Joins Crowley News

Crowley named Mark Coplen as vice president of project management for Crowley Wind Services, where he will be a key leader in advancing the company’s growth and market leadership in the offshore wind industry. In his role, Coplen will expand Crowley Wind Services’ project management capabilities to support customers in its offering of engineering, procurement and construction management for the offshore wind market. Coplen joins Crowley with extensive expertise in the sustainable energy sector leading offshore wind services…

Crowley has appointed Clay Heil as vice president of global government relations, where he will lead the company’s full spectrum of government advocacy across all of the company’s business interests and activities.Based in Washington, D.C., Heil will spearhead Crowley’s engagement with federal, state and local government partners and elected officials on policy and regulatory matters that support the company’s strategic growth. Heil joins Crowley with more than 25 years of legislative and legal experience. In Congress, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S.

Crowley announced it is integrating Seattle-based marine interior design company JE Russell Consulting, giving the company’s engineering services group the capability to complement vessels’ existing designs with interior designs, consulting and other service offerings.“Crowley’s addition of the JE Russell Consulting team provides our engineering services group with an important resource to offer comprehensive design services to our customers,” said Coulston Van Gundy, vice president, Crowley Engineering Services.

A Crowley ship assist and escort tug serving the Bay of San Francisco is now running on cleaner-burning biofuel, in line with Crowley Shipping's commitment to sustainable operations that decrease the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas impacts of maritime operations.The Veteran, a 6,800-horsepower tug with a bollard pull of 182,000 pounds, received its first bunkering of 24,000 gallons of low carbon biofuel on March 9 in San Francisco, where Crowley has operated tugboats since 1906.Veteran joins Crowley’s Vision/650-10…

Crowley Maritime Corp. has appointed Jonathan Zier manager of business development in Houston.Zier will assist customers globally with marine transportation projects such as sealifts and beach-landings, as well as offshore and coastal towing and installation of rigs, spars and other structures. He will also be responsible for providing solutions for alternative energy projects such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals, offshore wind power generation, and other projects requiring offshore or coastal equipment and expertise.Zier will report to Johan Sperling…

Rick Meidel has joined Crowley Fuels as vice president and general manager, responsible for the performance and day-to-day operations of Crowley’s Alaska division. Meidel previously spent 32 years with ExxonMobil in downstream lubricants, retail fuels marketing, refinery optimization and natural gas and co-generation power commercialization. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. In his new role, Meidel will be based in Anchorage and report to Rocky Smith, senior vice president and general manager.

Crowley Maritime Corporation christened the third of four new LNG-ready Jones Act product tankers at a May 5 ceremony at the Julia Street Cruise Terminal in New Orleans. The 600-foot-long, 50,000-dead-weight-ton (dwt), 330,000-barrel-capacity MT Louisiana is capable of carrying crude oil or refined petroleum products, as well as other chemical products for U.S. Coastwise trade. The new vessel joins Crowley sister ships, Ohio and Texas, to be the first tankers ever to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s LNG-Ready Level 1 approval…

Matt Yacavone joins Crowley as Vice President of Sales and Chartering, Petroleum Services. He will be domiciled in the company's Jacksonville headquarters and report to Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, petroleum services. Yacavone, who assumes his new position Jan. 7, will be responsible for the planning and direction of sales and chartering initiatives, overseeing development of policies and procedures, coordinating and negotiating customer contracts and developing business relations, particularly in the company's articulated-tug barge (ATB) and tanker programs.

Captain Alex Sweeney joins Crowley’s Solutions Group as Vice President, Project Operations. Sweeney, who most recently served as vice president of operations for Crowley’s petroleum distribution group in Alaska, will remain in Anchorage and report to Michael Johnson, vice president, project management. In his new role, Sweeney will be responsible for the planning, coordination and management of select solutions projects. He will also assist the solutions business development team in pursuing project opportunities.

Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that Bill Hill has joined the company's energy and marine services group in Anchorage as director of business development. In this role, he will have responsibility for the sales and operation of the North Slope businesses and will work to develop additional opportunities in Alaska as well as the Canadian and Russian Arctic. Hill will report to Bruce Harland, vice president, Alaska contract services. Hill has extensive experience in project management, module construction and transportation, on the North Slope and in Russia.

Crowley's petroleum services group has taken delivery of its newest tug, Avik, to serve in the company's oil transportation and distribution fleet. The 76-ft. tug was designed by Crowley's Vessel Management Services team and built by Dakota Creek Industries in Anacortes, Wash. It was delivered on June 3 and has been put into service in Alaska. The purpose-built tug was designed for both shallow water and ocean towing operations. It features a raised bridge for improved visibility, an electric tow winch for coastal towing and fendered push knees for river or beaching operations. The Avik is powered by three Caterpillar 3406E diesel engines generating 1,350 hp.

Crowley Maritime Corporation said that Steve Demeroutis has joined the company as director, labor relations. He is domiciled in Jacksonville and reports to Jerry Dowd, vice president, labor relations, in Seattle. Demeroutis is responsible for all labor relations activities for the East Coast terminal operations including grievance handling, negotiations contact administration, compliance resolution and relationship building with Crowley's union representatives and personnel. Demeroutis has more than 15 years of experience in labor relations including his most recent position as vice president, United Inland Group of the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots.

Crowley Maritime Corporation said that Tommy Thompson has joined the company's liner service group as director of maintenance and repair (M&R). Thompson is domiciled in Jacksonville and reports to Rob Grune, senior vice president and general manager, Puerto Rico and Caribbean and John Hourihan, senior vice president and general manager, Latin America. In this position, Thompson is responsible for overseeing domestic M&R. He is charged with introducing best practices and new technologies along with process review and change intended to further improve current operations and garner greater efficiencies. He will also support the company's new build program…

Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that Bob Cox has joined the company's petroleum distribution group as general manager. Cox is based in the company's Anchorage office and reports to Craig Tornga, vice president of petroleum distribution. In his new position, Cox is responsible for Crowley's 14 Alaska marine and aviation petroleum terminals, which have a combined fuel capacity of 39 million gallons. A veteran of the Alaska petroleum sales and distribution market, Cox also brings transportation experience to his position. Cox, a registered civil engineer, is a board member at the Alaska Resource Development Council Board, Alaska Chadux Corporation, SEAPRO, Intermodal Transportation Institute and the University of Denver.

Crowley announced that Alan Twaits has joined the company as vice president and general counsel. Twaits will be domiciled in Jacksonville and report to Art Mead, senior vice president and general counsel. Twaits will be responsible for a wide array of legal affairs and projects. Additionally, he will ensure that business practices, policies and dealings of the corporation meet regulatory requirements. Prior to joining Crowley, Twaits served as general counsel for three companies, Seabulk International, Carnival Corporation and Premier Cruise Lines. He has almost 25 years of legal experience in the maritime industry and previously served for almost three years as assistant general counsel for Crowley.

Gary Jones has joined Crowley as vice president of information technology (IT). In his new position, Jones is responsible for the strategic and tactical planning, production, deployment and maintenance of enterprise-wide technology solutions. Additionally, Jones directs the development of application and infrastructure strategies and standards, policies and procedures, quality, cost control and customer service standards. He manages a staff of approximately 100 technology professionals from his office in Jacksonville and reports to Susan Rodgers, senior vice president, administration. Jones brings over 20 years of accomplishments in the IT field to Crowley from the consumer and financial sectors.