Michael R. Baxter – 1599 Vail Avenue – Muscatine, Iowa  52761 (563) 262-8466

Education:    1975 Attended graduate school at the University of New Orleans at New Orleans, Louisiana, in the Psychology Masters Degree program. Completed one semester.

1970 thru 1975 Attended the University of Northern Iowa at Cedar Falls, Iowa, and obtained a BA degree in Psychology. Study involved designing and conducting experiments, computer programming, and statistical analysis of data. Other courses taken were philosophy, sociology, chemistry, biology and physics.

1966 thru 1970 Attended high school at Paullina, Iowa. Courses were in mathematics, science, English and agriculture.

Experience:  1988 thru 2019 relocated with U.S. Inland Marine Surveying, Inc. to Muscatine, Iowa. Continued with marine surveying inspections of railroad bridges, lock and dams, commercial vessels and yachts on the Mississippi River. Continuing education Vancouver, Washington, on Columbia River, retired Coast Guard director of recent established Astoria Maritime museum speaker, bar pilot speaker for boarding ships to bring across the bar with over 2,000 Pacific shipwrecks in March 2019. Expert witness U.S. District Court matter of Sabula Railroad bridge allision in 2017. Surveyor for underwriter sinking of M.V. Stephen Colby hole in engine room in the Rock Island Rapids requiring pumping fuel tanks underwater, salvage rigs from Missouri and Mississippi December 2013. Iowa Insurance Division property and casualty license obtained in 2007. Kohler marine generator service school 2006. American Society of Appraisers (ASA) Machinery and Equipment appraiser school ME201 spring 2004, USPAP appraiser ethics 2006. National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) Cathodic Protection Level II school 2001. Approved surveyor for Sanderson Group of Ama, Louisiana, for OSHA crane inspection 1994. Member of American Boat & Yacht Council in 1990. Subscriber of National Fire Protection Association marine vessels standards. Completed a dry dock extension survey of the 236′ “K” vessel M.V. Miss Marquette in 1999, approved surveyor by USCG for Alternate Hull Examination program. Weld repair inspection report for Service Marine on two hulls at St. Charles, Missouri, owned by Station Casinos, directed by ABS, using AWS level II weld inspectors, magnaflux. Completed a 40 hour training course in boating accident reconstruction in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1991, for National Association of Marine Surveyors recertification points. Condition and value reports on tugs and on aluminum crew boat for Omaha District Corp of Engineers, including ultra sonic testing of 45 year old vessels. Appraisal reports for insurers of estimated half of “T” boats between Chicago and Omaha, using CFR 46. 1988 Tankerman on ABS Certificated Coastwise manned oil barges 160 days for Maritrans of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cargoes handled were naphtha, MTBE, gasoline, toluene, and diesel oil, routes were from Portland, Main, to Norfolk, Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean. A union relief job. Barges were 60,000 to 115,000 barrel, with multiple pumps. Lightered and bunkered ships.

1984 thru 1988 Marine Surveyor and owner of U.S. Inland Marine Surveying, Inc., at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Duties included marine surveying inspections and report writing. Marine surveys involved dock damage, cargo damage, off charter, appraisal, salvage, and expert witness, on the Mississippi River. Completed a six month welding course in 1986. Became proficient with personal computers and printers.

1979 thru 1984 Marine Surveyor for Cairo Marine Service, Inc., at Greenville, Mississippi. Duties included marine surveying inspections, salvage work of sunken barges and marine equipment, performing engine damage surveys, and writing reports. Appraisal reports were made on river towboats, barges, cranes, and yachts. Work involved a five state area. Handled bids from shipyards, salvage firms, and salvage cargo buyers, to effect vessel repairs and to salvage vessels and cargoes. Cargoes handled were generally grain, coal, steel, rock, or packaged items. Copies of a letter of reference form this firm are available upon request. Was laid off due to industry recession.

1978 thru 1979 deckhand on river towboats for Port Arthur Towing Company of Port Arthur, Texas. Areas of work were the Gulf of Mexico coastline and the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Cargoes handled were gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and naphtha, all were liquid cargoes. Duties included handling lines and wire cables to couple barges together, giving the pilot directions from the front of the tow to guide barges into lock chambers, and cleaning the towboat. Obtained a Merchant Mariners Document endorsed for Tankerman Grade “B” and lower.

1976 thru 1978 deckhand on river towboats on the Arkansas river and the Mississippi river for Helena Marine Service, Inc., of Helena, Arkansas. Duties consisted of wire cable laying and tightening to couple barges together, tying off barges in lock chambers and on shore, standing fire watches, and cleaning the engine room. Attended the deckhand training school at the National River Academy at Helena, Arkansas.

1970 thru 1975 welder and carpenter for Spencer Construction Company, a general contractor from Spencer, Iowa. Work involved primarily concrete form building and steel welding in preparation for concrete pouring. This employment was repeated each year as a college summer job. Also obtained a State of Iowa Life and Health Insurance license.

1966 thru 1970 Operated machinery and worked on my family’s livestock and grain farm while in high school.

Other:          Member of Methodist Church in Muscatine, Iowa. Received Muscatine County (Iowa) Wildlife Habitat Restoration award 1997.

Activities:    Ballroom dancing, canoeing, maintain farm, rodeo spectator.

References:  Available upon request.