On July 7, First Officer Bryan Stoots ’10, a civil service mariner with Military Sealift Command, was presented a special act award citation for saving the life of a shipyard forklift driver. Stoots arrived on scene to discover the driver whose left arm had been completely amputated. He provided life-saving first aid by applying a tourniquet and other measures to control the victim’s bleeding, thereby saving his life.

Jess Hewitt ’09 was cited as one of Ten Most Intriguing Mainers by Portland magazine in November. She was one of 14 crew members to survive the sinking of the Bounty, a replica of HMS Bounty used in the original movie Bounty, during Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In the article she recounts her experience in the storm and recovery from its trauma.

“When I’m in that dark hole, I think ‘I survived that, and that was the worst,” Hewitt is quoted. If she carries over the lessons from the experience, “I know that if I keep breathing [as she did while afloat in a survival suit] through any challenge, I’ll survive.”

Hewitt currently works on an oil rig supply vessel.

Jeff Musk ’04 has joined Sprague Operating Resources, LLC in Portsmouth, New Hampshire as Manager, Operational Integrity. Musk will assist Sprague’s terminal, fleet, service and delivery operations with developing a framework of policies and procedures and verifying their effectiveness through internal integrity audits.

He completed his MBA at the University of New Hampshire in 2012 and worked as a senior consultant with Safety Management Systems, LLC prior to joining Sprague.

On his way to completing a 50-mile ride, Steve Pellegrino ’93 shown at rest stop of the 11th Annual Pedal the Penobscot, September 10, benefitting the Bangor Land Trust, which protects unique and valuable local habitats.

Volunteers included John Hackney ’95 and Larry Wade ‘64.

Richard Balzano has been appointed Deputy Maritime Administrator for the Maritime Administration (MARAD).

He obtained his BS degree in engineering from MMA and his graduate degree in general sciences from Johns Hopkins University. Balzano holds active duel USCG licenses and has served 14 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy and 14 years in the U.S. Naval Reserves, into which he has just transferred back.

He has held positions in the defense industrial base sector, commercial maritime industry, commercial nuclear utility industry, as well as professional congressional staff positions.

“I am delighted to be joining the Maritime Administration (MARAD) team,” he says, “as I am, in fact, a product of their programs and policies.”

“At Maine Maritime Academy, I received tuition support from MARAD and trained aboard the TS State of Maine, a MARAD-provided ship. Most importantly, I received my commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve through the Strategic Sealift Officer Program, which led me to rewarding and successful naval and civilian careers.”

MMA President, William Brennan, related this experience from a visit to Balzano’s office in late October:

“Dick has already been impactful at MARAD. Yesterday, as I and the other SMA (State Maritime Academy) presidents were going through security to enter the DOT building in DC, an ambulance crew brought a man in a stretcher out of the elevator, a man I recognized as a MARAD employee.

“We went to the Administrator’s office and learned that the man we just saw in the gurney had had a heart attack in the Administrator’s conference room, whereupon the new Deputy, Richard Balzano, administered CPR and revived the fellow.

“It is incredible to save a life. You can’t have more impact than that.”

Pat Duffy ’88 and Eric F. Smith ’88 on a hunting trip at the Arctic Circle in Alaska.

“What are the chances!” says Paul Freeman ‘87 (left) when he ran into fellow alumnus William “Tex” Crawford ’56 in Paris, France in September.