Toyota Communication Executive to Provide Public Affairs Assistance to Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 and 50th Anniversary of Naval Command College

CAPT John G. McCandless, USNR (Ret), head of Toyota's Detroit Corporate Communications office, has been selected to provide public affairs assistance for Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 and the 50th Anniversary of the Naval Command College.

Newport, RI (PRWEB) March 14, 2005 -- CAPT John G. McCandless, USNR (Ret), a senior Corporate Communications executive for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., will provide overall public affairs planning for Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007, an international gathering of tall sailing ships visiting Newport in late June, 2007.

The tall ship visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first class from the Naval Command College, the senior International College established by Admiral Arleigh Burke at the Naval War College in August 1956. The visit is key component of ASTAs Tall Ships Challenge East Coast.

There are some 1,500 graduates of the Naval Command College, representing some 82 nations of the world. Many of these graduates are senior officers in their countries Navies, some having served as their Chief of Naval Operations, Secretaries of Defense and in four cases even as Heads of State. A reunion open to all graduates will be held June 26-29,2007, the week following the graduation of the 50th class.

McCandless and RADM Jim Finklestein, USN (Ret), the Navy's former Chief of Information and president of the U.S. Navy Public Affairs Alumni Association, will provide overall public affairs planning for both events. They will work for Vice Admiral Thomas R. Weschler, USN, (Ret), co-chair of Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007.

McCandless retired from the Naval Reserve in 1999 after 32 years of Naval service. From 1997 to 1999, he headed media training teams for the junior and senior classes for the Naval War College.

Contact: M. Richard, Toyota Motor Sales (313-259-2004)

###