September 2008: Marine Board Appoints Seven New Members

Jerry A. Bridges is Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority (VPA), responsible for the broad programmatic areas of marketing, development, finance and promotion of Virginia’s marine terminal facilities located in the Hampton Roads harbor – Newport News Marine Terminal, Norfolk International Terminals, and Portsmouth Marine Terminal – and the Virginia Inland Terminal located in Warren County, Virginia. Prior to Mr. Bridges’ arrival at the VPA, he served as Executive Director of the Port of Oakland.

Dr. Mary R. Brooks is a Professor of Marketing and Transportation at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she holds the William A. Black Chair of Commerce. Widely published, she works to improve awareness of management and policy issues in all modes of transportation, particularly for maritime industries and to emphasize the importance of transportation to the North American economy.

Vice Admiral James C. Card (USCG, Ret.) is a consultant to the maritime community based on forty-two years of maritime safety, security and environmental protection experience in the U.S. Coast Guard and the American Bureau of Shipping. He enjoyed a 36-year U.S. Coast Guard career that included the positions as Vice Commandant, Commander of the Pacific Area, and Assistant Commandant for Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection.

Stephen M. Carmel is Senior Vice President of Maersk Line, Limited, responsible for all operating activities of an international marine transportation company that operates 66 U.S. and Marshall Island flagged vessels in trades including liner container service, tramp breakbulk, ro/ro, bulk/grain, clean product tanker, and military special purpose.

Captain Douglas J. Grubbs has been a commissioned River Port Pilot with the Crescent River Port Pilots Association in New Orleans since 1970, and congressional liaison for his Association. Captain Grubbs was the principal architect of the New Orleans Vessel Traffic Safety System and Vessel Traffic Center (VTC), and now serves as the Pilot Coordinator for the New Orleans VTC in addition to his duties as a full time river pilot.

Frederick J. Harris is president of General Dynamics NASSCO and a vice president of General Dynamics Corporation, positions he assumed in January 2006. Prior to that, Mr. Harris was the senior vice president of programs at General Dynamics Electric Boat, where he was responsible for the execution of all submarine design, construction, and repair programs.

Thomas M. Leschine is the Director of the University of Washington School of Marine Affairs and specializes in environmental policy, with an emphasis on the use of scientific and technical information in environmental decision making. His research interests include coastal ecosystem and marine pollution management, maritime safety including oil spill prevention and response, and the long-term management of hazards associated with radioactive and other long-lived wastes.

Reappointed to second 3-year terms on the Marine Board are Patrick E. O’Connor, the E&P Structural Segment Technical Authority for BP America, Inc. and Robert (Bob) W. Portiss, Port Director for the Tulsa Port of Catoosa and General Manager for the Tulsa Port of Catoosa Facilities Authority.