SARAH TEAGUE RETIRING JANUARY 1st 2003

Dear Friends:

What a great 12 years it has been to work with all of you. Today at our Alabama State Port Authority Board Meeting, it was made public my intent to retire on January 1, 2003. The years have flown and I have met and grown to appreciate many dear people with whom I have the privilege to work. 

The experiences I have had of gathering information for the news media in times of crisis or calm; for working with the State Legislature in getting bills passed or defeated; in telling the port story to dozens of civic clubs, and in listening to port problems and trying to work out ways to solve them for our maritime friends, have made the years seem more like days. 

I have loved every job I’ve ever had and this one at the State Docks ranks high on the list. I appreciate all of the support and encouragement you have given me. I have another 2 ½ months to contribute to this marvelous group and hope to have the opportunity to shake many of your hands and offer my thanks for your help in educating me for this task. 

Judith Adams, our present Property and Marketing Manager, is divesting a portion of her duties and will be taking over a portion of my duties. You will enjoy her as she has gained a great wealth of knowledge about the State Docks during the eight years she has been here. In her new role, please be as kind to her as you have been to me. 

As to my future, I’m getting an early start to the leisure life as I take a long-planned vacation in mid-November. I will be back in the office the entire month of December, so please stop by. After January 1, you’ll, no doubt, see me around town, as I have signed on for another couple of volunteer tasks and a whole lot of fun. 

Sincerely,
Sarah C. Teague
Manager, Public Affairs

Judith Adams to Head Media Relations as Sarah Teague’s Retirement Announced 

Judith Adams has been named Manager of Media Relations and Economic Development at Alabama State Docks by Director/CEO James K. Lyons. Her position becomes effective January 1, 2003, upon the retirement of current Manager of Public Affairs Sarah Teague.

Mrs. Adams, who is Manager of Property and Development, has been with the port in a number of marketing and development capacities since 1994. Mrs. Teague came to the port in July of 1990 to head media relations and be the port’s representative in legislative efforts in Montgomery. She was named Manager of Public Affairs in June of 1992.

Lyons said, “Finding someone to replace as valuable an employee as Sarah Teague is always a difficult task. We were very fortunate to have Judith Adams already in our organization with background and experience that prepared her to move into this position. Judith is an individual who has shown a tremendous amount of energy and willingness to take on all assignments. With her enthusiasm, I am confident that she will be able to help us in this dual role position.”

A graduate of Louisiana State University, Mrs. Adams spent six years in Washington, D.C., lobbying for the natural gas pipeline industry before coming to Mobile and the State Docks. While here, she worked with the federal government on the transfer of the local Navy Homeport to the Docks. She then managed Mobile Middle Bay Port, the new name for Homeport. She has been instrumental in bringing a number of projects to the State Docks and in her newly assigned duties will continue to work for economic development of the port. She will also work with the news media in providing information and updates regarding the Docks.

“I'm appreciative of Mr. Lyons' confidence in my abilities and look forward to meeting the challenge,” Mrs. Adams said.

About Mrs. Teague, Mr. Lyons said, “I have known Sarah long before I came to work at Alabama State Docks and recognized her valuable contribution to this organization. Her skills and loyalty to the Docks are two of the special reasons that made her such a keen employee. I will miss her. But Alabama State Docks would find it hard to compete with her travel ambitions.”

Mrs. Teague, a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, spent 21 years as an editor at the Birmingham Post-Herald and two years as editor of the faculty-staff newspaper at Vanderbilt University before coming to the Docks. While here, she has been responsible for presenting the port’s message to the public. She has also been chair of the American Association of Port Authorities’ and the Gulf Ports Association’s Public Relations committees. She serves on the board of a number of community organizations.

“My entire career has been centered around journalism and public relations and I have loved every minute of it,” Mrs. Teague said. “My experiences and time at the State Docks have always been exciting and challenging – even when called out at midnight to answer questions about some crisis. Now, however, is the time for me to step back, take a new look at contributions I can make to the community, and have fun. I have friends who like to travel and who are kind enough to want me to come along. I have my bags practically packed.

“I do want to thank all of the news media in this area who have been so kind to me these 12 years, and most especially, I want to thank the State Docks’ employees who have provided me with all of the facts that I have had the pleasure of passing on to the public. I look forward to watching the Docks as it continues to grow and provide jobs for Alabama,” she said.