(JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; October 7, 2009) Crowley Maritime Corporation announced today that it has restructured its marine personnel department to work more closely with its labor relations group. The move promotes Margaret Reasoner to managing director and gives her responsibility for developing programs, policies and procedures specifically for Crowley’s vessel personnel. Reasoner will report to Steve Demeroutis, vice president, labor relations.
Scott Craig, director West Coast/Alaska, who now reports to Reasoner, will continue to have responsibility for the Seattle, Long Beach, Valdez and Anchorage crewing locations that service operations from southern California to northwestern Alaska encompassing more than 70-crewed vessels and 800-plus mariners.
Ira Douglas has been promoted to director East Coast and Gulf also reporting to Reasoner. Douglas will have day-to-day responsibility for more than 65-crewed vessels and approximately 1,200 mariners in locations from Lake Charles, La. to Petty’s Island, N.J., including deep sea and towing operations that encompass tankers, container ships, government and commercially owned vessels as well as Crowley’s new 750 series ATB fleet.
Reasoner began her career with Crowley in 1983 as a cadet aboard the tug Guardian before working her way up to captain aboard various vessels. She still holds the honor of being the first female captain within the Crowley fleet to sail with an all female crew. Reasoner is a 1984 graduate of the California Maritime Academy.
Reasoner came ashore with Crowley in 1998 as senior port captain for San Francisco Bay and the northern California coast dealing primarily with petroleum tug and barge and ship assist operations. She also had responsibility for the business management of Clean Pacific, Oil Spill Response Organization, a former Crowley alliance that included ship assist and salvage operations in Eureka. In 2005, Margaret joined the technical management group as senior port captain handling operations, safety and security for Crowley’s managed ships. She also coordinated aspects of the Ocean Ranger and missile tracking ship contracts.
Before joining Crowley, Reasoner worked as a marine consultant, harbor master, marine facilities inspector, management trainee and stowage coordinator. She also taught navigation and vessel handling courses as a professor at California Maritime Academy.
Craig joined Crowley in 1975 as mate and participated in sealifts and common carrier cargo and petroleum services in Alaska. In 1987, he was promoted to captain and served in the Puget Sound ship assist and escort and petroleum transportation service. Craig came ashore as senior port captain in 1998 in charge of the towed-petroleum fleet and became operations manager for the ship assist and escort group in 2005. He also supervised the marine crewing staff until the creation of the marine personnel department earlier this year.
Craig holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A University in Marine Transportation and a MBA from the University of Washington.
Douglas joined Crowley in 2006 as representative, marine recruiter in Jacksonville where he was responsible for organizing and effecting Crowley’s recruiting efforts of sea-going personnel. Ira sailed as Third Assistant Engineer for three years with both the AMO and MEBA. He is a 2003 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marine engineering systems. He also holds an unlimited horsepower Second Assistant Engineer license for diesel engines and Third Assistant Engineer for steam and turbine engines.
Crowley’s new marine personnel department was developed to take a corporate-wide view of the company’s marine resources. It is dedicated to personnel development that standardizes policy and procedures, prioritizes required training and focuses on retention and promotion of qualified mariners to ensure company durability.
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.
