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30MNFebruary 2012 Mississippi River from the Gulf to Chicago, along the Illinois River,? explains Keenan. Higman operates on the Mississippi River system, including the Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Black Warrior Rivers and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. ?We do a lot of business around Houston, Texas City, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and Decatur, Alabama,? he said, adding, ?All our boats and barges are operated as dedicated tows, which keeps each boat always assigned to the same barge.? Unspoken in all of that is the increased safety metric that comes of good familiarization with every aspect of the firm?s diverse and far flung equipment base. NEWREGS, CUSTOMER & TECHNOLOGY In the last decade, and as the regulatory noose has tight- ened, Keenan says that Higman has developed systematic processes to ensure that all of its equipment and personnel are in compliance. Areas requiring adjustment, he said, include the addition of the federal TWIC program and the U.S. Coast Guard's proposed Subchapter M rules. He predicted that based on legwork the company has done so far, the transition to Subchapter M won't be a problem. SUBCHAPTERM Higman's clientele can be demanding and exacting. ?Our customers scrutinize how we do our business,? Keenan said. ?They look at our barges, tows and equip- ment more than the Coast Guard does to make sure it's up to their standards. They're interested in our training program.? In the last decade, greater oversight by cus- tomers has been one of the company's biggest challenges.That said; oil company BP has awarded Higman its ?Suppliers of the Year? award on more than one occasion. The honor signifies outstanding achievement and overall performance. At the same time, Higman continues to improve its operations. ?We began developing our own software in 1999 to manage our fleet,? Keenan said. ?It's a continuous process as we define and redefine the needs of our business. We have a full-time programmer who built and tailored our software for us.? Crew members from the newest deck hand all the way up to seasoned towboat pilots use the in- house software. ?At first it was a challenge, but people quickly caught on,? Keenan said. ?The young fellows were already adept at computers and laptops, and that helped. In the last five years, safety reports, payroll, grocery orders, most of our paperwork and the majority of our training are done on line.? Other changes have occurred, too. ?Wheelhouses on today's inland boats are much more electronic and sophis- ticated, with a lot more equipment, than in past,? Keenan said. ?You have more options to safely navigate vessels now. The radar's still there but we now have integrated navigation and new communication systems. And our engines are much more fuel-efficient than ten years ago. We have the most fuel-efficient engines we can buy.? ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Bucking an industry trend, finding labor hasn't been a problem for Higman in recent years. Keen explains why: ?We get a lot of referrals, particularly from our employ- ees.? He adds, ?We don't do much outside recruiting. A lot of people come to us and are knocking on our door, so we can be pretty selective.? Higman trains and nurtures its staff. ?We hire entry- level workers, train them, and within years folks are able to move up to the wheelhouse,? Keenan said. ?We hired 14 new deckhands in December and several of them were just out of high school. They're very enthusiastic, excited and ready to work. It's fun to have them in. They're between 18 and 24, and it's an opportunity for them.? He said in ten years they could be pilots, making a good salary. The results of that approach have been rewarding. ?We've had little turnover in our staff, and of course our long-term employees know how to work our equipment,? he said. Higman rewards employees with bonuses and longevity pay after six month of service. And throughout the year, the company offers seminars for tankermen and wheelmen and in advanced wheelhouse management, advanced pilothouse management and leadership. The company's in-house newsletter, The Tow Line keeps employees informed about promotions, new vessels, safe- ty, health and maritime history. MODERNIZING& BUILDINGTHE FLEETHigman Towing was founded in 1917 by Orange, TX M/V MARK E FLYNN on the Houston Ship Channel (Photo by Jay Frye)MN#2 (18-31):MN 2011 Layouts 2/3/2012 11:34 AM Page 30