Farewell and Good Luck to Rob Asma

Rob Asma, a valued Waterfront employee since 1997 will be leaving the Department of Waterfront Activities next week to take a position as Engineering Lab Technician in the Department of Marine Engineering. This has come about due to the continued uncertainty surrounding his and other positions within the Waterfront that has resulted from the continuing employee conversion process. Rob, whose qualifications include a USCG license, Boating Safety Instructor, and USCG active duty experience has done an amazing job of transforming several Waterfront programs. He has successfully turned the Power Squadron into an impressive training operation, helping to develop the professional skills of a ship operator in many of our graduates. He successfully developed and carried out a program that resulted in 5 Engineering Majors from the class of 2008 earning their USCG Limited Tonnage Masters license before graduation. Rob has also been an instructor for ship handling, and STCW courses such as Fast Rescue Boat.

It is unfortunate that his talents and skills are not being allowed to be fully utilized, and that the Academy has been instructed to downgrade his position to that of a mechanic; requiring no vessel operational or educational experience; skills that are vital to maintain the training standards and operational safety of the Kings Point Waterfront training programs.

We wish Rob the best of luck in his new position, and send him "up the hill" with our support, and with an open invitation to come see us any time!