THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 28, 1995 TAG: 9504280530
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
The Hampton Roads Maritime Association has established a scholarship fund in honor of John J. ``Johnnie'' Johnson at Virginia Wesleyan College.
Johnson is president of and chief negotiator for the Hampton Roads Shipping Association, which represents the terminals, shipping lines and stevedoring companies in the port of Hampton Roads.
The scholarship fund was announced Thursday at the maritime association's 75th anniversary luncheon at Nauticus.
The association is raising $50,000 to endow the fund, offering a yearly scholarship to a student from South Hampton Roads. Preference will be given to someone associated with the region's maritime industry.
Johnson, as chief negotiator for the shipping association since 1988, led contract and other talks with the International Longshoreman's Association on behalf of port employers.
The ILA, representing about 2,000 dock workers in Hampton Roads, donated $2,000 to the fund, said John Bowers, the ILA's New York-based president, who was a speaker at the luncheon.
``Johnnie Johnson always treated the ILA as an equal partner. . . ,'' Bowers said. ``He respected the position the ILA took to protect its members and their families.''
Johnson started his career as a dock worker. Since 1951 he has worked as a checker, warehouse foreman, pier superintendent and operations manager. In 1968 he became terminal manager for Portsmouth Terminals Inc. Johnson was vice president of the Portsmouth Terminal when it merged in 1983 into Virginia International Terminals Inc., which operates the three state-owned terminals in Hampton Roads. He moved up to general manager of VIT in 1987.
The maritime association continued its 75th anniversary celebration with a banquet Thursday night. The banquet featured a speech by A.B. ``Ted'' Ruhly, chairman of Maersk Inc. Ruhly is the highest ranking American ever to serve the Danish shipping line and transportation conglomerate. by CNB