Crowley announced changes in leadership and company organization involving its logistics, technical services and marine salvage business lines.
Rinus Schepen, Crowley's senior vice president and general manager of logistics, has announced his retirement effective in June 2009. Schepen, a 20-year Crowley veteran, has been a significant contributor to the company's success and will continue to work for Crowley on special assignments in retirement.
To build on the momentum established within the logistics unit, Steve Collar will become senior vice president and general manager for the group effective Jan. 1, 2009. Collar is currently serving as senior vice president and general manager of technical services. He will work closely with Schepen during the first half of the year to ensure a smooth transition of business activities and customer relationships.
Todd Busch, vice president of Titan Salvage, will be promoted to senior vice president and general manager of technical services effective Jan. 1. In his new role he will retain management responsibility for Titan and assume additional responsibility for government services, ship management, new vessel construction and naval architecture.
Collar and Busch will both be domiciled in Jacksonville and report to Tom Crowley, chairman, president and CEO. Both gentlemen bring a wealth of experience and management talent to their new roles.
Collar joined Crowley in 1977 as a deckhand and throughout his career, has been exposed to many facets of the Crowley organization. He has worked in positions of increasing responsibility in engineering, dispatch, terminal management, cargo operations, marine operations and petroleum operations. In 1996, he was named director of technical services before transferring to general manager of oil transportation. Later he served as vice president of bulk petroleum and chemical transportation.
Busch joined Crowley in 1987 as an ordinary seaman and since that time served aboard company tugs as a chief mate. He came ashore in 1994 as a dispatcher; and has held a variety of other positions with increasing responsibility. He has been responsible for the company's marine services contract business, overseeing pricing and the negotiating of contracts, as well as the commercial activities for Crowley's emergency services, and the U.S. Navy salvage contract. He was named vice president of Titan in Oct. 2005. Busch also serves as a director, representing Crowley and Titan on the board of the Marine Response Alliance LLC. Prior to joining Crowley, he sailed with the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association. He holds two licenses: Master, 100 Gross Tons Inspected Vessels, and Mate, 200 Gross Tons Inspected Vessels.
Also, Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that Jim Gillen has been promoted to vice president of engineering for the company's petroleum services, marine services and petroleum distribution groups. Gillen, who remains domiciled in Jacksonville, now reports to both John Douglass, senior vice president and general manager, Atlantic/Gulf services, and Rocky Smith, senior vice president and general manager, Pacific/Alaska services.
Reporting to Gillen under Crowley's unified group of engineering support are Bill Metcalf, responsible for directing West Coast engineering including all of Alaska; Paul Vidal, responsible for directing East Coast ATB and Gulf Coast engineering; and Ray Mann, responsible for managing Crowley's four, ocean-going tankers.
"Jim's background in port engineering and terminal and marine operations makes him a
