(PORT JEFFERSON, N.Y.) — Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company President Brian Buckley McAllister recently announced senior management promotions at the ferry.
Founded in 1883, the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company continues to build on its long history of service by advancing experienced maritime leadership for the future. The company transports approximately half a million cars between Connecticut and Long Island every year.
The new promotions are as follows:
Frederick Hall, chief operating officer
Elevated from vice president and general manager, Hall will bring his valued expertise and knowledge to the executive staff. As chief operating officer, Hall will have a C-suite platform to continue his decades of leadership in the maritime industry.
For 50 years the name Fred Hall is synonymous with every aspect of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry. His profound positive impact within the maritime industry, the Long Island/Connecticut business, civic and governmental community serve as a centerpiece to his career.
Perhaps his most notable distinction occurred in 1983. In that year the late Capt. Brian McAllister acquired ownership of the ferry service. Together, with Hall and the McAllister senior management team, they transformed a “sleepy mid-May to mid-October one-vessel service” into a dynamic, year-round ferry service with a modern four-vessel fleet.
Over the past five decades, Hall has fostered a strong sense of teamwork and fidelity to mission among his crew. He recently led the construction and delivery of the new vessel Long Island and the construction of two new office buildings in Port Jefferson. These major achievements will improve the ridership experience and employee well-being for decades to come.
Capt. James McGuire, vice president and general manager
As a master of self-propelled vessels and certified third mate of self-propelled vessels, McGuire has built a 31-year record of service and achievement with the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company and McAllister Towing. Beginning his maritime career first as a dock hand, he quickly advanced through the ranks of ordinary seaman, able-bodied seaman, and deck mate, earning his master’s license in 1999.
A 1996 graduate of SUNY Maritime College, he holds a degree in meteorology and oceanography, with a master’s degree in transportation. In addition to his full-time duties, McGuire serves on the Safety and Security Committee of the Passenger Vessel Association.
Capt. Bruce Topalian, port captain
A holder of two professional, distinct maritime licenses (master of self-propelled vessels and master of towing vessels), Topalian’s 38-year career has witnessed a steady course of advancement in the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company. He has served in myriad duties with exemplary performance.
His credentials include the positions of ordinary seaman, able-bodied seaman, mate, and master. As port captain, Topalian will oversee 10 ferry captains and will be the direct company liaison with the U.S. Coast Guard for all safety and inspection matters. Topalian has his radar endorsement and is CPR trained. In addition to his master’s license, he holds a master of towing vessels.
Capt. Stephen Schmitt, assistant port captain
This well-seasoned master of self-propelled vessels has amassed a distinguished maritime career spanning 39 years at the Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company. Schmitt exemplifies the tradition of the true “hawsepiper”– a mariner who advances through dedication, experience, and hard work. Over the course of his career, he has risen through the ranks from dock hand to ordinary seaman, able-bodied seaman, mate, and ultimately captain.
One of the most notable moments of Schmitt’s career occurred in 2022, when he and his crew were recognized by Bridgeport Hospital for their lifesaving actions during a medical emergency aboard one of the company’s vessels. When a passenger suffered cardiac arrest while underway, Schmitt and his crew quickly responded, utilizing the vessel’s onboard AED to successfully resuscitate the individual. Under Schmitt’s command, the vessel immediately reversed course and returned to the harbor, where emergency medical personnel were waiting dockside. Their swift and decisive actions ensured the passenger received critical medical attention, directly contributing to the passenger’s survival.
In his new role as assistant port captain, Schmitt will support the port captain in overseeing vessel safety, and inspection requirements in coordination with the Coast Guard. He will also assist in the management of the company’s 10 captains.
– Bridgeport and Port Jefferson Steamboat Company
