Councilmember Bill Blaydes and Coalition members accompanied by Dean International Staff including David Dean, Stan Lynch, Louis Hill, John Cranfill, Melissa Baker and Brian Baxter traveled to and staffed the River of Trade Corridor Coalition National Quarterly Meeting in Los Angeles and Long Beach. The River of Trade Corridor Coalition (ROTCC) National Quarterly Meeting was a positive and productive three-day event that attracted attendees from across the country and international arenas. The events commenced with a dinner and reception on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at Papadakis Taverna sponsored by the City of Riverside. It was during this reception that ROTCC National Quarterly Meeting attendees were welcomed by Los Angeles City Councilmember and ROTCC member Janice Hahn; Camilla Townsend, Executive Director of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce; Mario Cordero, Port of Long Beach Harbor Commissioner; and Michael Beck, Assistant City Manager of the City of Riverside.

Thursday, March 1, 2007 included briefings by the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach staff in reference to the Economic Impact Study, Trade Statistics on each port and the San Pedro Bay Area Ports Clean Air Action Plan. Shortly after the briefings the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach showcased their transportation assets via a VIP water tour of the Bay that both ports share including a highly impressive fire boat display sponsored by the Port of Los Angeles, and a complimentary catered on-board lunch by the Port of Long Beach. The tour of transportation assets continued as meeting attendees were taken on a land tour of the Port of Long Beach, including the Queen Mary, and a tour of the Port of Los Angeles, including the Maersk Inc. terminal. The Thursday, March 1, 2007 dinner and reception at Ante’s sponsored by Plaza Mexico was a tremendous success for the Coalition with speeches by ROTCC’s two newest legislative caucus members, California Assemblymember Betty Karnette of the 54^th district, which includes the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, as well as California State Senator Alan Lowenthal.

The ROTCC National Quarterly Meeting Plenary session on Friday, March 2, 2007 began with a breakfast at the Port of Los Angeles High School, which is revolutionary in its curriculum and infrastructure, educating youth on international trade and maritime business. The Plenary Meeting, conducted at the Port of Los Angeles board room, included speakers on rail, shipping, security and foreign Trade from Mexico and China. Speakers included Herman Madden, Union Pacific; Gene Pentimonti, Maersk Line; Gill Hicks, Port of Long Beach; George Cummings, Port of Los Angeles (Director of Homeland Security), Marlen Gati, U.S.- Mexico Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Husan Feng, University of Texas, Dallas.