New CPMD Director

Alan J. Chace heading new Center for Professional Mariner Development.

MMA’S CENTER FOR PROFESSIONAL MARINER DEVELOPMENT (CPMD) training facility in Bucksport has a new director, Alan Chace. The CPMD provides specialized courses for professional mariners, academy-enrolled students, and workforce development.

Alan Chace picture

Alan J. Chace
CPMD Director

Chace brings 27 years of academic and naval experience to the position of CPMD director. A retired United States Naval Commander, he spent 19 years abroad and at sea as an Information Operations Officer and a Foreign Area Officer. His postings included the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, NATO in London, and U.S. Naval Forces in Seoul, Korea.

For the last seven years, he has been involved in higher education as a military professor, professional development coordinator, and a project manager, most recently at Cape Cod Community College in Barnstable, Massachusetts.

“The new Center for Professional Mariner Development supports our mission by providing critical training for our alumni and other professionals while also directly benefiting our undergraduate students by helping to offset tuition costs,” says MMA President William J. Brennan. “Maine Maritime Academy is fortunate to have Alan leading the development of this important new venture.”

Fire training in action.

“I am excited to start up the new center, and to be making local connections,” says Chace. “We began running classes at the new facility in February, and have additional courses planned which we will roll out in line with guidance related to the COVID-19 situation.”

Chace earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Japanese from Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania and his Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island.

The new training center includes an existing 20,000-square-foot administration and instruction building, which houses classrooms, offices, training and simulator spaces, and conference rooms. Following renovations, MMA occupied the property in early February. A state-of-the-art, multi-purpose firefighting training facility will be built on the property in the near future. Courses requiring the use of a pool will continue to be held at the Castine campus.█

PHOTO: BILY R. SIMS, JENNIFER DEJOY
VIDEO: BILLY R. SIMS

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