PORT DIRECTOR MAKI TO HEAD STATE PORT AUTHORITY GROUP

Allan Maki, the executive director of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority, has been elected President of the Missouri Port Authority Association.

Maki was elected at the group's annual meeting last week. He succeeds Bill Rudloff, director of the Howard-Cooper County Port Authority.

"The object of our organization is to coordinate statewide port policies and look for common ground, research problems, and deal with common port problems," explained Maki.

"Although we recognize there are differences in needs between rural ports and those located in big cities, there are also some concerns that we share and can work together on."

Having the opportunity to get together and hold seminars and share information is a key part of the association, Maki said.

All 15 ports in Missouri are represented in the association. Maki said the ports are all in various stages of development.

Maki said hopes to use his year as president to improve coordination between the ports, attempt to develop a higher visibility for ports before government officials, and try to focus on the role of port authorities amid the new trend toward intermodal transportation.

"I think it is important that we evaluate where we are and where we are going," said Maki. "I would also like to explore the idea of more regional approaches to port authorities.

"We want to look at evaluating new statewide approaches to port authorities in light of the intermodal transportation focus, and the need to focus on economic development and international development."

At the meeting last week, Maki said he attempted to formalize the association more by assigning the port directors to serve on various committees.

One group will be for a public education and information committee; another group is devoted to governmental education; and the third committee will focus on finance.

"We have all the ports involved now on the committees; I think that is a positive step," said Maki.

The association was first put together in 1985 and 1986, but never really got organized until January 1989.

The association has two regular meetings a year: an organizational meeting in January and a fall meeting to discuss legislative priorities. The group also meets several other times during the year for seminars.

Maki has been executive director of the SEMO Port Authority since August of 1988.