Maine Maritime Academy > Alumni > Stay Connected > December 2016

December 2016

December 2016
Alumni Newsletter

Mariners Forever: Check it out! 

The Mariners Forever pages of the Maine Maritime Academy website have been expanded to provide more information and opportunities for you to interact with us. New sections include Your Alumni Association, Alumni Communities, Stay Connected, Yearbooks (electronic copies of every MMA yearbook) and much more.

Share news and pictures. Send an image (the higher the resolution, the better) through Alumni or Class Notes, like the image to the right, thanks to Matt McLaughlin ’95.  Pictured: MMA alumni on the ATB BROWNSVILLE for US Shipping Partners, (L to R) C/E Scott Simpson ’80, 2 A/E Ethan Stubbs ’14, C/E Matt McLaughlin ’95, 1 A/E Mike Rucci ’03, and Captain Sean Eager ’02. Or use the Alumni at Work link to tell us your story, like Todd Cooper ’97 did.

Alumni Directory Update

According to PCI, the company collecting and updating contact information for the 75th Anniversary Alumni Directory, we have nearly 2,000 respondents so far. We know there are many more of you out there, so we ask that you contact PCI if you haven’t already! Please get in touch with PCI by calling 1-800-982-1590 with any questions. For more information, consult the Alumni Directory FAQ page.

Interest in Alumni Gatherings

We’ve heard there is a lot of interest in getting together from alumni who are not in close proximity to established chapters. That’s ok…let’s get together! Contact like-minded folks in your area:

Charleston, SC – Jay Stewart ’00
Upstate NY/VT  – Bill O’Reilly ’86
Washington, DC – Andrew Strosahl ’05
Panama – Mario Carvajal ’13

MMA Alumnus Honored

Clint Haskell ’06 was honored by the Wounded Warrior Project and the NFL prior to the Houston Texans – Jacksonville Jaguars game in Jacksonville, Florida on November 13, 2016. An Addison, Maine native (and Narraguagus High School graduate), Clint joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from MMA in 2006 with a degree in International Business and Logistics.

Clint’s training included Basic Underwater Demolition School, Coronado, California; Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City, Florida; Naval Hospital Corps School (NHCS), Great Lakes, Illinois; Field Medical Service School (FMSS), Camp Johnson, North Carolina; and Operation Emergency Medical School (OEMS), Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Clint completed over 400 combat patrols resulting in 100% accountability and identification of local populace and the establishment of four additional security outposts within the battalion Area of Operation (AO).

 Read More
From the Alumni AssociationMMA Alumni Association Board Action

Due to resignations and vacated board positions, there were three seats open on the Alumni Association Board. Per the bylaws, those seats were filled by a recent Board of Directors vote. The new members are Troy Malbon ’89, Steve Rendall ’96, and Andrew Strosahl ’05.
Read More

Int’l WorkBoat Show
Nov. 30 – Dec. 2, 2016
Morial Convention Center
900 Convention Center Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana

MMA Alumni and Friends Reception
Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, 6 – 9 pm
Plimsoll Room, Westin Canal Place
New Orleans, LA 

So. California Chapter Event
20th Annual Alumni Holiday Gathering
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, 11:30 am
The Fireside Restaurant
San Diego, California
No. California Chapter Event
Monday, Dec. 5, 2016, 6 pm
Buon Gusto Restaurant
So. San Francisco, California
Casco Bay Chapter
Annual Holiday Event
Saturday, Dec. 10, 5 -10 pm
Rusty Scupper, USCG Station
So. Portland, Maine
Alumni Senior Banquet
Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, 5:30 pm
Cross Insurance Center
Bangor, ME
Alumni Ski Event
Friday, March 10, 2017, all day
MMA Spring Break
MMA students welcome!
Black Mountain
Rumford, ME
Reunions:
July 17 – 19, 2017 – Class of ’57
July 24 – 26, 2017 – Class of ’67
August 7 – 9, 2017 – Class of ’62
Homecoming 2017:
September 15 – 17, 2017

Stay in Touch
Steve Ayigah ’06 used the new Stay Connected feature to send us a couple of images. The top photo is a blast from the past, taken in 2007 from Lyttelton, New Zealand, when Steve (middle) was sailing as 3rd A/E with Edison Chouest Offshore. Joining Steve is Nicholas Grimaldi ’06 (left) and Steven Anderson ’06 (right). Bottom, a recent photo from Vigor Shipyard, Portland, Oregon. Steve is back row, far right. Also joining Steve is Nick Martinez ’09, (front row, far right), Nicholas Grimaldi ’06 (front row, center) and Lendall Alexander III ’06 (front row, far left).

Specialty MMA Plate
There has been discussion for a number of years regarding an MMA specialty license plate. The Maine Department of Motor Vehicles process for enacting such a plate is included in a survey we are conducting to determine alumni interest. Read through the process and let us know what you think. Forward the following link it to your fellow alumni and friends of MMA.
License Plate Interest Survey

Labor of Love
John Gasper ’02, parlayed his call of duty and affection for fire trucks into a full-fledged restoration business in Manchester, Connecticut. Thanks for sharing, John.