Seafarers International House Honors Maritime Leaders

Members of the maritime community gathered last evening at the New York Athletic Club to honor three of its leaders: H. Marshall Ainley (President, Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association), Ian T. Blackley (President & CEO, Overseas Ship Management, Inc.) and Raymond J. Burke Jr. (Partner, Burke & Parsons).

These individuals were given the 2016 “Outstanding Friend of Seafarers” Award by Seafarers International House, a Lutheran, non-profit agency serving merchant seafarers in Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Rhode Island, at the organization’s 16th Annual “Setting the Course” Awards Banquet.

* Marshall Ainley was elected president of MEBA in January 2014 and is a 1982 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Maritime Academy in Kings Point, NY. He sailed with the Military Sealift Command for six years and holds a Chief Engineer’s license and a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts in Boston.

* Ian Blackley was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of OSG in January 2015 having served a year earlier as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He holds a Nautical Science degree from Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and a Master Mariner Class 1 license.

* Ray Burke is a partner in the maritime law firm of Burke & Parsons, founded by his father. He is a 1965 graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a 1968 graduate of Fordham University School of Law. Following law school, he served as a line officer in the U.S. Navy for three years in service on the USS Lexington (CVS 16) and ashore in Saigon with the Military Sealift Command.

Following the reception, the 250 banquet guests were offered a choice of grilled steak or salmon and were entertained by the United States Coast Guard Academy Glee Club under the direction of Dr. Robert G. Newton. The invocation was delivered by Rev. Robert A. Rimbo, Bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the

benediction was delivered by Rev. James H, McKinley, retired pastor of the ELCA and President of Seafarers International House.