The motivated and energetic alumni base around our nation’s capital gathered for a tailgate party at the Maine Maritime Academy vs. Catholic University Cardinals football game on Saturday, November 10. Josh Collamer and Jason Grabelle, both class of 1998, hosted some 30 alumni, family, friends and academy officials, welcoming our football team on its initial visit to DC. Larry Burrill ’77 was honorary team captain during pregame coin flip, along with his business partner Joe Carlini (Catholic University alumnus). The previous evening, Burrill hosted a reception for area alumni at the Army Navy Club, a private, Five-Star Platinum Club on Washington, DC’s historic Farragut Square. It was a great event.

Representatives from the chapter, in collaboration with the Alumni Relations Office, are working to create an MMA license plate. Initial steps are to design a series of plate mockups that would gain approval of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, create a robust marketing plan, and collect 2,000 pre-registrations (Maine vehicles only) at $25 per registration, within a 2-year period.

If approved by the Maine Legislature the initiative is estimated to add $28,000 to the Alumni Association scholarship fund.

Once approved by the Maine Legislature, the initiative is estimated to add a minimum of $28,000 to the MMA Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

Further details will be shared in upcoming editions of Shipmate, with an initiative launch announcement targeted for August 2019.

Some 40 MMA alumni, family and friends attended the Admiral’s Cup football game tailgate event at Massachusetts Maritime Academy during their Homecoming on Saturday, September 15. Beautiful weather welcomed us to the Buzzard’s Bay campus for our special Maine clam chowder and a great spread of catered foods and favorite beverages by Red’s Pizza of Harwich, Massachusetts. The Buccaneers maintained the Admiral’s Cup with a 22-7 victory over our Mariners. Thanks to Sam Rowe ’65 and Al Lay ’75 for helping to get the word out.

Message from John “Chip” Callan, ’88: “Dear Tidewater Area MMA Alumni and Friends of MMA, With the change in seasons comes the change in the leadership for the Tidewater Area MMA Alumni Chapter. Mike Ward ’10 has cordially assumed the leadership position for our Alumni Chapter. I am fully confident Mike will enhance and improve the camaraderie of the chapter by bringing renewed energy to take us in the right direction. I hope you will continue to look for opportunities to volunteer and support Mike and the chapter. As I step down, I want to thank each of you for your participation and support of the chapter and future graduates of Maine Maritime Academy…”

Maine Maritime and Massachusetts Maritime co-hosted an annual alumni reception at the Westin Hotel, New Orleans on November 29 during the 2018 International WorkBoat Show. Jeff Wright, Alumni Relations Director, gave a briefing on the state maritime academy National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV)program, a MARAD initiative to replace our aging training ships. Special thanks to Richard “Dicky” Balzano ’89, Deputy Director of MARAD, for providing Jeff the key talking points regarding NSMV specifications, funding status and proposed timeline.

The southern Maine and New Hampshire area chapter held its annual Alumni Scholarship Scramble on September 27. More than 100 golfers raised almost $20,000 to support deserving students attending MMA.

The Seacoast Chapter has two endowed awards. The first is the Capt. Thomas Smith Award, given annually to the Cadet Captain of the TS State of Maine. Smith graduated in 1967 and sailed the world for Lykes Lines. He was a founding member of the Seacoast Chapter and served for many years as its treasurer.

The second is the Paul Mercer Award, which goes each year to the Cadet Chief Engineer. Paul Mercer ’73 served as Director of Alumni Relations for many years, and just recently retired as the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Mercer has been a good friend to the chapter and a mentor and teacher to many alumni.

The winning team was comprised of alumni from the class of 1986 (shown above): John “JP” Paulsen, Mark Eisenhaur, Shawn Longfellow, and Craig Burpee. The Seacoast Scholarship Scramble is held the Thursday before Homecoming in the Southern Maine/New Hampshire area.

Each year the chapter also awards four additional scholarships to deserving students. This year’s recipients were: Chloe Smedley, junior, International Business & Logistics student, Wells, Maine; Nicholas Parker, senior, Marine Transportation Operations student, Newmarket, New Hampshire; Sheldon Parent, sophomore, Marine Engineering Technology student, Dayton, Maine; and Christopher Brassard, senior, International Business & Logistics student, Wells, Maine.

Offering an opportunity to eat Maine lobster (a.k.a. “lobsta”) and connect with other local alumni is just too good to pass up. That was the case again on July 28 at ZLAC Rowing Club in Pacific Beach overlooking Sail Bay and Crown Point peninsula in San Diego, California. Approximately 50 MMA alumni, family and friends representing classes from 1943-2 to 2015 and other maritime colleges participated in the 39th Annual Lobsterfest sponsored by the Southern California Chapter.

In addition to MMA alumni, the chapter hosted guests from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, California Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and SUNY Maritime College.

The event was a special opportunity to celebrate Carlton Hutchins’ 95th birthday (MMA ’43-2) and the 18th birthday of Carlton’s granddaughter, Jasmine. Carlton was one of the founding members of the chapter. Frank Tepedino ’58 provided another of his handsomely crafted ship models for a raffle in support of the event. This year’s model of the Mayflower was won by Alex Waller ’15.

The Bath, Maine area chapter met November 15, 2018 at the China Rose Restaurant in Brunswick. The guest speaker was Craig Cunningham, Founder of Maine Manufacturing LLC in Sanford, Maine, who is now working on research and development on high efficiency hydrogen technology. It was an interesting discussion about hydrogen development and how it will change future energy needs on a global scale. Engineering professor Rich Kimball was in attendance, accepting an invitation extended to MMA faculty by Al Leeman ’92 and Leo Hill ’79.