Page 17: of Marine News Magazine (February 2020)

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tened to, heard, and respected as they share their views on how AWO needs to evolve to meet their needs going forward. And, I want non-members to know that not just AWO, but our entire industry, will be stronger, if they join us and become part of that conversation, too. A strong, dynamic

AWO is not only good for our indus- try, I believe it’s essential to helping companies and our industry navigate a complex, rapidly changing business and public policy environment.

What are the three primary rea- sons to join AWO, and what ben- e? ts does membership provide?

One: Because the threats to the ef? - ciency and viability of our business are real, and AWO is our industry’s advo- cate with Congress, the Coast Guard, other federal agencies and states. If

AWO didn’t exist, the industry would need to create it, because the alterna- tive is to fend for ourselves in a peril- ous public policy environment. Two:

Because AWO provides information and education, safety resources and forums, individual member support and the opportunity to learn from in- dustry peers that help you run your business better. And, three, because

AWO listens to, respects, and ? ghts for every member, no matter their size. AWO gives small companies a larger voice and small companies make AWO a stronger advocate for the entire industry.

The AWO value proposition is to deliver advocacy results and safety re- sources that support members in do- ing the important work of being the nation’s safest, most environmentally friendly, most ef? cient form of cargo transportation. Your membership gives us the strength to deliver results that bene? t both your company individu- ally, and our industry as a whole.

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