Change is always charged with fascination, wonderment, happiness or sorrow.  I welcome the new Queen series journey and will miss the great strength that Bruce Nierenberg displayed this past winter after Katrina.

For those who are business owners, you and I can relate how the Queen series weathered lots of tough times after Katrina.  It had to restructure a lot, change itinerary ideas, change a lot of things.  To survive.  And, with the sale of the Queen series, had to become more marketable to someone eventually for a sale to happen.  I don't know about the day to day operations of this Queen series.  I just know what I saw on the Message board this past winter, the times I have talked with or communicated with the staff.  I was impressed.  I felt it was a stellar group of people with whom I was blessed to have passed my life for a brief moment.

How many business owners or Presidents of a company would take the time to address the public like Bruce Nierenberg did.  My grandfather opened a small department store and was very successful because he cared about the customer.  He listened to the public, he cared to answer them, he cared to bring a product to them they liked.  I think of Bruce Nierenberg the same way.  Wow, what leader to communicate with the public about your company when hit by a devastating Hurricane and then hit with no levee system guarding your city.  I was impressed.  He answered everyone with great respect and superior demeanor.  It is a hard position to be in to try and help all customers.  You can't make everyone, whether a past worker, or disgruntled customer, or such  happy.  It seemed like Bruce went above, did beyond what was expected, made a difficult and trying situation after Katrina become better.

How many of us would weather the storm as well. Katrina hasn't happened here before.  In the winter I read with much horror, as a business owner, some of the comments on the message board.  I believe the Queen series weathered it very well.  It is America, but, human compassion for lives lost, lives changed, and lives forever transformed should count.

Mr. Bruce Nierenberg, I applaud what you did with the Queen series, I applaud what was a magical past winter to transform a company forever transformed by Katrina, and I hope the best for your future.  I hope the best for the Queen series future.  Times ahead will be different.  The Queen series will rise onward and even stronger.  Some companies along the Gulf Coast won't.  Thanks for helping to save an American tradition and some great American pride.  I've always stated that our Ohio River Region loves the Delta Queen and the whole Queen series.  We still do.

Thanks for saving and helping out a part of America.  I applaud you.  Good luck to you, good luck to the Queen series, and God Bless America.  Mary.