The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA)—the unified voice of seaports in the Americas—has hired Kevin J. Traver to fill the position of Vice President of Membership and Sponsorship. Traver will fill this position held by long-time senior staff member Meredith Martino who departed the AAPA team to head-up another organization.
“I’m pleased that AAPA will enjoy a seamless transition in this critical role in service to our members between two exceptionally accomplished executives in the field of non-profit development,” said Christopher J. Connor, AAPA’s president and CEO. “We thank Meredith for the 17 years of leadership she has dedicated to AAPA members, and we wish her the best in her new position. I’m also excited to bring onboard Kevin Traver to this role at AAPA. Over his career, Kevin has excelled at developing and executing effective sales strategies to drive income streams for non-profits with a strong nexus in transportation and maritime activity. He will be an asset for AAPA member ports, industry solution providers and supply chain partners, workforce development and academic members.”
Traver brings years of experience driving strategic growth for non-profits in building out membership development, sponsorship, and conferences and trade shows. His previous roles include: CCO of the American Trucking Association (ATA), Executive Director of the Marine Technology Society (MTS), VP of Corporate Affairs and Development for the Navy League of the United States (NLUS), and Executive Director of the National Maritime Heritage Foundation (NMHF). Most recently Kevin has been working as a consultant providing clients with major donor development, sales, and fundraising plans.
Kevin spent 10 years in service as a United States Marine. He supervised unit operations of up to 65 marines in security and military operations in both the United States and abroad.
“One of the things I’m most excited about in this new role is getting back into supporting the maritime community and now the port authorities,” said Traver. “I grew up on the water in Mystic, Connecticut and my family had a boatyard for 125 years in New London, Connecticut. The maritime world has always been my passion, and I’ve made it a focal point of my career. I look forward to making an impact at AAPA and even further enhancing service to its members.”
