you sell a bond for more than you paid for it. As with any security, bond prices move up and down in response to investor demand; they also are sensitive to changes in interest rates. Bonds redeemed prior to maturity may be worth more or less than their original cost, and those that seek to achieve higher yields also involve a higher degree of risk. The role of bonds in your portfolio: One of the most important reasons that investors choose bonds is for their steady and predictable stream of income through interest payments. Bonds have traditionally been important for retirees for this reason. Also, though they are not risk-free--for example, a bond issuer could default on a payment or even fail to repay the principal--bonds are considered somewhat less risky than stocks. In part, that’s because a corporation must pay interest to bondholders before it pays dividends to its shareholders. Also, if it declares bankruptcy or dissolves, bondholders are first in line to be compensated.

The role of stocks in your portfolio: Though past performance is no guarantee of future results, stocks historically have had greater potential for higher long-term total returns than cash equivalents or bonds. However, that potential for greater returns comes with greater risk of volatility and potential for loss. You can lose part or all of the money you invest in a stock. Because of that volatility, stock investments may not be appropriate for money you count on to be available in the short term. You’ll need to think about whether you have the financial and emotional ability to ride out those ups and downs as you try for greater returns.

The bond market often behaves very differently from stocks. For example, when stock prices are down, investors often prefer bonds because of their relative stability and interest payments. Also, when interest rates are high, bond returns can be attractive enough that investors decide not to assume the greater risk of stocks. Interest from bonds can help balance stock fluctuations and increase a portfolio’s stability. And because a bond’s face value gets repaid upon maturity, you can choose a bond that matures when you need the money.

The universe of stocks offers enormous flexibility to construct a stock portfolio that is tailored to your needs. There are many different types of stock, and many different ways to diversify your stock holdings. For example, you can sort through stocks by industry, by company size, by location, and by growth prospects or income.

TYPES OF INVESTMENTS: CASH Cash and cash alternatives: In daily life, cash is all around you, as currency, bank balances, negotiable money orders, and checks. However, in investing, “cash” is also used to refer to so-called cash alternatives: investments that are considered relatively low-risk and can generally be converted to cash quickly. Some examples of cash alternatives include savings accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, guaranteed investment contracts (GICs), government savings bonds, U.S. Treasury bills, Eurodollar certificates of deposit, and commercial paper.

Growth stocks are usually characterized by corporate earnings that are increasing at a faster rate than their industry average or the overall market. Income stocks (for example, utilities or financial companies) generally offer higher dividend yields than market averages. Value stocks are typically characterized by selling at a low price relative to a company’s sales, earnings, or book value.

Using cash alternatives: Because of their conservative nature, cash alternatives involve the least risk. However, there is a trade-off for their relative safety: Their potential return is not as high as investments that involve more risk. By focusing solely on playing it safe, you may limit your investment income, especially over longer time periods.

These are only some of the many ways in which stocks can be identified, and your financial professional can help you decide which might be more appropriate for you than others. With stocks, it’s especially important to diversify your holdings. That way, if one company is in trouble, it won’t have as much impact on your overall return as it would if it represented your entire portfolio.

Cash alternatives can be useful in many ways. First, they can provide relative stability. While cash alternatives can’t assure you of a gain or protect you from losses, they are generally considered safer than other asset classes, such as stocks or bonds. Also, they can provide income on cash that would otherwise be idle. They can serve as a ready source of cash to pay bills or make purchases. For example, cash alternatives can help preserve money earmarked for a down payment or a family vacation. Readily available cash also can help you cope in a financial emergency. Finally, cash alternatives can serve as a temporary parking place when you’re not sure where to invest.

TYPES OF INVESTMENTS: BONDS How do bonds work? When you buy a bond, you’re basically buying an IOU. Bonds, sometimes called fixed-income securities, are essentially loans to a corporation or governmental body. The borrower (the bond issuer) typically promises to pay the lender, or bondholder, regular interest payments until a certain date. At that point, the bond is said to have matured. When it reaches that maturity date, the full amount of the loan (the principal or face value) must be repaid.

This information was developed by Broadridge, an independent third party. It is general in nature, is not a complete statement of all information necessary for making an investment decision, and is not a recommendation or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investments and strategies mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. If you have questions, you may contact Kevin Maynard, CFA, Sortino Advisory Partners at 502-371-9854 or [email protected].

A bond typically pays a stated interest rate called the coupon, a term that dates back to the days when a bondholder had to clip a coupon attached to the bond and mail it in to receive each interest payment. Most bonds pay interest on a fixed schedule, usually quarterly or semiannually, although some pay all interest at maturity along with the

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Some bonds are exempt from federal or state and local income tax. This can be appealing to investors in high tax brackets.

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Technology Six Tips for Social Media Security Submitted by our IT partners at Infinite Solutions, LLC. WHAT SECURITY IMPLICATIONS DO THESE SITES PRESENT? Social networking sites rely on connections and communication, so they encourage you to provide a certain amount of personal information. When deciding how much information to reveal, people may not exercise the same amount of caution as they would when meeting someone in person because • the Internet provides a sense of anonymity • the lack of physical interaction provides a false sense of security • they tailor the information for their friends to read, forgetting that others may see it • they want to offer insights to impress potential friends or associates While the majority of people using these sites do not pose a threat, malicious people may be drawn to them because of the accessibility and amount of personal information that’s available. The more information malicious people have about you, the easier it is for them to take advantage of you. Predators may form relationships online and then convince unsuspecting individuals to meet them in person. That could lead to a dangerous situation. The personal information can also be used to conduct a social engineering attack. Using information that you provide about your location, hobbies, interests, and friends, a malicious person could impersonate a trusted friend or convince you that they have the authority to access other personal or financial data. HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF? • Limit the amount of personal information you post - Do not post information that would make you vulnerable, such as your address or information about your schedule or routine. If your connections post information about you, make sure the

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combined information is not more than you would be comfortable with strangers knowing. Also be considerate when posting information, including photos, about your connections. Remember that the Internet is a public resource - Only post information you are comfortable with anyone seeing. This includes information and photos in your profile and in blogs and other forums. Also, once you post information online, you can’t retract it. Even if you remove the information from a site, saved or cached versions may still exist on other people’s machines. Be skeptical - Don’t believe everything you read online. People may post false or misleading information about various topics, including their own identities. This is not necessarily done with malicious intent; it could be unintentional, an exaggeration, or a joke. Take appropriate precautions, though, and try to verify the authenticity of any information before taking any action. Evaluate your settings - Take advantage of a site’s privacy settings. The default settings for some sites may allow anyone to see your profile, but you can customize your settings to restrict access to only certain people. There is still a risk that private information could be exposed despite these restrictions, so don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want the public to see. Sites may change their options periodically, so review your security and privacy settings regularly to make sure that your choices are still appropriate. Be wary of third-party applications - Third-party applications may provide entertainment or functionality, but use caution when deciding which applications to enable. Avoid applications that seem suspicious, and modify your settings to limit the amount of information the applications can access. Use strong passwords - Protect your account with passwords that cannot easily be guessed. If your password is compromised, someone else may be able to access your account and pretend to be you.

Recipe of the Month Flag Fruit Pizza Who says it has to be Independence Day to make an American flag fruit pizza? This is a fun and festive treat for any celebration. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1 can refrigerated crescent dough

Preheat oven to 375°F. On a greased baking sheet, lay out the crescent dough sheet to make a rectangle. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked and lightly golden. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Spread the yogurt on top of the dough sheet so that the entire pizza is covered, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the outside. Place the blueberries all around the outside to make a border, and then fill in the upper-right quadrant with a rectangle of blueberries. On a cutting board, slice the strawberries and bananas into thin coins, and halve them if needed so that they are about the same size. Layer the strawberries and bananas onto the pizza to make red and white stripes. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to a few hours.

2 cartons (about 8 oz. total) Greek coconut yogurt 3 cups blueberries 3 bananas 1 pound strawberries Powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

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Recipe & photo from http://www.tablespoon.com/recipes/flag-fruitpizza/804fa149-e9af-4e26-b999-3c57b212fc48

HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Safety AQSC Team Attends Vessel Sanitation Program Training Submitted and written by David Kelly, Capital Projects and Quality Control Manager. Several of our department heads, from both American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC) vessels, attended the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) training, held in Miami, FL in June. The course was delivered by the VSP’s officers, led by Captain Jaret Ames; Captain Ames has been in command of this branch of the Department of Public Health for more than 18 years. The VSP at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assists the cruise ship industry to prevent and control the introduction, transmission and spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships. VSP operates under the authority of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 264 Quarantine and Inspection Regulations to Control Communicable Diseases). VSP is part of the National Center for Environmental Health’s Division of Emergency and Environmental Health. Whilst the American Queen and American Empress do not fall under the jurisdiction of the VSP, holding ourselves to their standards ensures that we will always be operating at a higher standard than what is required by local and state health authorities.

Attendees: (left to right) Therese Swanston, Controller; Bill Ballard, Exec Chef; Brenda Hunter, Chief Housekeeper; Captain Jaret Aimes, USPH, CDC; Miguel Moreno, Exec Sous Chef; and Ed Jenkins, Bar Manager.

result of several factors: • Earlier detection of illnesses. • Cruise industry diligence in • developing and implementing their Outbreak Prevention and Control Plans as required by VSP, • using processes and disinfectants that are effective against a norovirus surrogate, and • proactively looking for ways to use the most current science and limit AGE spread. You can help limit the spread of AGE by • Reporting your illness if you’re sick. • Call the ship’s medical facility as soon as possible and follow the medical staff’s recommendations. Reporting your illness • allows ship management know if they need to increase cleaning and • lets VSP know if there is an outbreak on the ship. • Washing your hands often, especially after using the toilet and before eating or drinking. • Taking care of yourself. • Get plenty of rest and drink plenty of water. • Resting helps rebuild your immune system. • Drinking water helps prevent dehydration.

Public Health is everyone’s business, and keeping our vessels safe is at the heart of everything we do. Over the course of the last few months we have started to reintroduce self-inspections on board both vessels, in an attempt to mimic the un-announced inspections carried out by health authorities. Achieving the highest score card is our goal, and this is only achievable through continuous training and implementation of the CDC’s regulations, coupled with monitoring by department heads to ensure absolute compliance. People often associate cruise ships with Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) illnesses. But AGE illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships despite their notoriety. From 2008 to 2014, 74 million passengers sailed on cruise ships in VSP’s jurisdiction. Only 129,678 passengers met the VSP case definition for AGE illness and only a small proportion of those AGE cases (1 in 10) were part of a norovirus outbreaks. The rate of AGE illness on cruise ships has decreased over time, as has the number and severity of outbreaks by year except 2012, when a new strain of norovirus emerged.

We all have a responsibility to safeguard our crew and guests against AGE; our focus is increasing the knowledge of our department heads and crew in preventing outbreaks and keeping everyone healthy and safe.

HOW YOU CAN HELP Fewer and less-severe AGE outbreaks on cruise ships are likely a

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Employee Forum Open Positions:

Car Marshall, Gulf Shores, AL Captain, Oklahoma City, OK Deckhand, Philadelphia, PA Full-Time QMED Engineer, Steilacoom, WA Part-Time QMED Engineer, Steilacoom, WA Full-Time Master, Steilacoom, WA Part-Time Master, Steilacoom, WA Port Engineer, Steilacoom, WA

Cabin Steward, Portland, ME Maintenance Scheduler of Operations, Norfolk, VA Laborer, Norfolk, VA Welder, Norfolk, VA 3rd Mate, Okinawa, Japan Port Engineer, Philadelphia, PA

2nd Cook, American Empress Executive Chef, American Empress 1st Cook, American Queen 2nd Cook, American Queen Deckhand, American Queen Maître d’, American Queen Storekeeper, American Queen Staff Captain, American Queen Outbound Call Representative (Sales), New Albany, IN Regional Sales Director, New Albany, IN Reservations Sales Agent, New Albany, IN Reservations Service Agent, New Albany, IN Sales Representative, New Albany, IN

If you are interested in any of these positions or have a referral, please visit the careers section of www.HMSGM. com. Current employees, please speak to your supervisor or manager before applying through the Internal Opportunities portal on the careers section of www. HMSGM.com.

www.hmsgm.com

New Hires:

Emily Gray Matthew Cronin Matthew Farrar Pongsri Laile Maria Macias Victor Moore Mellanie Parede Jose Rodriguez Ona Rubinelli Wally Sabado Gerald Shorey Michael Allen Shameka Byes LaMarcus Cockerham Dustin Crawford Joshua Dunn James Gardner Melania Glanton Cassandra Hill Donald Hopkins Porcha Ingram Jerrod Jerry Jonathan Kirby Casey Levins Nicholas Perkins Shawn Pierson Laura Rettig Henry Smiley Taryn Thurmond Jarrod Chestnut Gary Glass George Hess Dusty Jones Kojo Ghansah Samuel Golland Emily McDonald Brendan Gorman Claire McEachern Gilberto Perez Jacob James Gabriel Kaser Andrew R Blain Ty Cawley Joselyn Cortez Bryan D Dore Eric Quaidoo John D Coffey William Clark Daniel Forstadt William Cunningham Alexander Dixon Jahmal Harris Gretchen Holoubek Althea N Ismael Hayden Norwood Joseph A Sands Michael Scott Vincent E Tuerpe

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Office Assistant Maintenance QMED Laundry Attendant Galley Porter Waiter Porter First Cook Second Cook Galley Porter Pastry Chef Laundry Attendant Waiter Deckhand Deckhand Deckhand First Cook Waiter Assistant Waiter Stage Manager Galley Porter First Cook Assistant Waiter Bar Server Deckhand Bar Server Porter Galley Porter Spa Therapist Captain Maintenance Technician Car Marshall Car Marshall Deckhand Deckhand Deckhand Deckhand Ticket Agent Captain Intern - Engineer Deckhand Able Bodied Seaman Cadet Cadet Chief Engineer Able Bodied Seaman Boat Operator Cadet Cadet Able Seaman Cabin Crew Able Bodied Seaman Able Bodied Seaman Cabin Crew QMED Cabin Crew Cabin Crew Cabin Crew

New Albany, IN American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Empress American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen Dauphin Island, AL Dauphin Island, AL Dauphin Island, AL Dauphin Island, AL New York, NY New York, NY New York, NY Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Steilacoom, WA Steilacoom, WA Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Philadelphia, PA Dania Beach, FL Okinawa, Japan Okinawa, Japan Portland, ME Portland, ME Portland, ME Portland, ME Yarmouth Ferry Yarmouth Ferry Yarmouth Ferry Yarmouth Ferry Yarmouth Ferry

HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale

Employee Spotlight Meet Becky Wright CORE VALUE: Teamwork, Service Excellence Becky has served as Divisional Office Manager for nearly 10 years, and plays a vital role in the operations and organization of HMS Ferries, as well as HMS Consulting. Located in the Bainbridge Island, WA office with Greg Dronkert and Matt Miller, she wears many hats, assisting the office managers of each of our sites, along with other management of HMS Ferries. Typically, Becky works with several departments as she assists HR with forms and documents, reports incidents and traffic data, supports business development projects and plans, handles accounts payable for HMS Ferries while also overseeing accounts payable and receivable for HMS Consulting, and orders supplies, computers and phones for the companies. When there is a new location start up, she assists with preparing the site for operations. Becky also assists Matt Miller, Greg Dronkert, and John Sainsbury whenever she is needed. Her typical day varies, depending on what the needs of others are, but she somehow finds time to oversee many areas of the company, keeping her very busy.

offices. She enjoyed being an entrepreneur with her husband, as it allowed her to rase her two children and work.

Before joining HMS Ferries, she worked with John Waggoner and Greg Dronkert for three years, preceded by working with her husband as an entrepreneur for 15 years. Becky oversaw bookkeeping and payroll for the company, which installed 911 console spaces for

When asked what she loves most about her position, Becky claims it’s the people, travelling to sites and the diversity of her job. In her limited free time, she enjoys reading, travelling, gardening and mostly, spending time with her one-year-old granddaughter, Frances (pictured above!) Thank you Becky, for your dedication and constant support throughout the company.

Core Value Spotlight Because of the significance that our core values hold in each work day, this section of the Communicator is dedicated to showcasing a person or team that has demonstrated our core values. This month, we are featuring Brittany Aloot, Laborer for our Seaward Services site in Norfolk, VA. “‘Brittany Aloot.’ I say again ‘Brittany Aloot!’ Let her name sink-in, for she is a force to be recon with in the Maritime Environment. Located at our Norfolk, VA site for only a short period, but as a prior Seaward Services employee, she has already adapted to our demanding and unique standards of work ethic and ethos. Proving herself as an outstanding asset to our team, her ‘can-do’ attitude and stellar work ethic has made a positive impact on the proficiency level at our site/compound impressive attributes. She is surrounded by extremely talented coworkers and is still able to stand out, hence my comments earlier remember here name, for she will go far.” -- Robert Galvez, Site Manager for Norfolk, VA location, Seaward Services

Promotions: Ali Laswell Nicholas Uhlmansiek Jessica Johnston Brian McCray Melanie Green Jeremy Keller Everett Patton Eric Henhaffer Ismael Roman

www.hmsgm.com

Administrative Coordinator QMED Purser Bartender Waiter Bosun Bosun Captain Senior Deckhand

New Albany, IN American Empress American Empress American Queen American Queen American Queen American Queen Philadelphia, PA Steilacoom, WA

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HMS Global Maritime Charting Success on a Global Scale