When U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Erin Williams took over to head the Marine Safety Unit Duluth in 2016, her most recent assignments had taken her to Alaska and to Europe, but she’d always had Duluth in mind as a work destination. In June, she will wrap up her assignment here, heading next to the Coast Guard’s Leadership Development Training Center in New London, Connecticut. We asked her a few questions about her tour in Duluth and her career.
Did you seek the Duluth assignment originally - and if so, what drew you?
It was my top pick. We actually asked for MSU Duluth about 10 years ago and instead were assigned to MSU Valdez, Alaska (which also worked out well), so we’ve had our eye on moving here for many years! In fact, I left my assignment in Europe a year early to take this position. I was attracted to the uniqueness of working with Lakers on the Great Lakes, especially since I have no previous Great Lakes experience. We were pretty unfamiliar with the area, but researched and discovered this area has many things we like – strong community, great outdoor accommodations, good schools and a colder climate.
Now that you've been here for a few years - what is it you appreciate about the Marine Safety Unit here?
The people. It’s really that simple. We have a fantastic crew who are eager to execute our missions across our tri-state region. We look out for each other, support one another and are an incredibly strong team. The high quality extends beyond our unit to the other six Coast Guard units in my area of responsibility as well as the maritime stakeholders and our port partners from Lake of the Woods, Minnesota to the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan.
How about the community/region at large - is there anything that you'll miss or any insight you'll carry with you to your next assignment?
I’ll miss the people. Our local Coast Guard families truly felt the outpouring of support from the Twin Ports community during the recent government shutdown. This is something that is not always easy to replicate. While I’ve been fortunate to be stationed in smaller communities throughout my career, Duluth and Superior really stepped up to help us through the most difficult time in our Service’s recent history. [This was the time of the government shutdown, when the Coast Guard members were required to work, but without pay.]
This community has been supportive in my personal life as well. Following the birth of our youngest child half way through our assignment here, our Coast Guard and school communities really pulled together to help us through the early days. It has been a great experience for my family. It’s been exciting to watch my kids thrive, make life long friends, and try new activities; each has grown significantly in his or her own way.
Regarding insight moving into my new assignment, I will continue to share the significance of the western Lake Superior maritime influence. In my time here, I’ve noticed that the extensive maritime operations in the Twin Ports and Western Lake Superior are not widely known beyond our region. Even I was unaware prior to living here! But the reality is that the ports of western Lake Superior move more than 50 million tons of cargo each year, overcoming the challenges with aging vessels, a short operating season, ice and dynamic weather on Lake Superior, and the annual two-month closure of the Soo Locks. Those involved with maritime on western Lake Superior are tremendous, and contribute significantly to the global maritime sector and U.S. economy.
What is it you enjoy the most about being in the Coast Guard?
I really enjoy the Coast Guard’s humanitarian focused missions. While we regulate the maritime industry, conduct law enforcement activities and manage environmental responses, our goals remain consistent: to enhance safety and security, and prevent the loss of lives. I’ve personally been involved with countless cases where we can directly attribute our engagement to achieving these goals.
I also appreciate working with such high caliber people. We are guided by our core values – Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty – and this is demonstrated daily through our work ethic and our professional interactions with the public.
What are the operational highlights of your tour?
We have had several significant accomplishments that are worthy of highlighting. Our outreach efforts on the inland waters of northern Minnesota realized a 60 percent increase in licensing of the operators of uninspected passenger vessels in Lake of the Woods, enhancing the safety of the remote waterway. Further, our team has stepped up to manage and respond to major events such as the grounding of the M/V American Spirit, visits to the Duluth waterfront by both the President and Vice President, and Husky refinery explosion. We’ve been very busy and will continue this tempo well after my departure, especially with Grandma’s Marathon and the Festival of Sail.