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TOTE, Inc. - The new look of American Shipping Group
Contact: Darcy Anderson
253.449.8145
TOTE, Inc. – the new look of American Shipping Group
Princeton, NJ– February 8, 2012 -On January 1, 2012 American Shipping Group underwent a dramatic transformation. The company, formerly known as ASG, became TOTE, Inc., and experienced a makeover in logo, look and structure.
Seeing opportunity for market growth, TOTE, Inc. organized its five independently managed businesses in to three groups: Maritime, Logistics and Ship Management.
TOTE Maritime: Totem Ocean Trailer Express and Sea Star Line
TOTE Ship Management: Interocean American Shipping
TOTE Logistics: Alta Logistics and Spectrum Logistics
For now, each company will retain their name, logo and independent branding. The strengths of the individual companies will be enhanced by marketing and sales efforts for the overall portfolio by all TOTE, Inc., affiliated companies.
Choosing to adopt the TOTE name was an easy decision for the organization. “We felt the “America...” name was somewhat limiting with our goal of expanding our logistics services beyond the USA. Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) has a very strong brand in the trade it services. It is highly respected so it was an easy decision to utilize that strong brand for the overall parent company branding,” said TOTE, Inc. President Anthony Chiarello.
Totem Ocean Trailer Express was founded in 1975 and offers twice-weekly cargo ship operations between the Port of Tacoma, Washington and the Port of Anchorage, Alaska. The company represents the foundation a much larger Seattle-based operation, Saltchuk Resources. Saltchuk was founded in 1982 with the acquisition of Totem Ocean Trailer Express from Sun Ships. Since then, Saltchuk has grown their portfolio to over twenty independent companies, organized in to six operating groups, TOTE, Inc. being one of them.
The future of TOTE, Inc. is in growing and diversifying an already successful operation. “We will always be interested in expansion of our core maritime businesses - and our clients continue to ask us to provide more than just ocean transportation services,” said Chiarello, “TOTE Logistics is the vehicle by which our value added service offering will be managed and developed beyond what we offer today. Our hope with TOTE Ship Management is to expand both our government supported efforts as well as our private sector fleet management services.”
In January, TOTE announced that James Armstrong has joined TOTE Inc. as President for TOTE Logistics. Armstrong comes from southern California where he served as Senior Vice President, General Manager, Warehousing at Yusen Logistics (Americas), Inc. He brings a strong background in transportation and logistics services and has held key leadership roles within the Maersk global organization in the USA, Canada and Asia.
Soon thereafter, Kevin D. Kendrick was named Chief Commercial Officer for TOTE, Inc. Kendrick will establish and drive the overall commercial strategy for all operating companies within the TOTE, Inc. organization. Prior to joining TOTE, Inc., Kendrick served as the vice president of the Southeast Region for Damco, USA Inc. Kendrick had been with the A.P. Moller-Maersk Group since 1991, holding various sales development and management roles before joining the Group’s Logistics team in 2001. He was the Director and Senior Director of Maersk Logistics before being named Vice President of Damco.
TOTE, Inc.'s new look makes its debut this month at the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) annual trade conference February 19-22.
For an overview of the TOTE, Inc. companies, visit www.toteinc.com.
Griffith Honored with Westward Venture Captain's Bell
December 8, 2011 - Richard Griffith, TOTE’s Vice President of Marine Operations, is giving retirement a second shot.
The career mariner came to the work in the Alaska trade in 1977, accompanying the Westward Venture, a ship he was responsible for designing at Sun Shipbuilding.
Just over four years later, in 1982, Griffith and seven associates formed Totem Resources to purchase the business and its two ships from Sun, turning TOTE in to the thriving start of what is now Saltchuk Resources.
Griffith’s first attempt at retirement was in 1986. He remained active in the industry as a maritime consultant, but when TOTE decided to add a third ship to its fleet in 1993, Griffith was called back to TOTE full time. He lead the $50 million expansion and refitting of the Northern Lights and stayed to bring another generation of ships, the Orca class vessels, to TOTE’s fleet.
It’s said that if you want to know anything about TOTE’s history, ask Rich Griffith. He was there. And he was there earlier this month when the ship he brought to the Northwest, the Westward Venture, was retired from service.
Griffith’s retirement was celebrated at TOTE’s annual holiday party. Surrounded by long-time customers and employees, TOTE president John Parrott presented Griffith with the Westward Venture’s captain’s bell, engraved with:
“Rich Griffith, Fair Winds and Following Seas,” followed by the names of all the ships he brought to service, “SS Great Land, SS Westward Venture, MV Midnight Sun, MV North Star, SS El Morro, SS El Yunique, SS El Faro, Northern Lights.”
Parrott Receives Outstanding Professional Achievement Award
October 20, 2011 - John Parrott, President of Totem Ocean Trailer Express, was honored earlier this month by his alma mater, the US Merchant Maritime Academy, with the 2011 Outstanding Professional Achievement Award.
The Outstanding Professional Achievement Award is given to the USMMA graduate “who best exemplifies the finest tradition of the Corps “Acta Non Verba” (meaning Act, don’t talk) by attaining personal achievement in their chosen field and thus lending honor and prestige to the USMMA.”
Parrott graduated from the USMMA, located in Kings Point, New York in 1986 with a BS degree in Marine Transportation, continuing on to earn an MBA from Seattle University. He holds a commission in the United States Naval Reserve and is a licensed master in the U.S. Merchant Marine, having sailed for ten years aboard a wide range of vessel types and trade routes.
The USMMA was formed in 1938 to provide quality education and training for the US maritime trade. Today, approximately 300 students are accepted to the program each year. Graduates received bachelors of Science degrees and are specifically trained for careers in the maritime industry. Approximately one-third of graduates go on to serve as Merchant Marine officers, another third seek careers in private industry, with the remaining third choosing to be Commissioned Officers in the US Military.
Robert P. Magee Terminal Dedication
September 21, 2011 – Port of Tacoma, WA- Legendary maritime industry leader, Robert P. Magee, was honored today with the naming of Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc’s Tacoma terminal in his memory.
The Robert P. Magee Terminal dedication ceremony at Port of Tacoma was attended by about 150 industry and community leaders, extended family members, TOTE customers and employees who gathered to pay tribute to a man many described as visionary.
Scott Mason, President of ILWU Local 23, said in his remarks “I often wonder whether people can be trained as leaders or if they are just born with it, and I think Bob was just born with it.” He went on to say “The ILWU has an appreciation, and an admiration, for the man Bob Magee.”
After Bob’s death, TOTE employees rallied around the idea of honoring Bob’s memory with a tribute. TOTE President John Parrott said ”The terminal was perfect because Bob loved Tacoma. He came out of the vessel department and so spent much of his time at our terminal. Even as the CEO of American Shipping group, TOTE’s parent company, you could always find Bob back down at the terminal on a random afternoon or the morning after a ship sailed.”
VP of Marine and Terminal Operations, Phil Morrell, remembered Bob’s frequent visits to the terminal and how he always made time to stop and talk with staff. “When he was at the terminal he was just Bob. He would play a hand of cribbage and was target of the same razzing if he played a bad hand in the game. No matter the title behind his name, he was always relaxed and at home.”
The Robert P. Magee Terminal name is proudly displayed on signs at each gated entrance to the terminal, as well as in front of the administration building.
About Bob Magee
Bob Magee began working for TOTE in May 1986 as Vice President of Marine Operations. Bob went on to become President and CEO of TOTE, later Chairman of Sea Star Line and then Chairman & CEO of American Shipping Group.
Bob received numerous awards for maritime and community leadership which now reside in a custom-built display cabinet, welcoming employees and visitors in the lobby of the administration building at the Robert P. Magee Marine Terminal.
Totem Ocean Trailer Installs First Industrial Rain Garden in South Sound
04/19/2011 TACOMA, Wash. - The Puget Sound region’
s first industrial rain garden became a reality on April 19 with a planting event at the Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) terminal at the Port of Tacoma.
The rain garden, which features almost 600 native plants, is designed to filter pollutants from water that runs off building rooftops. Plantings included coast strawberries that were generously donated by The Tacoma Garden Club.
TOTE’s rain garden was installed with help from the non-profit Stewardship Partners, which is working with Washington State University to install 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound region over the next five years.
“TOTE’s leadership putting in one of the first industrial rain gardens in the region, serves as a great example of what we believe will be many more to follow as businesses recognize the outstanding value and return on investment rain gardens provide,” said David Burger, Stewardship Partners executive director.
The rain garden is expected to eliminate more than 80 percent of the heavy metals in the stormwater that otherwise would flow into Commencement Bay. The annual rainfall collected and filtered by TOTE’s rain garden is estimated to be over a quarter million gallons.
“TOTE achieves three objectives with this rain garden,” said Rand Lymangrover, TOTE’s terminal, environmental and security manager. “It improves stormwater quality, it demonstrates to others in the industry that it works, and it helps beautify our site.”
“We appreciate TOTE’s continued leadership and initiative in creating economic and environmental vitality in our community,” said John Wolfe, Port of Tacoma’s chief executive officer. “This project demonstrates how creativity and partnerships continue to make Tacoma a great place to do business.”
To view the You Tube video on the Rain Garden please click here...
Stephanie Holthaus Named Vice President of Sales and Customer Service
1/21/2011 FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. (TOTE) is pleased to announce that Stephanie Holthaus is joining its Executive Team as Vice President of Sales and Customer Service. Stephanie comes to TOTE with a wide-ranging transportation and logistics background, most recently as President of Alta Air Logistics. In her new role, Stephanie will continue to be responsible for the Alta organization, but will also be focusing on TOTE’s commercial strategy and customers.
With Stephanie’s arrival, David Kilbourn (currently Vice President of Commercial) will take on the role of Vice President of Pricing and Operations. In his new role, David will focus on competitive strategy and continue to be responsible for TOTE’s Pricing and Market Research. He will also oversee the areas of Fleet and Inland Transportation.
