Post by ferryfast admin on Feb 16, 2011 13:12:33 GMT -5
New ferry chief a longtime system fan
Ed Schoenfeld
krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=1650
JUNEAU, ALASKA (2011-02-16) The new head of Alaska’s Marine Highway System has been flying over and sailing through Alaska waters for years. Captain Michael Neussl commanded large in-state operations for the U.S. Coast Guard. But he also has a personal connection with the ferries.
The first time Mike Neussl got on the ferry, he was transferring north after being stationed in Astoria, Oregon. It was a long enough time ago that the system’s southern terminus was in Seattle, not Bellingham, Washington.
"We took vehicles on there, the whole family and took our dog with us up there. It was an enjoyable trip and every time I moved, either into or out of the state of Alaska, or within the state, we used the ferry system and I enjoyed every single trip," he says.
Neussl’s 30-year journey through the Coast Guard ranks took him to Sitka, Kodiak and Juneau, as well as Hawaii and Florida.
While he liked riding the ferries, he learned to appreciate their role in mariner safety. He saw that in practice as chief of the service’s statewide search and rescue operations.
"Coast Guard resources are quite limited in where they are and when they’re out on patrol. So having the ferry system out there and other professional mariners is certainly a helping hand. And the Alaska Marine Highway System has definitely helped the Coast Guard in many rescues," he says.
The Juneau resident retired from the service last year, and enrolled in the University of Alaska Southeast’s Masters of Arts in Teaching program.
He student-taught at the middle school level, and says he enjoyed the work. But he decided full-time teaching was not what he wanted to do.
So when Transportation Commissioner Marc Luiken approached him about the job, he decided to apply.
Neussl, currently visiting Florida, doesn’t start as deputy commissioner for marine operations until March. So he’s not ready to talk too many specifics. But, not surprisingly, he shares the goals of his new boss.
"Undoubtedly, safety and reliability is utmost. We need to have a safe and efficient transportation system that serves the communities of Southeast Alaska. And that’s my primary goal, to make sure that will continue," he says.
He takes over the job from Jim Beedle, a hands-on manager who recently retired after 37 years with the ferries. Day-to-day operations continue to be run by General Manager John Falvey, who is based at Ketchikan headquarters.
That leaves Neussl, who will stay in Juneau, with political duties. He says he’s worked with citizens’ organizations, such as advisory groups in Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, and appreciates their value.
And he says appealing to administration higher-ups and the Legislature is not a foreign routine.
"My last and final tour in Alaska was as chief of staff for the 17th District. I was Number 2 to the Admiral, but oversaw the entire district in its operations. I’m very familiar with making the needs of the service known in an appropriate manner, that’s fact-based," he says. "I hate to use the word lobbying, but lobbying for what was needed for maintaining our efficiencies and service."
The new ferry system chief says he knows the fleet is aging, and some ships need to be replaced or undergo major repairs. Neussl, who holds two engineering degrees, supports the effort to build Alaska Class Ferries, designed for shorter routes.
"The ferry system serves Southeast Alaska communities that are not days apart but are hours apart sailing. And not having cabins and making it functional for those communities I think is a good thing. Because that’s the communities that they serve," he says.
He also wants to find a way to keep the fleet’s two fast ferries sailing. They’re facing engine problems that could ultimately sideline the vessels or require costly repairs.
Neussl says his Coast Guard work and time in the state give him a lot of knowledge of some of issues he’ll face in his new job. But he also realizes he’s no expert.
"It’s not my background. I’ve ridden it, I’m familiar with it from the passenger point of view, and a little bit from the operational point of view," he says. "Obviously I have a lot to learn. I’ll admit that right up front."
Neussl takes over during a reasonably stable time for the marine highway system. The schedule has been relatively fixed for several years and funding has been fairly stable.
But he is also taking over a politically sensitive position, where appointees last an average of less than two years.
For photos, see...> krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=1650
Photos: Middle right, Mike Neussl's retirement, courtesy of USGC; Bottom, Fast Ferry Fairweather, by Ed Schoenfeld
Ed Schoenfeld
krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=1650
JUNEAU, ALASKA (2011-02-16) The new head of Alaska’s Marine Highway System has been flying over and sailing through Alaska waters for years. Captain Michael Neussl commanded large in-state operations for the U.S. Coast Guard. But he also has a personal connection with the ferries.
The first time Mike Neussl got on the ferry, he was transferring north after being stationed in Astoria, Oregon. It was a long enough time ago that the system’s southern terminus was in Seattle, not Bellingham, Washington.
"We took vehicles on there, the whole family and took our dog with us up there. It was an enjoyable trip and every time I moved, either into or out of the state of Alaska, or within the state, we used the ferry system and I enjoyed every single trip," he says.
Neussl’s 30-year journey through the Coast Guard ranks took him to Sitka, Kodiak and Juneau, as well as Hawaii and Florida.
While he liked riding the ferries, he learned to appreciate their role in mariner safety. He saw that in practice as chief of the service’s statewide search and rescue operations.
"Coast Guard resources are quite limited in where they are and when they’re out on patrol. So having the ferry system out there and other professional mariners is certainly a helping hand. And the Alaska Marine Highway System has definitely helped the Coast Guard in many rescues," he says.
The Juneau resident retired from the service last year, and enrolled in the University of Alaska Southeast’s Masters of Arts in Teaching program.
He student-taught at the middle school level, and says he enjoyed the work. But he decided full-time teaching was not what he wanted to do.
So when Transportation Commissioner Marc Luiken approached him about the job, he decided to apply.
Neussl, currently visiting Florida, doesn’t start as deputy commissioner for marine operations until March. So he’s not ready to talk too many specifics. But, not surprisingly, he shares the goals of his new boss.
"Undoubtedly, safety and reliability is utmost. We need to have a safe and efficient transportation system that serves the communities of Southeast Alaska. And that’s my primary goal, to make sure that will continue," he says.
He takes over the job from Jim Beedle, a hands-on manager who recently retired after 37 years with the ferries. Day-to-day operations continue to be run by General Manager John Falvey, who is based at Ketchikan headquarters.
That leaves Neussl, who will stay in Juneau, with political duties. He says he’s worked with citizens’ organizations, such as advisory groups in Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, and appreciates their value.
And he says appealing to administration higher-ups and the Legislature is not a foreign routine.
"My last and final tour in Alaska was as chief of staff for the 17th District. I was Number 2 to the Admiral, but oversaw the entire district in its operations. I’m very familiar with making the needs of the service known in an appropriate manner, that’s fact-based," he says. "I hate to use the word lobbying, but lobbying for what was needed for maintaining our efficiencies and service."
The new ferry system chief says he knows the fleet is aging, and some ships need to be replaced or undergo major repairs. Neussl, who holds two engineering degrees, supports the effort to build Alaska Class Ferries, designed for shorter routes.
"The ferry system serves Southeast Alaska communities that are not days apart but are hours apart sailing. And not having cabins and making it functional for those communities I think is a good thing. Because that’s the communities that they serve," he says.
He also wants to find a way to keep the fleet’s two fast ferries sailing. They’re facing engine problems that could ultimately sideline the vessels or require costly repairs.
Neussl says his Coast Guard work and time in the state give him a lot of knowledge of some of issues he’ll face in his new job. But he also realizes he’s no expert.
"It’s not my background. I’ve ridden it, I’m familiar with it from the passenger point of view, and a little bit from the operational point of view," he says. "Obviously I have a lot to learn. I’ll admit that right up front."
Neussl takes over during a reasonably stable time for the marine highway system. The schedule has been relatively fixed for several years and funding has been fairly stable.
But he is also taking over a politically sensitive position, where appointees last an average of less than two years.
For photos, see...> krbd.org/modules/local_news/index.php?op=sideBlock&syndicated=true&ID=1650
Photos: Middle right, Mike Neussl's retirement, courtesy of USGC; Bottom, Fast Ferry Fairweather, by Ed Schoenfeld