Jon Paul wrote:I'm just curious if Capt. Bravener was shown the door...or if he saw signs of the company going in the wrong direction and didn't want to be part of it any longer. His innovative leadership and personal touch as a man who both sailed the boats and started a Great Lakes fleet was reminiscent of the legendary shipping men of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries!
Given that grn had 4 captains quit this year should sat something. Not to mention many key players have "left" under interesting circumstances.
Also, when contracts were up, the company rejected a draft because it included a section requiring the company to give them 90 days heads up of shutting down/sale/etc. That alone right there, raised everyone's eyebrow.
I'm just curious if Capt. Bravener was shown the door...or if he saw signs of the company going in the wrong direction and didn't want to be part of it any longer. His innovative leadership and personal touch as a man who both sailed the boats and started a Great Lakes fleet was reminiscent of the legendary shipping men of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries!
If they left to pursue other ventures[pushed out] I wonder what sort a non compete agreement etc might be in place if any. With there inside knowledge of the contracts etc......
Not like the old days where old ships could hang on and be involved in the grain, river or salt trades. With all these new ships coming in from China, so much down ward pressures on rates. They are so efficient and economical to operate, older diesel boats become inefficient. Old classic boats don't even compare regardless how much they have been updated.
It is insulting to read the wording of the announcement... "Scott has HELPED this organization grow".... This is an understatement of utmost proportions. I spent time aboard with both Scott Bravener and Jim Siddall when the company was in its growing stages and know firsthand how much time and effort they sacrificed to make that company work. I hope the company continues on with the new management and wish them well, but I sincerely doubt there will be as much "HELP" involved to keep it moving as originally was. Kudos to Scott and Jim, as well as other managers and superintendents who left to pursue other interests. Lots of respect.
Captain Bravener took an early interest in my book, Buckets and Belts, and gave my business partner full access to the old Maumee on a trip from KCBX to Holland for the book. A class act and as stated a bright guy, I'm sure he'll do fine. Rand Logistics, on the other hand, well.
Guest wrote:I guess we all knew that there would be fall out in the shipping industry as s whole. The weak sisters with the oldest and most inefficient fleets will go first. It not going to be good for the company's employees. Let alone the classic Lakers they operate.
They've put a lot of money into their fleet, so hopefully that helps their cause.
I could see them returning to their core though and retrenching to just their self-unloading river business by dumping the Kaministiqua and Tecumseh (And it already sounds like the Manitoba is done).
Hopefully the Ojibway with her US built hull that stayed in fresh water most of life still has enough life left in her where they'd hold on to her for a day in the future when her capacity will be needed enough to justify investing into converting her to a self-unloader.
Her dimensions would appear to be suitable for the trades that are their bread and butter and she already has a modern GE FDL in her engine room.
I have some close friends that work around there. Everyone is very sad to see the developments of the past year.
What has happened has essentially been a hostile take-over. Maybe not in the typical sense, but all the original guys were forced out by slowly stripping away all their control of the company over the past few years. Guys who pour their life into building a company from the ground up against all odds do not "leave to pursue other interests".
Scott Bravener and Jim Siddall are both exceptionally good at what they do, and are very bright guys. Even more importantly, they have always had the utmost respect from both their employees and customers. This is because they have integrity and have always treated both fair and with respect. This is something the new regime does not understand, they feel everyone is easily replaceable.
It will be interesting watching a bunch of money guys from New York try to run a company like this in such a specialized industry... when they really know so very little about it.
I guess we all knew that there would be fall out in the shipping industry as s whole. The weak sisters with the oldest and most inefficient fleets will go first. It not going to be good for the company's employees. Let alone the classic Lakers they operate.
There appears to be differences between Rand Logistics and Lower Lakes Senior management. Early this year the Senior VP Operation Jim Sidall resigned and now Scott Bravener. More staff at Lower Lakes have left as well.