Crowley names team for Ship Assist and Escort Services Group

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Crowley Maritime Corp. has named Rob Grune vice president and general manager of the company's newly formed Ship Assist and Escort Services Group based in Seattle.

He reports to Tom Crowley Jr., president and CEO of Crowley Maritime.

Reporting to Grune are Ed McCain, director of marine operations; Alex Sweeny, vice president and general manager of Valdez Services; Todd Busch, newly promoted director of sales in the Seattle office; Jerry Gasparo, manager of tug dispatch in San Pedro; Scott Hoggarth, Puget Sound manager of tug dispatch; and Jeff Andreini, recently promoted director of finance, also based in Seattle.

Grune began his career with Texaco Inc. as an officer on its U.S. flag tanker fleet and has been with Crowley in various management positions since 1995. He is a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and has a master's in business administration from Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C.

Ship Assist and Escort Services has advanced tugs capable of assisting the largest ships in the world with operations in San Diego, Los Angeles-Long Beach, Puget Sound and Valdez, where Crowley is the sole marine contractor for Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.

The Ship Assist and Escort Services Group has also responsibility for Crowley's role with Marine Response Alliance, of which Crowley is a founding member. The alliance is a joint venture with Marine Pollution Control and provides OPA 90 coverage for rescue towing, lightering, salvage and firefighting in every U.S. Captain of the Port Zone.