John Atkins

John Atkins is a 37-year maritime executive with extensive experience that has spanned both Marine Terminal and Ocean Carrier operations alike. In his current role as President of Port Liberty Terminals, he is responsible for the strategic oversight and daily operations of Port Liberty’s two container terminals in New York and New Jersey. Throughout his career he has held senior management positions including posts at CMA and NYK. He maintains a distinctive hands-on approach with a focus on customer service.

Port Liberty Terminals

Michael DiVirgilio

Michael is a maritime industry professional who has held several executive management positions over his 40 year plus career. Much of that time was with NYK Line (North America) as Senior Vice President of marketing and liner management, as well as Senior Vice President of North America sales. In addition, he served as Senior Vice President of Business Development with its subsidiary Ceres Terminals Inc., up until his retirement from the company in 2014.

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Currently, he is principal of MJ DiVirgilio & Associates, a maritime consulting firm. 

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Michael J. DiVirgilio & Associates

Jason Kirin

Jason E. Kirin serves as President of Columbia Group, LLC, an ITI Intermodal Services Company.  Mr. Kirin oversees Columbia’s operations with multiple facilities in the Port of New York/NJ and the Port of Boston. In this position, he is responsible for the overall strategic growth of Columbia’s business lines including P&L management, business development, negotiation of commercial and real estate contracts, human resources, and labor relations. Prior to working for Columbia, Mr. Kirin served as the Manager of Leasing and Property Development in the Port Commerce Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In this role, Mr. Kirin oversaw and managed all real estate leasing activity for the seaport. He earned an undergraduate degree from Drew University and a master’s degree from Rutgers University.​

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Columbia Group

James Mahlmann

Captain James Mahlmann is a Full Branch Pilot and President of the New York Sandy Hook Pilots’
Association where he is licensed to work in New York Harbor, on the East River and in Long Island
and Block Island Sounds. Prior to his term as President, Captain Mahlmann held various

leadership positions on the Sandy Hook Pilots’ Board of Trustees. As President, Captain Mahlmann
oversees the strategic direction of operational and financial business activities. Prior to joining the
Sandy Hook Pilots, Captain Mahlmann earned a B.S. in Marine Engineering and Marine
Transportation from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and sailed deep sea with Master’s, Mates
and Pilots. He has one daughter and lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

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United NY Sandy Hook Pilots’ Association

James Overley

Jamie Overley has been Chief Executive Officer since December of 2010. Jamie joined East Coast in 2008 as Chief Financial Officer.

Jamie has more than 20 years of logistics experience in key leadership roles, and has raised, restructured or refinanced more than $1.1 billion in capital throughout his career. Prior to joining East Coast Warehouse, he was a Partner at Grisanti, Galef and Goldress, where he led several successful corporate turnarounds.

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 Jamie is a member of the Rutgers Board of Advisors – Adult Education and sits on the Board of Directors of the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ. Additionally, he is a member of the NY/NJ Freight Forwarders Association, Bi-State Motor Trucking Association, Traffic Club of New York, and the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce.

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East Coast Warehouse

Michael Stamatis

Jamie Overley has been Chief Executive Officer since December of 2010. Jamie joined East Coast in 2008 as Chief Financial Officer.

Jamie has more than 20 years of logistics experience in key leadership roles, and has raised, restructured or refinanced more than $1.1 billion in capital throughout his career. Prior to joining East Coast Warehouse, he was a Partner at Grisanti, Galef and Goldress, where he led several successful corporate turnarounds.

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 Jamie is a member of the Rutgers Board of Advisors – Adult Education and sits on the Board of Directors of the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ. Additionally, he is a member of the NY/NJ Freight Forwarders Association, Bi-State Motor Trucking Association, Traffic Club of New York, and the Elizabeth Chamber of Commerce.

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Red Hook Container Terminals

Frank Borland

Mr. Borland is currently the President and CFO of Ironbound Intermodal Industries, Inc. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University and has the designation of a Certified Public Accountant.  He is primarily responsible for overseeing the accounting and financial operation of the organization.

Ironbound Intermodal Industries, Inc.

Jake Gilene

Jake Gilene, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of TRAC Intermodal, is responsible for all the company’s commercial activities in North America.

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Prior to joining TRAC, Mr. Gilene served in numerous sales and commercial strategy leadership positions at Brambles Limited where he spent 15 years.

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Mr. Gilene earned his bachelor’s degree in finance while attending Miami University.

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TRAC Intermodal

Steven Kress

Steven J. Kress, Vice President of Operations for McAllister Towing and Transportation with 35 years at McAllister having graduated SUNY Maritime College in 1979. With an Unlimited Tonnage Third Mates License in hand, Steve was recruited by Interlake Steamship Company and proceeded to Toledo, Ohio to receive an “Open Waters” endorsement for the Great Lakes so he could sail and gain the necessary trips to sit for my Unlimited Tonnage First Class Pilots License. Since then, Steve has worked his way up to his current position, volunteering services to the USCG Towing Safety Advisory Committee representing the Tug and Barge Industry, Chairman of the New York Harbor Tug and Barge Committee and the Maritime Association of the Port of NY/NJ as a Director along the way.​

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McAllister Towing & Transportation

Jim McNamara

James A. McNamara is a 41-year veteran public relations executive with the International Longshoremen’s Association, AFL-CIO.  He was appointed Director of Public Relations for the 65,000-member organization in August 1981 by then President Teddy Gleason.  He is responsible for coordinating the public relations and communications program for ILA.  He also serves as Public Relations Director for the ILA’s Atlantic Coast District.

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McNamara is a member of ILA Local 824 since 1981 and has served as delegate for the local to the ILA New York-New Jersey District Council for the past 11 years.

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He currently serves on the Executive Board for the International Maritime Hall of Fame Committee.

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International Longshoremen’s Association

Joseph Ragusa

Joseph Ragusa is the President of Metropolitan Marine Maintenance Contractors’ Association, Inc. (“MMMCA”) in Rutherford, NJ. MMMCA is an employer Association that represents approximately twenty Marine Terminals, Off-Terminal Depot Operators and Maintenance Contractors that perform maintenance and repair of facilities, chassis and equipment, and lashing functions in the Port of New Jersey and New York. Collectively, MMMCA contractors hire approximately 1,100 ILA workers who generate over 3,000,000 man-hours per year.​

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 Joe is the primary management representative in the negotiations and compliance of the MMMCA-ILA Collective bargaining agreements with ILA Locals 1804-1 and 1814. He joined MMMCA and the Metro-ILA Funds in 1997 and has held various progressively responsible positions over the years in the administrative and financial management of the organizations. Joe is also a Trustee on the Metro-ILA Funds, a member of the MMMCA Arbitration Committee, and sits on the Port of NY and NJ’s Council on Port Performance.

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Metropolitan Marine Maintenance Contractors Association

Michael Taylor

Mike Taylor serves as Head of Ports for Equinor’s US Renewables portfolio, where he is responsible for acquiring and developing the port facilities required to support Equinor’s offshore wind activities in the United States. 

Since joining Equinor’s Renewables organization in 2021, Mike has spearheaded Equinor’s engagement with numerous US ports, most notably at its South Brooklyn Marine Terminal offshore wind staging and operations hub in New York City. Mike has also represented Equinor’s US offshore wind and port ambitions on numerous industry panels at offshore wind and maritime events, as well as in dialogue with federal, state, and local agencies.

Equinor Renewables America

Ronald D’Ambrosio

Ronald D’Ambrosio is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Norton Lilly International.  His 40 year plus maritime career has always been focused in the New York Metropolitan area while having many varied national and international responsibilities for the Agency Company.  A graduate of Manhattan College, Bronx N.Y. with a BS in Business Administration, he has been involved with all facets of the maritime industry and looks forward to his role within the Maritime Association of the Port of NY and NJ.  He resides In Pleasantville, NY with his wife Karen and has 2 children and 4 grandchildren.

Norton Lilly International

Joseph Hughes

Joseph E. M. (Joe) Hughes is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SCB, Inc., the Manager of the American P & I Club, a leading provider of liability insurance to global shipping. A graduate of Oxford University and an English barrister by training, he spent the first half of his forty-year career in the United Kingdom and Norway.  Since moving to the United States in 1995, he has overseen the management of the American Club during a period of unprecedented expansion and diversification.  A former President of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey, he is also the Chairman of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association and a member of other boards and committees including those of New York Maritime, Inc., the American Bureau of Shipping and Lloyd’s Register.

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Shipowners Claims Bureau

Dennis Lombardi

Dennis has devoted his whole career to marine transportation and port related logistics. He is currently the President of the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL). The IICL is a trade association, representing lessors of maritime containers and intermodal chassis and is active in technological, educational, safety, environmental, governmental, regulatory, and security issues.

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He’s held leadership positions with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Romark Logistics, and several positions with ocean carriers and consulting firms.

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Dennis holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Transportation from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

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Institute of International Container Lessors

John Nardi

John Nardi was appointed President of the New York Shipping Association in June 2013. He previously served as NYSA’s Executive Vice President since 2012.  In 2018 John was the lead negotiator for the NYSA bargaining a strong six-year collective bargaining agreement between the NYSA and the International Longshoreman’s Association ensuring labor peace in the port through 2024.

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John is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree and earned his Third Mates License. He is a board member of the United States Maritime Alliance, the North American Maritime Safety Association. He has previously served as Chairman of the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management the Maritime Association of the Port of New York & New Jersey, and as a working group member of the World Shipping Council.

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Shipping Association of New York & New Jersey

Brian Rau

Captain Brian Rau is the General Manager for the Vane Brothers Company’s New York Operations.

Brian is a 1999 graduate from SUNY Maritime College earning a B.S. in Marine science and holding a USCG Master of Towing Vessels and 3rd mate’s license.  Upon graduation he sailed on ATB’s for Maritrans as a Chief Mate until 2007 when he took a shoreside operations position for a tug and barge company based in Long Island NY. In 2013, Brian joined the Vane Brothers team in Brooklyn as a Port Captain and was later promoted to GM in 2022. He is responsible for two fleets comprised of thirty-five vessels and approximately two hundred employees. Brian takes part in both the Tow Boat and Harbor Carriers as Vane’s representative and the Harbor Safety, Navigation and Operation’s Committee. He resides in Yaphank, Long Island with his wife Nicole and two children.

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Vane Brothers