ED FARISS APPOINTED TO PORT BOARD

Ed Fariss, senior vice president and manager of commercial banking at MidFirst Bank, Tulsa, has recently been appointed to the City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority by Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune. Fariss will fulfill the unexpired term of Barbara Gardner who recently resigned from the board because of other commitments.

The nine-member board governs the activities of the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. Six members are appointed by the Mayor of Tulsa and three by the Rogers County Commission. Members serve four-year staggered terms without compensation.

Fariss is bringing more than thirty years of commercial banking and credit experience to the Port. During his extensive banking career, he has held officer positions with several banks in the southeast and in Oklahoma. Prior to joining MidFirst, he represented Bank of America and its Oklahoma predecessors for more than 15 years as a senior commercial banking executive.

"I am very pleased to accept this appointment," said Fariss. "The Port is such a worthwhile endeavor, bringing commerce and creating jobs for this region. I am proud to be a part of it."

Fariss is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance.

A long-time leader in the Tulsa community, Fariss is a member of the board of directors for Downtown Tulsa Unlimited, Tulsa Community College Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the National Conference for Community and Justice.

The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is at the head of navigation for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. The 445-mile long waterway links Oklahoma and the surrounding five-state area with ports on the U.S. inland waterway system, and foreign and domestic ports beyond by way of New Orleans and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The 2,000-acre Port industrial complex offers industrial sites for lease, and Riverview Business Park, adjacent to the Port, has property for sale. Together they are home to more than 50 companies employing 2600 people.

PECHINEY TO BUILD PLASTIC PACKAGING FACILITY AT TULSA PORT OF CATOOSA

Pechiney Plastic Packaging, Inc., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of flexible packaging products, announced its intention to build a flexible packaging facility in the Tulsa Port of Catoosa’s industrial park.

"We are pleased that Pechiney Plastic Packaging has selected the Tulsa Port of Catoosa for their new facility," said Jerry Goodwin, chairman, City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority. "We will do everything in our power to make them welcome.

"Pechiney Plastic Packaging is part of Pechiney, an international group of companies based in Paris, with annual sales of $11.2 billion. We hope that successful operation of their plastics plant at the Port might open new doors for us," said Goodwin.

The new facility will include a 40,000-square-foot manufacturing plant and a 90,000-square-foot warehousing operation. It would produce a variety of flexible packaging products.

Construction is slated to begin in June and should be completed in early 2004.

"This expansion illustrates the continued strong growth of our business," said Ilene Gordon, president of Chicago-based Pechiney Plastic Packaging, "and we are excited about joining the Tulsa community. This city’s central location, transportation network and pool of skilled employees make it a great place for business."

The Port is currently home to 52 companies employing approximately 2500 people.

Employment at the new Pechiney facility should begin at roughly 60 people and could possibly grow to 100.

Pechiney Plastic Packaging is one of the world’s largest and most diverse manufacturers of flexible packaging, including a wide range of single- and multi-layer plain and printed films and laminations, bags, thermoformed trays and bottles. It serves three major markets: meat and dairy; food; and health care and specialty. Total sales in 2002 were approximately $1.3 billion. Headquartered in Chicago, the company employs approximately 5,000 people in 38 facilities in North America, Europe, South America and Australasia.

Pechiney Plastic Packaging is part of Pechiney, an international group based in Paris. For more information on the company, visit their website at http://www.pechiney.com.

TULSA PORT AUTHORITY SELECTS 2004 OFFICERS

James G. "Jerry" Goodwin was elected to a fourth one-year term as chairman of the City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority at the Authority’s monthly meeting on November 20. Goodwin has represented the City of Tulsa on the Authority since 1995. The City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority is the governing body for the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.

A native Tulsan, Goodwin is a senior partner of Goodwin and Grant Inc., an advertising, marketing and public relations company headquartered in Tulsa. The company also specializes in diversity communications and marketing. As a former third generation publisher, he served as associate publisher of the Oklahoma Eagle newspaper and is currently a member of its board of directors.

Stephen J. Kissee, Claremore, was re-elected vice chairman representing Rogers County. He was originally appointed to this position in September 1999. He is the owner of Jack Kissee Ford in Claremore.

Charles G. Meckfessel, representing Tulsa, was re-appointed secretary-treasurer, a position held since 1977. Meckfessel is president of American Bank and Trust Co.

Cindy Green and Weida Young from the Port Authority staff will continue to serve as assistant secretaries.

The City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority consists of nine civic leaders who serve, without compensation, staggered four-year terms. The mayor of Tulsa appoints six of the members and the Rogers County Commission appoints three. Authority members elect their officers annually with terms beginning January 1.

The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is head of navigation for the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, handling 2-million tons of cargo annually. The 445-mile waterway links Oklahoma and the surrounding five-state area with ports on the Missouri, Ohio, Illinois, and Mississippi river systems, and foreign and domestic ports beyond by way of New Orleans and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The 2,000-acre Port industrial complex, with property for lease and sale, is the site of 53 companies employing 2,500 people

MILITARY EQUIPMENT RETURNS TO PORT

Two towboats operated by Canal Barge Lines of New Orleans, the M/V Elizabeth Huger (pronounced Hue-gee) and the M/V EMS Express, arrived at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa’s low water wharf with 37 barge loads of military equipment returning from Fort. Polk, La. A third towboat, the M/V Col. Babe Wilson, which belongs to the Port, helped position the barges at the dock.

Fort Polk is approximately 900 miles by water from the Tulsa Port of Catoosa.

The return movement by barge involved more than 800 pieces of military equipment assigned to the Oklahoma National Guard. The equipment was used in an extensive training exercise at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk.

The shipment, coordinated by Osprey Line, was part of the largest military move Canal ever made.

For further information contact Dick Voth, Tulsa Port of Catoosa, (918) 266-2291, Charles Duet at Osprey Line, (504) 569-2166, or Greg Woods at Canal Barge, (504) 584-1567.

ROYAL TRADING BUILDS LIQUID BULK TERMINAL AT PORT

Royal Trading Co., a Tulsa-based asphalt seller with bulk terminals in Tulsa and Muskogee, recently completed a new liquid bulk terminal on an 8.5-acre site at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa. The facility has 20 tanks, including five large receiving tanks and 15 blending tanks, three truck loadout platforms with scales, and 16 rail car unloading stations. The terminal will be used to blend and move polymer-asphalt by barge, truck and rail to construction sites in Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and New Mexico. The Port helped Royal by participating in the construction of a new road extension, rail spur and water lines.

PORT DEDICATES NEW OUTBOUND LOADING FACILITY

A ribbon cutting ceremony dedicating a new $1.5-million outbound dry bulk loading facility at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa was recently held at the Catoosa Fertilizer Terminal.

According to Robert H. Chitwood, chairman of the City of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority, "Until now, the Port has had only limited capability to load dry-bulk material into barges. We have had efficient systems to load grain and liquid products, and an efficient way to unload dry-bulk products like fertilizer. With the completion of the new facility, we can now also efficiently load barges with dry-bulk materials. The new system really helps round out the services for shippers using the Port. Dry-bulk products brought to the Port by rail cars and trucks can be unloaded onto in-ground conveyors that carry the product to a waiting barge.

"Catoosa Fertilizer Company will operate the new system for the Port. They currently operate the existing inbound dry-bulk system. Catoosa Fertilizer will give dry-bulk shippers one source for handling both inbound and outbound barge shipments to and from rail and truck."

The Tulsa Port of Catoosa is a strategic extension of the inland waterway system. It is the only Port open to navigation year around that has the rail and highway access to serve the entire western half of the United States.

The outbound dry bulk conveyor begins with chutes and conveyor belts, which are dug deeply into the Port's embankment. The system ends with a discharge chute mounted to a flat-deck barge permanently moored in the Port's channel, which serves as a work platform. Receiving barges will be tied to that platform for loading.

A truck or rail car can be positioned over a grated opening at street level and dump its entire load in a matter of minutes. Covered conveyor belts carry the material to the waiting hopper barge.

According to Dick Barsness, manager of Catoosa Fertilizer Co., "With this system, we will be able to empty a semi-trailer in four minutes and a rail car in 16 minutes. On an average day we will be able to load two barges with material from 120 trucks or 32 railcars."