Coconut Grove - Sailing Capital of MI

A division president with the Transforce Group, Albert “Al” Hanley III manages eight regional commercial driver instruction facilities from offices in Miami, Florida. When he isn’t working, Al Hanley III enjoys sailing.

Known as the “Sailing Capital of Miami,” the neighborhood of Coconut Grove is a leading sailboat launching point in the city. Coconut Grove’s beautiful Sailboat Bay contains a wide variety of sailing vessels on any given day.

The Coconut Grove area has a deep maritime tradition that dates back to the early 1800s. Due to its abundant freshwater springs and close proximity to the mouth of the Miami River, the area was a popular stop for mariners and traders on international sea voyages. To serve the many vessels that passed through the area, the US Coast Guard built the Cape Florida Lighthouse in 1825.

The Coconut Grove truly developed into a sailing mecca in the late 1800s after sailboat designer Ralph Munroe sailed into the area from Long Island, New York. Taken with the lovely climate and the adventurous group of mariners who called the area home, he joined forces with local residents to establish the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club in 1887.

Aid in Military-to-Civilian Transition

A senior executive with a wealth of experience in the field of logistics and transportation training, Albert “Al” Hanley III has served as a division president with the Transforce Group since 2019. One of his accomplishments with this Miami-based trucking organization is integrating The CDL School curriculum into its overall national platform. As an affiliate of The CDL School, Al Hanley III praised the Transition for Success Act.

Calling it “an exciting step” toward ensuring that members of the US National Guard and Reserve have ready access to quality employment programs, Mr. Hanley proudly supported the introduction of the Transition for Success Act in July of 2020. Th bill aims to expand the SkillBridge program of the US Department of Defense.

SkillBridge currently offers active-duty service members assistance with the transition from service in the military sector to employment in the civilian sector during the first 180 days of this transition. In addition to extending this program to include National Guard and Reserve service members, the Transition for Success Act is designed to strengthen the SkillBridge program as a whole by positioning it to work with a wider variety of potential employers and training providers.