Europa Cruises Corporation Announces The Election Of Gregory A. Harrison As Vice-President
PR NEWSWIRE - July 23, 2002 11:30
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla., Jul 23, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Europa Cruises Corporation (OTC Bulletin Board: KRUZ) announced today that on July 18, 2002, the Board of Directors of the Company voted to elect Gregory A. Harrison, a current Director, as Vice-President of the Company.
Mr. Harrison has served as a Director of the Company since February 20, 1998. Since January 14, 2002, Mr. Harrison has been employed by the Company as its Director of Engineering and Corporate Development. Mr. Harrison also previously served on the Board of Directors of Data Measurement Corporation and was an Advisory Board member of First Patriot National Bank and United Bank.
Mr. Harrison is a consulting forensic engineer with over thirty-five years of diversified fire/civil and safety engineering experience with NASA, DOD, NBS, NRC, ARAMCO, and Tenera, L.P. While at the NRC, Mr. Harrison served as project manager for a $4.5 billion nuclear power plant. Mr. Harrison has qualified as an expert witness in various courts in eight states. Mr. Harrison received a B.S. degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1966; a M.S. degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1970, a M.S. degree in Engineering Administration from George Washington University in 1979 and a PH.D. in Safety Engineering from Kennedy-Western University in 1994. Mr. Harrison held a top secret security clearance with the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for many years.
Deborah A. Vitale, President and Chairman of the Board, commenting on the election of Mr. Harrison, stated: "It is a honor to have Mr. Harrison as my new Vice-President and his election is long overdue. It is time that the shareholders knew that this Company would not have survived had it not been for Mr. Harrison. When this Company had no money, it was Mr. Harrison who raised the funds to keep it afloat long enough to sell its vessels. When I was consumed with operating and selling ships, it was Mr. Harrison who took it upon himself to start looking for a joint venture partner. When I had absolutely no time to talk to shareholders, Mr. Harrison took it upon himself to help keep them informed. When I had no time to meet with or show our property to prospective interested parties, it was Mr. Harrison who jumped on a plane and flew to Mississippi to do so. In the last four years, when I needed help with an important matter, I could always rely on Mr. Harrison. Mr. Harrison has been available for this Company seven days per week since he became a director in 1998."
"Mr. Harrison has not only saved this Company in the past on more than one occasion, but he is the only person who has any idea as to what goes on at all levels of this Company on a day-to-day basis. He is the only director in the last four years who took advantage of my standing invitation that directors come to my office to sit, listen and learn what goes on in this Company. Mr. Harrison is the only Director who took the time to familiarize himself with Europa's previously massive litigation and, in my opinion, is probably the only Director who truly appreciated the extent of this litigation and the fact that this Company could not afford to lose a single case. Mr. Harrison was the only Director who ever took the initiative to find out what should be done in the event of my death, disability, incapacity or resignation and developed, with my assistance, a corporate plan to be followed given any such event.
"The Company's former Vice-President, John Duber, resigned on June 26, 2002, but only after failing in a Consent solicitation attempt to change the Board of Directors. By letter dated January 10, 2002 (and in letters thereafter), I requested that Mr. Duber resign, inasmuch as, in my opinion, he had become a 'vice-president in name only.' However, Mr. Duber refused to do so. Yet, in his own filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Duber expressly admitted that he was 'no longer functioning as an officer' of the Company. (See Committee Consent at pages 5-6, filed April 17, 2002.) Given his own admission, it is unfortunate that Mr. Duber did not resign sooner, since the shareholders were entitled to have a functioning vice- president.
"I am pleased to report that this Company has a new Vice-President who is informed, prepared, and capable of succeeding me. I have every confidence in Mr. Harrison. On behalf of the shareholders, I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his previous contributions to the Company." |
