Blount-Barker Shipbuilding Formed, Barker Named CEO

Blount-Barker Shipbuilding Corp. was recently formed, and James A. Barker has been named the President and CEO of this new venture.

Blount-Barker, based in Warren, R.I., specializes in the design and shipbuilding of tugboats, cruise ships, high speed ferries and dinner and passenger vessels.

The new company takes over the activities of the Blount Marine and Blount Industries entities, and operates as a separate corporation. As part of the new venture, Barker assumes management of Blount's shipyard and personnel, with the option to purchase the operations should they be sold in the future.

"Jim Barker brings complementary experience that will greatly enhance the capabilities of the new Blount-Barker venture," said Luther H. Blount, founder of Blount Marine and Blount Industries. Blount, 84, will remain active in the day-to-day shipyard operation for Blount-Barker.

"Through this new venture, we intend to maximize the superior naval architecture design and shipbuilding capabilities of Blount Marine and Blount Industries," said Jim Barker. "We also plan to expand into larger commercial vessels in the coming years," he added.

Blount Marine was founded in 1949 when Luther Blount decided to try his hand at shipbuilding by designing and constructing a 77-foot steel catamaran. Using this same design, he bid and won his first contract to construct a fuel oil service vessel which used two cylindrical floats, dubbed the "twin tube."

This twin tube was succeeded by progressively larger and more complex vessels, resulting in a large expansion of the shipyard and demolition of the Blount home on the Warren River in Rhode Island. New facilities were constructed in its place including a slipway, two building sheds and a lift dock configured for launching and drydocking.

Today, Blount Industries extends over six acres and has more than 50 skilled employees. Over the past 50 years, Blount has designed and built more than 300 vessels of all types. The company also provides operational support for Bay Queen Cruises, a dinner/excursion line, and the American Canadian Caribbean Line that operates three overnight passenger cruise ships.

Before forming Blount-Barker Shipbuilding, Barker worked for Interlake Steamship Company, Richfield, Ohio. His most recent project was as the construction supervisor for a 7,200-hp Z-drive tug and a 600-foot self-unloading barge for the Great Lakes.

Barker joined Interlake in 1987 as a supervisor of unlicensed personnel, managing all of the company's unlicensed crewing for vessels. Barker was soon promoted to director of personnel, responsible for 350 people and 10 vessels.

Barker also explored and organized new business opportunities to help diversify Interlake. In 1996, after earning his MBA from Case Western, Barker was promoted to assistant vice president and was responsible for all aspects of a $25 million tug/barge project. This endeavor provided many new opportunities for Interlake.

Barker received his undergraduate degree from Franklin Pierce College in Newton, N.H. Barker will be relocating to R.I. with his wife, April, and three sons. He will work at the Blount-Barker shipyard in Warren.