This is “legacy” news from 2009 and earlier. For latest KP’83 news, see our Class Notes page.
Mickey & Kent Take The Field
Thanks to Mickey Cunningham for submitting this.
Kent and I went to the Giants-Eagles game this past fall [2008] in Philly. We had field passes that allowed us on the sidelines prior to the game. This is the closest he and I will get to an NFL field.
Former U.S. Maritime Administrator To Join Class Society
From ABS External Affairs Dept.
Connaughton To Join ABS – – – – For Immediate Release February 12, 2009 (Houston, TX—) ABS is pleased to announce that Sean T. Connaughton, who served as U.S. Maritime Administrator from 2006 until his resignation with the recent change of Administration in Washington, will join the class society as Corporate Vice President for Government Affairs, effective 17 February.
In this newly created position, Connaughton will act as the society’s primary liaison with national governments at senior levels, establishing and maintaining close working relationships with the principal executive and legislative bodies that influence maritime policy as it relates to safety and classification issues.
“Governments are playing an increasingly important role in our activities,” said ABS Chairman and CEO Robert D. Somerville. “Legislative actions can affect the terms of reference under which we operate, as is currently the case with the new EC Directive and Regulation for Recognized Organizations. And governments are also important clients. We provide classification services for naval, military and other specialist government vessels and see promising opportunities to expand these relationships in the future.
“Having someone with Sean’s intimate knowledge of government operations, diplomatic and legislative skills and experience, and close contacts with the maritime administrations of other nations from his time as the U.S. Maritime Administrator, will greatly strengthe n our ability to work with governments as partners and clients,” Somerville added.
Connaughton is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy. He has served the U.S. Coast Guard as both a commissioned officer and as a civil servant in the Office of Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection. After gaining a Master’s degree, he joined the American Petroleum Institute, representing companies involved in the energy and marine transportation industries, during which time he also gained a law degree from George Mason University.
As a lawyer, in private practice and six years in the transportation practice of Troutman Sanders LLP, he has specialized in maritime and international law and has appeared before the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the Virginia Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Maritime Law Association. He is also a graduate of the US Naval War College.
Connaughton has been involved in local government as an elected official and, prior to his appointment as Maritime Administrator, served on numerous regional boards and commissions, including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. He is also the recipient of numerous maritime and civic awards that reflect his contributions to community and industry.
Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.
Final 2008 Class Gift Amount
Happy New Year! I just wanted you to know that the tally at the end of 2008 for our class gift amounted to $80,431.
This is a fantastic amount. Your support is great!
Keep giving when and if you can. The Foundation is in good health and the Academy is sailing on.
The best part for Glenda and I was seeing so many of 1983 at Homecoming. We hope to see you more often! Now it’s my turn in the barrel, off to the Kuwaiti desert for AT R&R….?
Best Regards,
Scott O’
25th Reunion: September 27, 2008
Homecoming 2008 was our 25th anniversary of graduation and we enjoyed a splendid day! Chris Thayer and Michael Donnelly coordinated our awesome reunion, while Scott O’Connor headed our successful class gift fundraising.
White House Nominates Sean Connaughton to FMC
News Release 9/9/08:
The President intends to nominate Sean T. Connaughton, of Virginia, to be Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission and upon appointment designate Chairman, for the remainder of a five-year term expiring 06/30/12. Mr. Connaughton currently serves as Administrator of the Maritime Administration at the Department of Transportation. Prior to this, he served as Counsel at Troutman Sanders LLP and Chairman of the Prince William (VA) Board of County Supervisors. Earlier in his career, he served in the United States Coast Guard. Mr. Connaughton received his bachelor’s degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, his master’s degree from Georgetown University and his JD from George Mason University.
Source: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080909-5.html
Roger Foster Wins Award
Thanks to Bill Stafford ‘97 for submitting this.
On June 5, 2008, Roger Foster was one of three BIW engineers to were honored with “Engineering Excellence and Innovation” awards
Presentations were made at the annual GD Engineering and Technology Council conference in Washington, DC. View article with photo
Note from Bill Stafford: I should also mention that Roger’s daughter Meaghan is finishing up an internship with us at Bath Iron Works prior to returning to KP for her final year.
News of former KP Chaplains (at KP with us)
Jim Perdew (Protestant) and Fr John Newton (Catholic)
Thanks to Erin Gantt for submitting this.
1. Former KP Protestant Chaplain Jim Perdew and his wife Janie will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in Missouri this summer. They have scheduled events for 28-29 June 2008 in the city of Gray Summit, MO.
The Perdews have fond memories of their tour of duty at KP and would like to have an informal KP reunion during the anniversary weekend. If you are interested in attending the festivities or want more information, contact one of their daughters:
Sheri Hart – sherihart(at)earthlink.net 636-257-6381
Amy Jo Purl – amypurl(at)yahoo.com 601-250-5526
Lori Jane Perdew 636-257-6381
2. Former KP Catholic Chaplain Father John Newton had surgery earlier this year to remove a blood clot from his leg. He is recuperating at home now but he is very weak (he still lives in Hawaii).
Father Newton has had quite a few health problems in the past few years (he is 84 now) including at least one heart attack.
I am sure that he would enjoy hearing from you if you have the time; his e-mail address is: padrejon(at)webtv.net
If you care to send a card, his home address is:
Rev. John G. Newton
579-D Keolu Drive
Kailua HI 96734
Photos 2008
John & Cindy Prien new addition. “In my short experience at this I can honestly say that Cindy and I feel like there is a “leap” going from 3 to 4. Grayson and Mom are doing great! (Jan. 08)
Photos 2007
A.J. Murphy with Anne & Jim Quern (Spring 07)
Bill Sliker and Tom Heberle doing pilot training in Port Revel 5/07
Erin Gantt continues to sing
July 2007
This July 4th, I will be singing with the trio “Swing Shift” in our its first appearance in the National Independence Day Parade in Washington, DC. Swing Shift specializes in WWII era music and will be riding on the “Liberty Bell” float. We are scheduled to stop and perform at the reviewing stand at 16th & Constitution Ave (across from the White House). Although this is our first year in the Independence Day Parade, Swing Shift has performed in 4 Memorial Day Parades here in downtown DC.
Photo of “Swing Shift” from the 2006 Memorial Day Parade (Kate Thiele, Joanne Wertz, & Erin Gantt): view photo
Those who want to see any of the July 4th festivities in DC should take the Metro; the closest stations to the National Mall are: Archives/Navy Memorial and Federal Triangle on the Blue & Orange Lines. Parade details at website
December 2006
Erin is a member of the Choral Arts Society of Washington, which sings at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She alerted me of a TV appearance they had on 12/26/06 and I snapped a video clip. It was at the end of the Kennedy Center Honors, their performance part of a tribute to Steven Spielberg. Dolly Parton & Smokey Robinson were among other honorees.
President Bush heard that Erin would be there, so he worked the event into his schedule.
View Clip (broadband required)
Milton Moore passes away – 12/5/06
We regret the loss of Rev. Milton Moore ’83, who was shot and killed in Suitland, MD. Please see the news article below for more information. View Photos and Donation Request
Flowers and cards can be sent to his widow at the following address:
Eva Moore
13109 Bar Geese Ct
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774-7012
Pastor Fatally Shot In Front Of Church
Police Search For Clues
POSTED: 8:04 am EST December 6, 2006
UPDATED: 11:30 pm EST December 6, 2006
SUITLAND, Md. — A pastor was gunned down in front of his Prince George’s County church Wednesday morning, NBC4 reported. Milton Leon Moore, 50, was found shot in the parking lot in front of the Warriors For Christ Ministries in the 2400 block of Brooks Drive in Suitland. Investigators said the shooting occurred at about 7:30 a.m. in front of the church, which also holds a homeless shelter.
Police said the married father of four was walking toward the church when he was shot once in the head. “As he was going through the door, somebody fired multiple shots at him,” Prince George’s County Police Cpl. Diane Richardson said. “One of the gunshots struck him.” Moore was pronounced dead Wednesday evening after being hospitalized in critical condition. Witnesses said they heard an argument before the shots were fired. One witness said she heard three shots fired and that one of the shots was muffled.
Other witnesses on a nearby walking track told police that after hearing the shots, they saw two people run away from the church. Police do not know if those people were involved in the shooting. Those who knew Moore mourned his loss and expressed sorrow for his killer. “You want to shoot a pastor, a man of the cloth. That’s not good,” Moore’s friend Ronald Lewis said.
“Because therefore, not only do you have to answer to the pastor, but you have to answer to God now.”
Drew-Freeman Middle School next door was put on lock down while police searched the school to make sure the shooter or shooters were not in the building. The homeless shelter had children inside at the time of the shooting.
Police do not have any suspects or motives but they do have some leads and an investigation is under way.
– – – NBC4.com
WFCM Ministries has more information on Milton and his work in the last several years, including the establishment of a transitional shelter for the homeless.
View Photos, Bio, and Donation Request
PRINCE WILLIAM GOVERNMENT
Connaughton Named to Lead U.S. Maritime Agency
By Stephanie McCrummen and Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 28, 2006; Page B01
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman Sean T. Connaughton, who presided over a period of unprecedented growth in one of the nation’s most diverse and dynamic suburban areas, was nominated yesterday by President Bush to be the head of the U.S.
Maritime Administration.
If confirmed by the Senate, Connaughton, a maritime lawyer, would resign the post he has held nearly seven years to be the administrator of an agency with an annual budget of more than $500 million and a staff of 1,000, whose primary job is to ensure safe and efficient access for commercial and military ships through U.S. waterways.
“We’ve been able to make growth pay for growth,” supervisors Chairman Sean T. Connaughton says. His county has Northern Virginia’s lowest tax rate. (By Hyosub Shin For The Washington Post)
“We are a dramatically different county and for the better. . . ,” said Connaughton, a moderate Republican whose term as head of the supervisors expires at the end of next year. “We’ve been able to make growth pay for growth.”
Connaughton, 45, said the presidential nomination represents the “highest honor” of his professional career as a maritime lawyer and one that he could not turn down. He is with Troutman Sanders LLP.
His decision leaves in question the leadership of a county that has changed in recent years from a quiet, semi-suburban, semi-rural area into a bona fide part of Northern Virginia, complete with $800,000 homes, fancy golf courses and epic traffic jams.
Depending on the timing of Connaughton’s resignation, a special election could be called or a successor could be chosen on Election Day next year — Nov. 6.
There are many rumored candidates. Supervisor Martin E. Nohe (R-Coles) said that it’s premature for him to make a decision but that the new chairman should be “someone who follows Sean’s footsteps.” Only Supervisor Corey A. Stewart (R-Occoquan) has announced
that he’ll run.
Connaughton was almost unknown when he ran for county supervisor in 1999 against Democratic incumbent Kathleen K. Seefeldt, whom he accused of failing to foresee the effects of growth — high taxes, inadequate roads and crowded schools — and of being too close to developers.
He promised not to stop development but to manage it better, and voters took him up on the pledge, choosing a Republican supervisor for the first time in the county’s history. Last year, he lost a bid to be the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor.
When he became a supervisor, the county had 280,000 people, an annual budget of about $400 million and one of the highest tax rates in the region.
He leaves an increasingly diverse county of about 364,000 people, a budget of $857 million and Northern Virginia’s lowest tax rate, which he and his board colleagues accomplished by cutting the tax rate as property values soared. The county also earned a AAA bond rating during Connaughton’s tenure, a gold star for local governments.
Developers are now paying more in proffers, voluntary funds used to offset the costs of schools, roads and other public services. Rather than wait for state transportation money to trickle down, the county used its money to build hundreds of miles of roads. And
Prince William recently became one of a handful of municipalities in the state to propose creating a transportation department.
Since Connaughton took office, the county has built 21 schools and hired several hundred police and fire personnel to keep up with growth.
And, to the consternation of some longtime residents, he initiated smaller programs aimed at changing the county’s good-old-boy image.
For some accustomed to living as they please, Connaughton will be remembered as the man who banished motorboats and RVs from residential streets and who hired a “neighborhood coordinator” to point out property code violations such as derelict cars parked in front yards.
But to Connaughton, those sorts of community maintenance programs, along with the county’s new emphasis on historic preservation, represent a turning point for an area once considered where the “real” Virginia began.
As the county has become more tethered to Northern Virginia, the distinction has moved a few exits south.
“I’m extremely proud of what’s happened in Prince William in the last seven years,” Connaughton said, adding that his nomination is only the “the first step in a long process.”
– from 6/27/06 Press Release
“President George W. Bush today announced his intention to nominate eight individuals to serve in his Administration:”
“…The President intends to nominate Sean T. Connaughton, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration at the Department of Transportation. Mr. Connaughton currently works as Of Counsel for Troutman Sanders LLP. He also serves as Chairman of
the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. Prior to this, he worked as an Attorney at Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott. Earlier in his career, he served as Senior Transportation Associate for the American Petroleum Institute. Mr. Connaughton received his
bachelor’s degree from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and his master’s degree from Georgetown University. He went on to receive his JD from George Mason University.”
Sean had run an impressive campaign for the Republican nomination for Virginia Lt Governor in 2005. This huge sign covered the top of a building near I-95:
Back in the day – – when Webmaster Ray had hair!
Visit our 20th Reunion Homecoming photos on the “2003 Reunion” page.