Willem Barendsen retires
Cupecoy – Former Lt. Governor of St. Maarten, Franklyn Richards and international businessman, Herman Behr of Curacao have been appointed as the new Managing Directors of Air-Fin.
The announcement was made by John Curtis, President of the Florida based Seven Seas Water Corporation, who also confirmed that Air-Fin’s Managing Director Willem Barendsen has decided to retire.
Curtis recognized "the long tenure of Willem Barendsen as a key person in St Maarten’s water supply", acknowledging his leadership of Air-Fin from 2007 to 2010.
Curtis, on behalf of Seven Seas Water, expressed heartfelt gratitude for Barendsen’s services and commitment over the course of the past years and wished him well as he is now back in Europe to be closer to his family, especially his children and grandchildren.
He said that "while Willem has been a valuable contributor to the development of Seven Seas Water, we now look forward to the leadership and experience of Franklyn Richards, who will continue the successful development of the Air-Fin / Seven Seas Water operations in St Maarten".
The company is enthusiastic and "very grateful that a man of such distinguished background in public service has decided to join Air-Fin St. Maarten as our Managing Director," added Doug
Brown, the CEO of the Seven Seas Water Corporation.
"We look forward to many more years of effectively meeting the water needs of Sint Maarten under the guidance of Franklyn Richards", he said.
Commenting on the appointment, Richards said that he eagerly embraces the opportunity for him to make his contributions towards the company and the community of St. Maarten.
Mr. Curtis further commented that, through the addition of Herman Behr as Managing Director, Air-Fin Holding St. Maarten will benefit from his vast experience in international business. Mr. Behr is the owner of HBM Group and past chairman of the Curacao International Financial Services Association (CIFA) and the Curacao Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Mr. Behr has served alongside Mr. Barendsen since 2007 as Managing Director of Air-Fin Holding N.V. Curacao.
Air-Fin Holding St. Maarten N.V. operates, besides the plant in Caybay, which has the capability to produce up to 13.500 cm of water per day, a modern reverse osmosis water plant, located in Cupecoy. This plant has the capability to produce up to 3.700 cm of water per day. The plant is fully operational and can be controlled by computer from anywhere in the world.