William Hryb

William Hryb is a freelance journalist and member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) and Superior Scribes, a professional Thunder Bay writer's guild. He is a contributing writer to CANADIAN SAILINGS / TRANSPORTATION & TRADE LOGISTICS, magazine Montreal; BAYVIEW, Thunder Bay; CRUISE SHIP NORTH AMERICA, Montreal; ON THE LEVEL, Ottawa - Washington; and the UKRAINIAN WEEKLY , New Jersey.

Mr. Hryb is the former general manager of Lakehead Shipping Company Limited at the Port of Thunder Bay. He began his career in the shipping industry in 1975. Under his management the shipping agency was responsible in providing representation to a world-wide network of ship owners/operators, shippers/ charterers from a broad range of agricultural / mining and special project cargo sectors.

In his many years of association with commercial navigation interests, he has attended over 2,600 ocean ships and nearly 1,000 Great Lakes vessel carriers in his career. After more than 34 years with the ship agency he took leave from the company at the end of December, 2009 to pursue other interests..

Mr. Hryb was born in Oberlahnstein, Germany, emigrating to Canada with his parents and brother in 1949. Ukrainian by heritage he attended local schools studying Communication Arts and majoring in Broadcast Journalism. Mr. Hryb was appointed by the International Joint Commission (IJC) in 2007 to the Public Information Advisory Group (PIAG)for the International Upper Great Lakes study (IUGLS) . The members of PIAG are comprised of 20 American and Canadian individuals representing diverse groups having interest in water level issues and concerns in the upper Great Lakes.

The upper Great Lakes are the focus of the five-year bi-national study with PIAG responsible for providing advice and support in the development and implementation of the Study Board's public information and engagement activities.

Mr. Hryb represents the commercial navigation interests for the study on the Canadian side. He has close ties with the Shipping Federation of Canada in Montreal who represent owners, operators, charterers and agents of vessels engaged in Canada's overseas commerce. The group speaks for over 90% of ocean-going vessels (international cruise and cargo ) trading to and from ports in Atlantic Canada, the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes.

Mr. Hryb is married to Lee, a Registered Nurse. They have three children Kathryn 32, Christeanne 25, and David 23.

William Hryb can be reached at whryb@hotmail.com.