Foss Maritime Opens Houston Office
Creating New Marine Transportation Project Management Group
SEATTLE, Wash., Oct. 12, 2015 – Foss recently announced the opening of a new office to support and grow its increasing customer base headquartered in Houston, Texas, and the formation of a new project management group.
John Tirpak
John Tirpak of Foss has been appointed Vice President of Business Development & Contract Services and will berelocating to Houston to develop business in the region and lead the business development function of the entire Marine Transportation division from the new office. He will oversee domestic and international business development, sales and marketing. Additionally, Tirpak will manage long-term Marine Transportation contracts like CN Aquatrain, TECK and United Launch Alliance.
Mike Lauer of Foss has been appointed Director of Marine Transportation Project Services and will be leading the project management unit. This group is comprised of project management and global logistics specialists focused on analyzing and finding solutions for the transportation activities of Foss. This group, based out of Foss’ corporate offices in Seattle, will manage all Foss term contracts and all project tows and transportation projects.
The project management unit will work closely with Foss’ Harbor Marine Group, a division of the company comprised of naval architects and a complete suite of specialists practicing in all fields of engineering. This group has been a part of Foss since 2006, offering project management, marine engineering, naval architecture and design, and expertise in rigging and fabrication.
Mike Lauer
“By separating our business development and project management functions, we will on one hand be able to provideour customers with a team focused entirely on the development, oversight and management of all aspects of their projects; while at the same time supporting our internal need to grow the Marine Transportation division with dedicated business development efforts in areas like Houston that have the most opportunity for growth,” said Gary Faber, Senior Vice President, Marine Transportation and President, Global Services.
“When combined with the Harbor Marine Group’s naval architecture, engineering and rigging expertise, we will be able to take on any marine transportation project from cradle-to-grave, giving our customers the very highest level of service and an uncompromising focus on the safety of our employees, our customers and the environment in the delivery of the services at hand,” Faber added.
Both Tirpak and Lauer are long-time Foss employees. “As part of the restructuring of the division, I looked to these two seasoned professionals, both with in-depth knowledge of our operations, our personnel and our customers’ needs, to lead the key functions of business development and project management,” said Faber. “They share a focus on continually improving customer service and building strong relationships between our customers and staff with an eye to the future.”
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ABOUT FOSS MARITIME
Founded in 1889, Seattle-based Foss Maritime offers a complete range of maritime services and project management to customers across the Pacific Rim, Europe, South America and around the globe. Foss has one of the largest fleets of tugs and barges on the American West Coast. The company has harbor services and transportation operations in all major U.S. West Coast ports, including the Columbia and Snake River system, Hawaii and Alaska. Foss operates two shipyards and offers worldwide marine transportation, emphasizing safety, environmental responsibility and high-quality service. See www.foss.com for more information.