IRPT 2021 Annual Conference/Tuesday Speakers

 

John Anderson, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates

Drawing on a career spent navigating water resources policy issues both at the Army Corps of Engineers and in Congress, John Anderson provides valued advice to Van Scoyoc Associates clients. John counsels public and private sector clients on a wide range of water resources issues including infrastructure development, conservation and management, water pollution control, and hazardous waste cleanup, as well as flood risk management, shoreline restoration, port and inland waterways navigation, water supply, aquatic ecosystem restoration, and clean water.

While Washington has grown more complex, John has developed a record of successfully seeing projects and legislation to completion, including multiple Water Resources Development Acts, such as the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014. For his efforts, House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman, Congressman Bill Shuster (R, PA-9), called John “one of Congress’ foremost staff experts on our Nation’s ports and waterways infrastructure and federal water resources programs.”

As a Vice President at Van Scoyoc Associates, John blends his knowledge of the institutional processes involved in water resources policy and his relationships with key decision-makers to offer clients unique insights in federal advocacy. He helps clients develop custom, multi-faceted strategies designed to achieve goals and then works tirelessly to help them execute.

John began his federal service career with the civil works program of the Army Corps of Engineers, serving the Corps in Memphis and Savannah before coming to Headquarters in Washington to work as legislative liaison for the agency. After more than 20 years with the Corps, John spent 15 years as a T&I Committee staffer – ultimately serving as Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. For his work, John has received several awards including a Commanders Award for Public Service and a Secretary of the Army Commendation. Upon his retirement from federal service John was honored to receive the Silver de Fleury Medal for exceptional career service to the Army Corps of Engineers.

A native of North Carolina, John earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He and his wife, Guiomar, live in northern Virginia and have three adult sons.

 

James Kearns, Jones Walker LLP 

Jim is an attorney with the Maritime Practice Group at Jones Walker LLP, living and working in St. Louis. In his more than 30 years of legal practice, Jim has represented owners, operators, and financial institutions in vessel financing transactions, and the owners and operators of ports and terminals in a variety of commercial transactions. He has served IRPT in various capacities for the past 10 years and is currently its Secretary and Treasurer.

 

Patrick Chambers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Pat Chambers, a native of Mobile, AL and raised in Monroe, LA, works for the Army Corps of Engineers in Vicksburg, MS. Pat serves as the Chief of Operations and Regulatory for Mississippi Valley Division.

Pat began working for the Corps of Engineers as a Co-op student while attending Louisiana Tech University. Upon graduation from Louisiana Tech with a Bachelors of Science degree in Civil Engineering, he began working full-time for the Corps in 1995, as the Civil Engineer on the Mat Sinking Unit with the Vicksburg District. Pat has served in all areas of River Operations in the Vicksburg District, including the Civil Engineer for Mat Sinking Unit, Chief of Hydrographic Surveys, Chief of Dredging and Chief of Navigation Section, before being selected in 2015 as the Deputy Chief of Operations for the Mississippi Valley Division. He also served on a temporary assignment as the Senior Program Manager for Inland Navigation at HQ US Army Corps of Engineers in 2015. In October of 2018, Pat was selected as the Chief of Operations and Regulatory Division for the Mississippi Valley Division, and oversees the Division’s Operations, Recreation, Hydropower and Regulatory Programs.

Pat also served in the US Army, both active and Reserve for more than two decades. He retired from military service after several deployments and one tour of duty in Iraq, with 25 years of service.  He also served 16-months in Afghanistan with the Corps, as Chief of Operations Branch.

Pat’s career accomplishments include two Commanders’ Awards and a Bronze Star medal from his combat tour in 2006.

 

Timothy Pickering, Maritime Administration 

Tim joined the Maritime Administration’s Office of Ports & Waterways Planning in 2015 as the Operations Development Manager for America’s Marine Highway Program. His Program Office seeks to fully integrate waterborne transport into the nations surface transportation network. He works with public and private entities to develop freight services on the America’s Marine Highway System. His office makes Marine Highway Route and Project Designation recommendations to the Maritime Administrator and Secretary of Transportation. He also manages the Marine Highway’s Grant Program.

Before coming to MARAD, Tim worked for over 20 years at the Navy’s Military Sealift Command as the Transportation Officer.  His office chartered commercial ships and activated ships from the government-owned surge fleet to support operations and exercises around the world.  He is also a retired naval reserve officer, who served 23 years as a Supply Corps Officer.

Tim is a graduate of West Virginia University’s Institute of Technology and has a master’s degree from the Naval War College in Newport, RI.  He is married to Dr. Yana Rachinskaya and they reside in Owings Mills, MD.

 

Jared Gartman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

Mr. Gartman became the Chief, Readiness and Contingency Operations in February 2014 at the Mississippi Valley Division, which has six subordinate districts within the twelve states along the Mississippi River from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. He oversees the Mississippi Valley Division Regional All Hazards Program, Regional Command Security Program, G-3 Operations, and the USACE Debris Management Program in support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Prior to this assignment, he served as the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Liaison to U.S. Army North at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas.

He leads a dynamic team of experienced emergency management, security and military professionals with four Strategic Goals: (1) Prepare for All Hazards, (2) Protect the Workforce, (3) Provide Military Support, and (4) Proponent MSC for Debris.

In 1991, Mr. Gartman started his career with USACE as a Cooperative Education student in construction at the Vicksburg District. After graduating from Mississippi State University, he worked in various positions as a civil engineer on several large Civil Works and Military Construction projects.