People & Company News

Duramax Marine, a world leader in water-lubricated rubber bearings, recently broke ground on a new facility that will streamline the company's current manufacturing operations. The facility, with approximately 65,000 sq. ft. of factory and office space will consolidate production and administration into one centralized location in Troy Township, Ohio, approximately 40 miles south east of Cleveland. The expected grand opening will be the first quarter of 2001.

Watson Retires from Coatings Industry

Watson Coatings Inc. said that Gordon Watson, founder and CEO, retired on Nov. 2, 2000. Gordon founded Watson Coatings in 1987 with his wife Carol, and sons, Tom and Gary. Carol Watson will continue as Office Manager, while Tom Watson will assume responsibilities as President and COO of manufacturing and Gary Watson will assume responsibilities as President and CEO of sales.

Watson Coatings is a leader and pioneer in water reducible coatings technology. They company developed a water-based coating that performed as well as a solvent-based.

USCG Honors Oil Industry Excellence

On Dec. 1, U. S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Galveston recognized members of the oil industry for their commitment to maritime safety and environmental protection. The companies recognized included: SeaRiver Maritime, Skaugen Petro Trans, MTL Petrolink, Aramco Services Company, and American Eagle Tankers. Admiral Paul J. Pluta, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District presented each company with a Coast Guard Certificate of Merit. The five companies are members of the Industry Taskforce on Offshore Lightering (ITOL) Pipeline Chart Workgroup. This workgroup engaged in a multi-year project of creating navigational quality charts indicating location of subsea gas and oil pipelines in relation to lightering zones. Prior to their work, companies conducting lightering operations applied their own methods for determining where the subsea pipelines were located. ITOL member companies were concerned that it was only a matter of time before a vessel's anchor inadvertently struck a submerged pipeline, causing a major discharge of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, after years of research, and in partnership with the Coast Guard and Minerals Management Service, an accurate, up-to-date database of pipeline locations was achieved. The ITOL Pipeline Chart Workgroup printed out electronic depictions of pipeline locations onto sheets of Mylar that were then overlaid onto navigational charts of the lightering zones. The ITOL group's initiative and dedication is in keeping with the highest traditions of public service. The Chairman of the Industry Taskforce on Offshore Lightering (ITOL), Mr. Paul Caruselle, is also being recognized for his outstanding achievement in support of the Coast Guard's Marine Safety Program. Admiral Pluta will present him with a Coast Guard Meritorious Public Service Award.

American Commercial Appoints Director American Commercial Barge Line has elected Todd Whyte as director of Operations Research. He had previously served as a senior partner with Integral Solutions.

BHI Names New CEO

Baker Hughes has named Andrew J. Szescila, senior vice president and president - oilfield operations, CEO of Baker Hughes Inc. He has served as president of Hughes Christensen, BJ Services International and Baker Service Tools as well as marketing vice president for various divisions. He joined Baker Oil Tools in 1973 as a region engineer. Mr. Szescila, 52, earned a B.S. degree from Mississippi State University.

The company also announced that Greg Nakanishi, 49, will join Baker Hughes as vice president, human resources on November 1, 2000. Mr. Nakanishi was founder and president of GN Resources, a management consulting firm specializing in improving organizational and personal performance. He has also held a variety of Human Resources positions with Tenneco and Amoco, including executive director of human resources for Tenngasco. Mr. Nakanishi received a B.A. degree in Psychology from California State University and a M.S. degree in Human Resources Management from Purdue University.

On November 8, 2000, Alan R. Crain, 49, will also join Baker Hughes as vice president and general counsel. Mr. Crain has broad experience as a corporate legal executive, having served as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary for Crown Cork & Seal Company, and as vice president and general counsel for Union Texas Petroleum. Mr. Crain has also held legal positions at Pennzoil and El Paso Energy. Mr. Crain received his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Syracuse University, in addition to M.S. and B.S. degrees in Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Van Handel and Hoggarth Get New Positions At Crowley

Crowley Marine Services has appointed David Van Handel as senior account executive and Scott Hoggarth as manager of customer service for the company's harbor services group at the Seattle office.

Van Handel who has been with Crowley for 10 years, has held a variety of positions in the company, most recently serving as manager of Customer Service in Seattle.

A tug dispatcher for 13 years, Hoggarth has performed a variety of assignments in Anchorage and the North Slope of Alaska for Crowley. Prior to joining the company, he worked for the Seattle Marine Exchange and several Seattle-based shipping agents.

AOTOS Awards Presented In NYC

The 2000 Admiral of the Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Awards were distributed on November 3 at the annual AOTOS Award Dinner in New York City. Presented by the United Seamen's Service, AOTOS recognized "the heroism of American seafarers who have risked their lives to save others."

Two Military Sealift Command crews are receiving the Mariner's Plaque for rescues - USNS Gordon and USNS San Jose. The former was recognized for its rescue last March of two stranded fisherman whose boat had sunk in the Persian Gulf - while Gordon was at anchor. The prepositioning ship responded by launching its 16-ft. (4.8 m) rigid hull inflatable boat in the choppy water and high winds to aid the fishermen.

The latter, (USNS San Jose), was enroute to Okinawa, Japan last September when it received a distress signal from Panamanian ship Eastern Hope. The vessel was filling with water and listing 30 degrees, while its crew had already abandoned ship for two lifeboats. In response, San Jose's Captain changed course so that it could arrive in two hours time to help Eastern Hope's crew.

Nominations Sought for Shepheard Award

The Chamber of Shipping of America invites nominations for the 2000 Halert C. Shepheard Award. "Nominations for a living individual may be submitted for a single outstanding contribution to merchant marine safety, or in recognition of, dedication to, or exceptional leadership in activities associated with safety over a period of time," said Joseph Cox, President of the Chamber.

"Nominees may include individuals who are eminent in their marine field of endeavor such as ship operators, naval architects, marine engineers, shipbuilders and those affiliated with ship operators, governments, or marine associations."

Shortly after his death in 1975, the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Shipping of America (at this time the American Institute of Merchant Shipping) established the Rear Admiral Halert C. Shepheard Fund to support an award to an individual in recognition of exceptional achievement toward merchant marine safety, the area to which RADM Shepheard contributed greatly throughout his long and distinguished professional life. The recipient is presented with a Steuben Crystal Eagle and a hand-written certificate. Nominations should be based upon the nominator's direct personal and professional knowledge of an individual and must be received by Jan. 12, 2001. The nomination should be in letterform including a brief description as to why the Nominee should be considered. The nominee and nominator should not be directly affiliated with the same organization. The Chamber of Shipping of America determines the awardee. The 2000 award will be presented following the adjournment of the Annual Meeting of the American Bureau of Shipping in April 2001 in New York City.

New Consulting Firm Formed in New York

The formation of Management & Transportation Associates, Inc., (MTA) has been announced in New York City. The new firm has a solid basis for providing timely consulting services to a variety of organizations on matters pertaining to transportation improvements issues, new business ventures and other management opportunities. In addition, MTA offers knowledge and innovation on strategic issues. MTA provides consulting services that take advantage of "group synergy," thus permitting it to combine and apply their range of exceptional experience with modern methodology. The new company's leadership is comprised of executives from various facets of private and governmental transportation-oriented firms. The company's managing Director and head of the eight-man board of directors is Fred S, Sherman. Mr. Sherman has considerable international and domestic chief executive experience with ocean, inland, and Great Lakes vessel owning and operating companies, as well as port and other valuable management experience.

Directors include, Eugene C. Bonacci, former Chief Operating Officer of Matlack Systems, Inc., Capt. Robert W. Kesteloot, USN (Ret.), former Director of Strategic Sealift for the U.S. Navy, Capt. Warren G. Leback, Maritime Administrator in the Bush administration, David A. O'Neil, President of Seaworthy Systems, Inc., C. Jay Pelliconi, an executive with a noted Wall Street investment bank, Martin Toyen, who will serve as CFO of MTA and Karl Von Frieling, former Senior vice President with HDW Shipyard.

Sea School Declines Union Funding

In order to maintain the integrity of its independent status, Sea School has decided to decline acceptance of funding from the maritime unions for STCW-95 training. Sea School is concerned that the grants provided to the maritime unions by the Federal Department of Labor may be used as a vehicle to promote the cause of unionism within the traditionally non-union marine industry of the Gulf of Mexico.

Union representatives have indicated to mariners inquiring about this no-cost training that they may attend non-union schools if a school sponsored or cooperating with the unions is not acceptably close or available. The unions would pay the non-affiliated school.

Although this funding may be a benefit to smaller schools searching for business, it will have adverse consequences in Sea School's opinion. Oil field workboat owners, with capitol at risk are concerned with the quality of safety training and are satisfied with the existing schools that supply their training now. Most of these oilfield companies have been providing or paying for their employee's training at schools with Coast Guard approved courses.

Boats.Com Founder Becomes CEO

Boats.com's board of directors has expanded the role of Tom Hutton, chairman and co-founder, to CEO.

Hutton's strong experience in the information technology, financial services and marine industries will help boats.com broaden the scope of services that it provides to the recreational marine industry to include finance and insurance products.

Hutton succeeds Rolando Esteverena, a co-founder of the company who will remain on the board of directors.