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INSIGHTS mittee (TSAC). Tell us about TSAC, its work, and why it is important.

TSAC is a true three-way-win for the tugboat, towboat and barge industry, for the Coast Guard, and for the Amer- ican public. Our industry gets a forum to provide early in- put to the Coast Guard on the development of regulations and policies that are crucial to our business; the Coast

Guard gets a knowledgeable group of industry experts to help it make better decisions; and the American public gets the bene? t of better-informed, more cost-effective regula- tions and policies to protect people, the environment and property. TSAC has provided advice to the Coast Guard

Jennifer A. Carpenter on every signi? cant rulemaking that’s affected our industry over the last 25 years, from the implementation of the Oil

Pollution Act of 1990 to Subchapter M, and AWO mem-

Executive Vice bers and staff participate actively in TSAC’s work because we’ve seen ? rsthand what a valuable forum it is.

President & COO,

You are a native of St. Louis, Missouri, hence you

American Waterways grew up watching the inland industry virtually grow up around and with you. Did that early exposure bring

Operators you to the waterfront and AWO?

Ironically, I didn’t have a deep appreciation of the im- ennifer A. Carpenter serves as Executive Vice Presi- portance of the tugboat, towboat and barge industry to dent & Chief Operating Of? cer of the American our nation, or even to my hometown of St. Louis, until I

J

Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade came to Washington, D.C. and started working for AWO. association representing the inland and coastal tugboat, (Who says no one ever learned anything useful in Wash- towboat, and barge industry. Carpenter joined AWO in ington!) But seriously, my own experience has helped me

August 1990. Over time, she has served in various roles, to understand how easy it is even for people who live in including Director-Government Affairs, Vice President- river or coastal towns and cities to overlook an industry

Government Affairs, Senior Vice President-Government that does its job quietly, ef? ciently and well. It’s a good

Affairs & Policy Analysis, Senior Vice President-National reminder to me that we can’t just expect people to “get it”

Advocacy and Executive Vice President before assuming – we have to be active and vocal in telling our industry’s her current position in January 2016. From 1994 to 2007, story to policymakers and the public. she was a member of the congressionally authorized Tow- ing Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC). Carpenter holds

Give us a short summary of the AWO as an organiza- tion, its goals and make-up? a B.S. in international relations, law and organization from

Georgetown University and an M.S. in con? ict analysis AWO is the 71-year-old national trade association for the and resolution from George Mason University. Arguably, tugboat, towboat and barge industry. Our members oper- no one has advocated longer and more vigorously for ate tugboats, towboats and barges on the inland rivers; on the collective domestic waterfront than Carpenter. This the Atlantic, Paci? c and Gulf coasts; on the Great Lakes; in month, she weighs in on a variety of topics, all near and the noncontiguous trades; and in ports and harbors around dear to U.S. domestic maritime stakeholders. the country. AWO’s mission is to advocate for public pol- icy that enables the industry to operate safely, ef? ciently

From 1994 to 2007, you were a member of the con- and cost effectively; support our members in continuously gressionally authorized Towing Safety Advisory Com- improving safety, security and environmental stewardship;

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