(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; October 7, 2009) Crowley Maritime Corporation announced today that Charlie Nalen has been named general manager of the company’s Valdez operation. In his new position, Nalen will be responsible for the entirety of Crowley’s marine operations in Valdez including ship assist and escort services for Alyeska Pipeline Service Company’s Ship Escort/Response Vessel System (SERVS). He will report to Bruce Harland, vice president of contract services, Alaska and will relocate from Jacksonville, Fla. to Valdez.
“Charlie has helped to position Crowley as an industry leader in safety and environmental protection,” said Harland. “He has taken the corporation to new heights and has earned a tremendous amount of respect from both Crowley customers and industry officials. We are very much looking forward to him bringing that know-how and focus to the Valdez operation where safety is paramount.”
Nalen has held a number of related positions during his 29 years with Crowley. He joined the company in 1980 as manager of loss control for Crowley’s California division. In the years that followed, he assumed positions of increasing responsibility in the risk management and loss control areas of the corporation.
In 1990, Nalen was promoted to vice president of risk management and environmental affairs for Crowley’s Pacific division, and in 1991, became vice president of environmental affairs for the corporation. He assumed his position as vice president, ESQA (Environmental Safety Quality Assurance) for the corporation in 1994. Nalen is a Thomas Crowley Trophy recipient, Crowley Maritime Corporation’s highest honor. Nalen is widely credited with helping to implement an environmental management system and for spearheading and fast-tracking ISO and ISM certification processes for Crowley operations and vessels on both coasts and internationally. Customers rely on these certificates to ensure Crowley’s quality systems are in place and working effectively. This quality verification has also enabled Crowley to expand its scope of services and become the preferred vendor for many customers. In 2008, Nalen was named Signal Mutual’s first ever Safety Professional of the Year. The award honors safety professionals from Signal Mutual insured companies who are instrumental in helping initiate and develop outstanding safety performance within their respective companies.
Prior to joining Crowley, Nalen worked as the Director of Vocational Education for the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship, a Seafarers International Union (SIU) training facility in Piney Point, Md.. He was a teacher and administrator at the school for eight years. Before that, he sailed as a second and third engineer for five years on various tankers.
Nalen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education from the University of Maryland, and a Third Assistant Engineer’s License from the Calhoon School of Engineering in Baltimore.
Since 1953, Crowley has provided various marine, petroleum distribution, and energy support services in Alaska – from the North Slope to South central Alaska and both coastal and inland communities including those along the Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers – and today has offices and operations throughout the state with more than 650 employees. During the past half century, Crowley has consistently provided unique solutions to Alaska’s logistics and marine transportation challenges and played an important role in Alaska’s business development and in protecting its environment. The company began handling fuel and freight in 1896 as Black Navigation, sailing in Prince William Sound and expanding service to the Yukon and Tanana Rivers in 1916.
Jacksonville-based Crowley Holdings Inc., a holding company of the 117-year-old Crowley Maritime Corporation, is a privately held family and employee-owned company. The company provides diversified transportation and logistics services in domestic and international markets by means of six operating lines of business: Puerto Rico/Caribbean Liner Services, Latin America Liner Services, Logistics Services, Petroleum Services, Marine Services and Technical Services. Offered within these operating lines of business are the following services: liner container shipping, logistics, contract towing and transportation; ship assist and escort; energy support; salvage and emergency response through its TITAN Salvage subsidiary; vessel management; vessel construction and naval architecture through its Jensen Maritime subsidiary; government services, and petroleum and chemical transportation, distribution and sales. Additional information about Crowley, its subsidiaries and business units may be found on the Internet here.
