New member of the MAL Board of Directors

Paul,

Deb's sitting here going " oh my, oh my, oh my, this is a good thing, right? as long as they don't tie his hands..." Personally, I think this is INCREDIBLE news, New York has a little higher hopes tonight...

Quick question, and I'm showing my ignorance, how long ago was this guy a former "president and CEO", anybody know?

LONG LIVE DQSC...

Hi, Paul, Bruno & steamboating colleagues:
Robert Mosier rejoining the continuing saga of the DELTA QUEEN dates back, roughly, to 1979. That was something of an epic year in the affairs of the company. Mosier was on the scene as V.P. and CEO at the departure of Betty Blake. A big luncheon was held in her honor following her resignation. Betty was still on the scene...a little...and soon formed her own PR concern here on 4th St. Cincinnati called 'Betty Blake & Associates.' Mosier was on site at the time of President Carter's famed trip on the DQ [*See informative postings on this site]. Both Capt. Ernest Wagner and Richard Simonton passed away that same year. I was around/met Mosier at the time but know he would have no idea who I was then or now.

A little more casual sleuthing/research of the business webs, finance advisors etc. will bring out more on Mosier with little to no effort. Always my impression he was 'good' for the company and a straight shooter. Views and opinions may vary but, then again, none of us 'walked in his shoes for three moons.' Let's support the gentleman and give him a chance. Hopefully it can only go on and up.

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick

Paul Penta;8508 wrote: Majestic America Line announced today that the newest member of the Board of Directors is Robert Mosier, former President and CEO of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company

Paul

Their release of such...........

Ok, thanks bunches Dale... you too, Pete...

Do we hope that this new/old guy would have any power/pull to get President Jimmy and his lovely wife back on the DQ for a little ol' cruise? Does he know the President?

Would that be just the media coup of the century or what? Hey, Deb and I would pay FULL price to ride that cruise...

Paul Penta;8508 wrote: Majestic America Line announced today that the newest member of the Board of Directors is Robert Mosier, former President and CEO of the Delta Queen Steamboat Company

Paul

I know it's not usual to reply to your own post, but I need to make a correction. Mr. Mosier was named a Director of Ambassadors International, not Majestic America Line and it was Amabassadors who made the annoucement, not Majestic America.

I'm not sure of the ramifications, if any, of the distinction of being on the Ambassadors board vs the Majestic America board, but I felt the correction needed to be made.

Paul

Indeed Bob Mosier struck this 23-year-old mate on the DQ as a straight shooter indeed, in fact much more so than other members of management at the time. People do change, times change, etc., etc., but my impression of him was always first rate. He certainly does deserve a chance....

Good Luck Mr. Moser

I remember Mr. Moser very well from the Presidential Trip with Jimmy Carter. He is A-1 in my book. I was Head Purser running the Purser’s Office in those days with Henry Mitchell running the hotel part of the boat as Chief Purser. When I heard there was going to be a Presidential Cruise in 2 week my first thought was, Oh my God. I am going to take a vacation that week. I could just see all the EXTRA headaches my office would have to deal with. Mr. Moser arrived for the trip with the President and I never had an easier week thanks to Mr. Moser. He made it happen. He certainly has my respect and I wish him all the best personally and for the company. By the way, if you were a crew member serving on that trip you will remember the 1 week pay bonus for pulling off a successful trip. Thank you again for that Mr. Moser. That is the only bonus I have ever received from an employer in my entire working career and I have not forgotten it.

I remember Mr. Mosier being onboard the DQ that week before Carter, when all the cleaning, painting, repair work was going on. He was standing on the Sun Deck looking down at the paddlewheel cleaning job. I made some comment to him about the beehive of activity, and he very dryly said, "Oh, we're just doing a year's worth of work in one week." I can think that nothing but good will come from his association with the company. Hopefully his arrival is in time for the DQ... I do remember that when the Carter officials approached the company about a Presidential trip, the company(Mosier?) tried mightily to get the President to ride the MQ. But Carter said DQ or nothing. And as the crew members on the scene, Bob and Ted, reported, Mosier appreciated the DQ and her crew in her shining hour. That summer had been trying financially, as any money the DQ brought in was used on the MQ in trying to get her in shape, and so the DQ upkeep was pretty much let go, as Jim Blum can attest. He had been trying to get the stuff to clean the wheel all summer and was denied. Then the upcoming Carter trip, and ouila! All the cleaner, new red carpet on the stage, and bulkhead painting you could ever imagine, all in that one week. And by the way, that week of publicity not only shot up the DQ's bookings for 1980, but also helped the MQ...

Hi, Judy & steamboating colleagues:
Judy, great memories and insights from you [One who was 'there then.'] The massive publicity/coverage did, as you say, "shot up the DQ's bookings...also helped the MQ." That was a pivotal year and as Betty Blake later said with a grin, "I just sit back and clip my coupons." Meaning her dividends.

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick

Mosier on the DQ

Here is Robert Mosier on the DQ on Aug. 12, 1979, the Sunday before Carter. This was in Nauvoo, Illinois. Pix 2 is our Watchman Dave Tschiggfrie, and Pix 3 is our Mate Bob Reynolds.

Imagine that!!!! An official who actually rode on the boat. I recall one VP back in the past who could not understand why any sane person would want to work on a riverboat.

I can relate to the VP. I've asked that question many a time, usually to myself. Never got a really good answer.

...if its the same VP that I'm thinking of, he was also astounded at our talk of 'acquiring artifacts' and then you showed him your 'tools of the trade' you just happened to carry on your keychain...

Judy,
a bit of thread hijack here and I apologize, but in your second pic, are those director's chairs out on the Sundeck? I suspect a high, bow straight on, wind would have a field day...I can imagine those bobbing up and down in the rollers...

Bob Moser was a good man for the DQ & MQ. There were some classy Brochures put out during his time with the Company. I think he really liked the DQ and tried very hard to promote the boat.

As I recall it was during that period the Coca Cola Company of New York (then the largest bottling Company) was acquiring companies outside their area of expertise, i.e. DQ/MQ (also the make of Igloo coolers and others) and got over zealous with debt when Atlanta got nervous about the situation.

Welcome back Bob!

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Glory be, Ambassadors International has done something right! I well remember Robert P. Mosier from his days at The Delta Queen Steamboat Co.'s international headquarters at 511 Main Street in Cincinnati. I agree, I think he just might have a warm spot for the "Ole Girl" in his heart. I find it interesting, reading between the lines, that AMIE has atleast admitted to itself that they got things really screwed up the first time around, and now they are bringing in a turnaround expert with steamboat experience!

Robert P. Mosier sat with several of the Cincinnati River Rats around a huge wood table in the American Bicentennial inspired red, white and blue Cincinnati home office one morning over twenty years ago. We were lobbying the company to take the DELTA QUEEN back to Chattanooga. Mosier politely met and listened to us. I remember him taking copious notes, and him seeming very interested in what that small group of fervent DELTA QUEEN enthusiast had to say.

Yep, Bruno, that's what they are, director's chairs. It doesn't take any imagination at all for me to remember seeing one chair's well worn bottom rip out from underneath the weight of a paying passenger. Luckily, the not so amused passenger didn't feel the need to sue, but neither Jeff Spear nor myself would ever let Captain Robert "Roddy" Hammett forget that one! By the way, it happened on the first trip back to Chattanooga, after a goodly number of years, as we steamed down the Mississsipi near Thebes, Illinois.

Jim Blum;8538 wrote: Bob Moser was a good man for the DQ & MQ. There were some classy Brochures put out during his time with the Company. I think he really liked the DQ and tried very hard to promote the boat.

Remember the Easter '79 trip highwater St. Louis to Cincy? We had both Sunset Films and the brochure people on board - and we had to go back and forth just to get one tree positioned perfectly in the background of 101's window? And it was so windy one day from both natural wind and the helicopter's breeze that the furniture went flying across the Texas Bow? And they wanted passengers to come out on deck and wave to the film crew in the helicopter, so we did - waved our mittened hands!!!!

Those director's chairs replaced the lounge chairs, so I bought my own lounger and stored it against the smokestack in the officer's quarters when I wasn't riding. It lasted several years. And no, I didn't buy it because I fell through a director's chair!