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Wednesday Speakers

KARL C. GONZALES is President of the Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, Inc. and Vice President of Operations for Cooper-Marine, a division of the COOPER GROUP of companies.  Prior, Mr. Gonzales served as clerk to the Honorable Douglas A. Allen and the Honorable James M. Lockhart, Jr., Judges of the First Parish Court for the Parish of Jefferson, Louisiana.  In 1981, Mr. Gonzales was hired as Vice President and thereafter elected as President of RLB Boat Company, Inc. and Mid-Gulf Transportation Company, Inc. both of Harvey, Louisiana. From November 1985 until August 2017, Mr. Gonzales was Vice President –Operations and later became Executive Vice President of Gulf South Marine Transportation, Inc., a local marine towing company, and also held those same positions with Gulf South Marine Brokers, Inc., a local marine brokerage company.  Mr. Gonzales currently serves (appointed) on several maritime related committees, including the United States Coast Guard-Lower Mississippi River Waterway Safety Advisory Committee (LMRWSAC), United States Coast Guard-Sector New Orleans- Area Maritime Security Executive Committee (AMSC), and as a member of the United States Coast Guard-Sector New Orleans Port Coordination Team (PCT).  He is a former Vice President of The Mariner’s Club of the Port of New Orleans and is active in several other marine-related and charitable organizations.

ALAN J. SAVOIE, Seminar Co-Director and past president of the Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, is a consultant for the Cooper Group of Companies. He has served in many capacities in the marine industry since 1977.  Mr. Savoie is formerly co-owner of Marine Centre, Inc., Kathryn Rae Towing, Inc. and LSK Towing, Inc., all local towing companies.  Mr. Savoie has served in numerous GNOBFA capacities over the years. 

THOMAS G. GRANTHAM is Vice President of the Greater New Orleans Barge Fleeting Association, Seminar Co-Director, and Continuing Education Coordinator.  Prior to joining the marine industry in 1990, he served six years in the United States Navy Nuclear Power Program.  Employed by Capital Fleet in 1990, he served as vice president of Capital Fleet until the company was acquired by Ingram Barge in 2008.  Mr. Grantham is now a manager of vessel engineering for Ingram vessels in the Gulf area.  He is a licensed vessel operator and holds a tankerman endorsement issued by USCG.  He is a member of East Baton Rouge Local Emergency Planning Committee, American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War organizations.  Mr. Grantham has served on various GNOBFA committees and in different capacities since 1999.

MAURICE C. HEBERT, JR., ESQ., Seminar Moderator Emeritus, formerly an attorney with Liskow & Lewis, APLC, retired in 2004, but maintains his license to practice law and engage in special projects, mediation, and arbitration.  He graduated from LSU in 1959 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.  He is a professional and registered Electrical and Environmental Engineer, (Retired) in the State of Louisiana.  He graduated from Loyola University School of Law in 1966.  He served as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge Richard Putnam.  Mr. Hebert is admitted to numerous state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.  Mr. Hebert has served on numerous marine educational boards for both industry and educational institutions.  He is a member of the GNOBFA Advisory Board and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Association of Waterways Operators and Shipyards (L.A.W.S.).  He has been a speaker at numerous maritime and law related seminars, is the Co-Founder of the River and Marine Industry Seminar and has served as moderator of all of the prior River and Marine Industry Seminars.

MARC C. HEBERT, ESQ., Seminar Moderator, is a senior partner with Jones Walker and practices with the Maritime, Corporate, Litigation, and Government Relations groups. He is a member of the GNOBFA Seminar Committee, Greater New Orleans Port Safety Council Chairman 2011, 2016 to 2019 and currently serves as Chair Ex-Officio, serves on the Southern Yacht Club Junior Sailing Activities Committee, serves as Legal Counsel to the Mississippi Valley Trade & Transport Council (Board Member and Vice Chair 2006 to September 2016), and is certified/trained in Marine Incident Investigation and Root Cause Analysis (SafeMARINER, LLC).  From 1995 to 2002, he worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Government Reform and Oversight Subcommittee on National Economic Growth, Natural Resources, and Regulatory Affairs and was appointed in 2019 by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross to serve on the Louisiana District Export Council. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law from 2002-2005. Mr. Hebert graduated from Tulane University in 1991 with a B.A. in Economics, received his J.D. from Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans in 1994, and earned his LL.M. in Environmental Law from The National Law Center, George Washington University in Washington, D.C. in 1996.  He is admitted to practice in Louisiana and Virginia, the District of Columbia, Federal Court in the Southern District of Texas, and before the U.S. Court of International Trade.

REAR ADMIRAL DAVID C. BARATA serves as Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District and is responsible for Coast Guard operations spanning 26 states, including the Gulf of Mexico coastline from the Florida panhandle to United States border with Mexico, the adjacent offshore waters and outer continental shelf, and the inland waterways of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee River systems.

His previous Flag assignment was as Commander of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center, where he was responsible for executing the Coast Guard’s human resource policies. In this role, he led projects focused on recruiting, accessing, assigning, developing careers, maintaining well-being, compensating, separating, and retiring the nearly 45,000 members of the active duty and reserve military workforces.

RDML Barata’s prior field assignments included serving as Commanding Officer of Activities Europe, as well as tours at Sector Jacksonville, Marine Safety Office Providence, and Marine Safety Office Miami where he served for over 13 years in various capacities conducting marine safety, Office in Charge of Marine Inspection/Captain of the Port (OCMI/COTP), prevention, and incident response/emergency management missions. RDML Barata also served as the plank owner Executive Officer of Maritime Safety and Security Team Boston (MSST 91110) and as Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC SENECA (WMEC 906).

RDML Barata’s staff assignments include Director, Inspections and Compliance (CG-5PC), Deputy Director, Marine Transportation Systems (CG-5PW), Chief, Office of Budget and Programs (CG-82), AC&I Coordinator and Program Reviewer (CG-821), and Senior Marine Safety/Prevention Assignment Officer at the former CG Personnel Command (CGPC OPM-2).

RDML Barata is a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Management. RDML Barata earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, RI, in 2014 and served as a Senior Military Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in Washington, DC, from 2014-2015.

RDML Barata’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit (4), the Meritorious Service Medal (4), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (2), the 9/11 Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, and the Coast Guard Achievement Medal. He was selected as the Navy League Southeastern MA/RI Junior Officer of the Year in 2001.

 RDML Barata is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He and his wife, Barbara have three children, James, Caroline, and Annie.

TREVOR BARDARSON PT, OCS graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy from the University Of Manitoba, Canada in 1994. He is a Board Certified Orthopedic Physical Therapy Specialist, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, is a Certified Spine Specialist, is a Certified Functional Capacity Evaluator and is also a Certified Ergonomic Specialist. He is currently the Training Director for the WorkSaver FCE Protocol and is an instructor for the Certified Behavioral Based Ergonomic Specialist training program. Mr. Bardarson is the President of WorkSaver Employee Testing Systems and Clinic Director/Partner of ISR Physical Therapy LLC.

Mr. Bardarson has performed many thousands of functional capacity evaluations (FCEs). As a result he is recognized as an expert in physical therapy, functional testing and occupational health in federal, state and workers’ compensation courts. Mr. Bardarson has also performed hundreds of ergonomic evaluations and physical demand validations including onshore and offshore environments.

As President of WorkSaver Employee Testing Systems, Mr. Bardarson coordinates WorkSaver Employee Testing Systems’ administrative functions. He is well known for a broad depth of knowledge in health issues, especially as they pertain to orthopedic and neurological disorders, for his organization skills, excellent management style and most sincere dedication to providing WorkSaver Employee Testing Systems’ clients and affiliates with the most excellent support and service available.

Mr. Bardarson coordinates WorkSaver services with industries, and directs his staff of nurses to conduct quality assurance reviews of all WorkSaver Fit-For-Duty evaluations and ADA-Compliant New Hire Evaluations. He is instrumental in making certain that all functional testing runs smoothly and efficiently. When required, he ensures that testing guidelines and policies are updated and followed by all WorkSaver clinics. He is also in charge of working with new client acquisitions and helping industries understand the proven benefits of WorkSaver) services.

BRIAN BOURGEOIS, M.D. is a graduate of the LSU School of Medicine. He was trained at LSU’s Department of Surgery and is board certified General Surgeon. He has practiced general surgery and occupational / industrial medicine on the Westbank of New Orleans and Jefferson since 1999. Dr. Bourgeois is a board member of the Jefferson Parish Medical Society and the Louisiana State Medical Society. He is a licensed medical review officer (MRO) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is also one of very few doctors in the state certified in the management of dive-related injuries and diver physicals. He is member of the ADCI Committee that created the current code of medical standards for divers. Dr. Bourgeois also actively trains and educates offshore medics and dive medical technicians.

JASON A. CULOTTA, ESQ. is a partner in Jones Walker’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. Jason is an active member of both the trade secrets/non-competes and wage and hour litigation teams. Jason litigates complex commercial and employment matters that involve breach-of-contract claims, business torts, non-compete disputes, trade secret violations, fraud claims, fiduciary duty actions, defamation claims, invasion-of-privacy claims, wage-and-hour disputes, Title VII claims, and appellate advocacy. He regularly litigates these types of cases in state and federal court and has been on trial teams that have not only successfully obtained and fended off injunctions, but also prevailed on the merits at trial. Jason also is actively involved in pro bono matters and has represented indigent clients in criminal and immigration matters involving unaccompanied minors and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status.

JUDGE ANDREW EDISON is a United States Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Texas — Galveston Division. He earned his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. Prior to taking the bench in 2018, Judge Edison was a highly respected trial lawyer, appearing for the past 25 years in state courts, federal courts and arbitration panels across the country. He lectures frequently at various continuing legal education seminars and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center, teaching Remedies and Trial Advocacy. Outside the law, Judge Edison is an avid sports fan and can often be found attending sports events all over the globe. Although he is not blessed with much athletic ability, Judge Edison has managed to run–and complete–five marathons, including the Boston Marathon.

PATRICK J. MANNION is a licensed Master Mariner in the United States Merchant Marine with greater than 20 years of experience in maritime operations, logistics and safety. His industry experience includes serving as CEO of two maritime companies, Director of Regulatory Compliance for the largest privately held passenger ferry operator in the Americas and as a consultant specializing in maritime safety.

In 2005 Mr. Mannion was selected to serve as Director of the United States Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service for the Port of New York and New Jersey. He was responsible for ensuring navigational safety for all vessels operating in one of the largest and most iconic ports in the United States.

In 2010, Mr. Mannion was selected to serve as U.S. Coast Guard Regulatory Project Manager, creating federal regulations to promote maritime safety and security. As Alternate Designated Federal Officer to the National Offshore Safety Advisory Committee and the Towing Safety Advisory Committee he established strong partnerships between government and industry resulting in numerous improvements to maritime safety.  As Executive Chair of the U.S. Coast Guard / Offshore Marine Services Association Partnership and of the U.S. Coast Guard / Association of Diving Contractors International Partnership, Mr. Mannion harnessed the expertise of industry to advance the mutual goals of commerce and maritime safety in the energy production and support industry.

In November 2013, Mr. Mannion was selected to serve as the U.S. Coast Guard Drug and Alcohol Prevention and Inspection Program Manager. His focus is to promote maritime and public safety by reducing the incidences of adverse drug and alcohol use while elevating the competency and safety of the maritime workforce.

Mr. Mannion is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard to serve as Shipboard Medical Officer, Certificated Substance Abuse Free Environment Provider and a Substance Abuse Screening and Diagnosis Provider, Level 1 & 2. He is a qualified DOT Collector and Breath Alcohol Technician.

THOMAS KENT MORRISON, ESQ. is a partner with Phelps Dunbar, LLP having joined the firm in 1998 after obtaining his J.D. from Tulane University’s School of Law.  He holds an AV rating, is admitted to practice in all of the courts in Louisiana and regularly represents clients in jurisdictions throughout the Gulf South.  Mr. Morrison previously served on the Board of Directors for the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and is a member of the FBA, the Maritime Law Association and the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute.  He practices in the areas of transportation, energy, maritime law, and general litigation handling cases involving commercial disputes, casualties, torts, cargo claims, collisions, personal injuries, property damage, and contractual defense and indemnity demands for maritime employers, vessel owners, longshore employers, energy companies, dock and terminal owners and their various underwriters.  He also provides representation with respect to coverage issues involving a broad range of energy, marine, general liability, pollution, excess and umbrella insurance policies.  Mr. Morrison has represented his clients both locally and nationally in state and federal courts in all aspects of litigation. He has considerable trial experience and has handled the resolution of innumerable cases through private mediation and court sponsored settlement conferences.

W. SPENCER MURPHY joined Canal Barge Company in May 2006 and was named Vice President of Risk Management in December 2010 and General Counsel in February 2014. He manages Canal Barge Company’s legal work, claims handling, regulatory compliance, and external relations. Spencer is a past President of the Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA) and has also served on the Framework Development Team for the State of Louisiana’s Coastal Restoration Master Plan. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) and is the President of the Louisiana Association of Waterway Operators and Shipyards (LAWS). 

Prior to joining Canal Barge Company, Spencer was Contracts Director with Intermarine, LLC in New Orleans, where he was primarily responsible for the company’s legal and insurance affairs. He also worked in the Admiralty Law section of the Phelps Dunbar law firm in New Orleans. 

Spencer graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in American History and earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School, cum laude, in 1996, with a Certificate of Specialization in Admiralty & Maritime Law.

DR. ANGIE PEREZ is a Senior Toxicologist at CTEH, an emergency response and disaster recovery firm, and a Certified Industrial Hygienist (Cert # 12489) through the Board for Global EHS Credentialing. Dr. Perez earned her doctorate in Toxicology from Oregon State University and conducted postdoctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco, in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry.  She has over 19 years of experience in the field of toxicology, chemical exposure assessment, and human health risk assessment. Her focal research and field experience includes evaluation of exposures and potential health risks of air- and waterborne contaminants, evaluation of impairment with drugs and alcohol, and exposure and health risk assessment of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).  Dr. Perez is published on the topic of toxicology of recreational drugs, has presented as an invited speaker at national and state seminars more than a dozen times on the topic of cannabis impairment, and is active in recreational drug-related litigation matters. Dr. Perez directs the CTEH response office for the Pacific Northwest and she and her son are located in Portland, Oregon.

KRISTI A. POST, ESQ. is an attorney with Blake Jones Law Firm, L.L.C. in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Her practice is primarily comprised of cases involving serious maritime injuries and fatalities, auto and commercial vehicular accidents, traumatic brain injuries, premises liability and Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act cases in numerous state and federal courts as well as administrative agencies.  Ms. Post has over 35 years of trial experience and has successfully litigated cases involving such diverse areas as the kidnapping of offshore workers by militant forces in Nigeria, casino gaming vessels, Hurricane Katrina insurance litigation, crane failures, aviation accidents, commercial diving accidents and one case involving a derrick barge capsizing and the dramatic rescue if its divers during a hurricane off the Yucutan Peninsula which became the subject of the novel All the Men in the Sea.  She was also recently appointed as a member of the Claimants’ Executive Committee in the SEACOR POWER liftboat case.  Kristi is an Associate Professor of Trial Advocacy at Tulane Law School and is one of only 25 attorneys in the State of Louisiana board certified in civil trial law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.  She received her J.D. and LL.M. in Admiralty from Tulane Law School and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Louisiana State Bar Association.

GUERRIC S. D. L. RUSSEL, ESQ is an attorney at Nicoletti Hornig & Sweeney. He has extensive nationwide experience in jury and nonjury trials in both federal and state courts, appeals and arbitrations. He represents corporations and individuals alike, including underwriters, vessel owners and operators, marinas, terminals, dock facilities, ports, shipyards and marine construction companies. Guerric’s litigation practice focuses on maritime and commercial matters primarily in the areas of marine casualties, personal injury, property damage, limitation of liability, cargo damage, pollution, and products liability. Guerric also routinely advises clients on marine insurance coverage issues under hull, protection & indemnity, pollution, and commercial liability policies. In addition, Guerric is often retained to draft or revise insurance policies and a wide range of commercial contracts.

RAYMOND WAID, ESQ is a Shareholder at Liskow in New Orleans. He is a maritime lawyer and veteran-naval officer focused on helping companies in the marine and energy sector. Vessel owners, operators and others involved in the marine and energy sector rely on Ray’s advice and aggressive advocacy. They turn to him because he has the unique experience of operating a vessel at sea combined with a successful and diverse practice devoted to admiralty and maritime law, including both litigation and contracts.

Ray’s experience is vital in the high-pressure environment immediately after marine casualties, when companies need a lawyer to quickly identify the legal issues, know what questions to ask, and what actions to take in order to put companies in the best position. This same experience makes him a highly effective advocate in marine and energy cases involving personal injury, property damage, and economic loss. As a full-time maritime lawyer, he has successfully handled the gambit of cases, including collision, allision, cargo, pollution, salvage, and injury cases.

Thursday Speakers

CHRIS ALLARD is a Chief Executive Officer at Metal Shark Boats. Mr. Allard is a Long Island, NY native and attended the premiere institution for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Webb Institute in Glen Cove, NY. After graduating Webb, Mr. Allard joined American Marine Holdings (AMH), the parent company of Donzi and ProLine boats, first to oversee Engineering, but later built a successful Government line of business at AMH Government Services. In 2006, Mr. Allard partnered with Jimmy Gravois, owner of Gravois Aluminum Boats to acquire Metal Shark. He has grown into a thriving Government contractor, delivering more than $50M of boats annually to all branches of the US Armed Forces as well as many state, local and international law enforcement agencies.

REAR ADMIRAL WAYNE R. ARGUIN JR. serves as the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, and is responsible for the development of national policy, standards, and programs promoting Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Stewardship. Three Directorates carry out the mission: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. Programs include waterways management, navigation and boating safety, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, commercial vessel inspections, and port state control. 

Rear Admiral Arguin is a 1992 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and in 2001, he earned a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Prior to his current assignment, Rear Admiral Arguin served as the Director of Inspection and Compliance, also at Coast Guard Headquarters. His previous operational assignments include Sector Commander, Sector New Orleans. He also served as Executive Officer of Marine Safety Office Memphis, TN and Prevention Department Head at Sector Lower Mississippi River where he coordinated waterways management, vessel inspections, mariner licensing and marine casualty investigations on the Lower Mississippi River and its tributaries. In 1994, Captain Arguin earned his Marine Inspection qualifications at Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads and served as senior marine inspector performing commercial vessel and cruise ship inspections at Marine Safety Office Tampa, Florida. He was also assigned to USCGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC-903) as a student engineer and Damage Control Assistant (1992- 1994).

His staff assignments include Director of Emerging Policy and Executive Officer, Hull Division Chief and Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT) Leader at the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center. He was responsible for the evaluation and approval of vessel structures, stability, fire protection systems and coordinated salvage engineering support to the Coast Guard Captains of the Port (COTP) and Federal OnScene Coordinators (FOSC) in response to a variety of vessel casualties. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Legion of Merit, Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal (three awards), the DHS Secretary’s Exceptional Service Gold Medal, and the EPA Administrator’s Silver Medal.

SAMUEL P. BLATCHLEY (Sam) is a partner at Eckland & Blando. Sam, a longstanding member of the New England maritime bar and Proctor in Admiralty, represents clients in litigation and transactional matters with a focus on admiralty and maritime, insurance, fisheries, and environmental law.

He represents vessel owners and operators, insurers, charterers, construction and dredging firms, bunker suppliers, freight forwarders, inland carriers, lenders, marina operators, marine surveyors, marine trades providers, fishing associations, stevedores, and terminal operators in maritime litigation, as well as in marine-related commercial and corporate transactions. He serves as outside general counsel to a marine insurer covering, Hull & Machinery and Protection & Indemnity risks.

Sam’s practice covers an array of maritime disputes, including maritime collisions and casualties, charter party and marine services agreements, personal injury and death claims, Admiralty Rules B, C, and D actions, insurance coverage disputes, fisheries disputes and Administrative Procedure Act claims, Endangered Species Act claims, and Marine Mammal Protection Act claims.

Sam also handles maritime financing, purchase and charter, documentation, and registration matters in connection with both commercial vessels and private yachts. Prior to joining Eckland & Blando, Sam was a partner and Chair of the Admiralty and Maritime Group at a leading New England law firm and worked for an admiralty boutique firm.

Sam received his J.D. and Maritime Law Certificate from Tulane University Law School, where he was the Notes and Comments Editor of the Tulane Maritime Law Journal and received a CALI Award in marine insurance. Before law school, Sam graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in History, with honors, and Political Science, with distinction. While at the University of Wisconsin, Sam was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Sam is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, Maine, New York, and Rhode Island. He is also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and D.C. Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, District of Columbia, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Western District of Wisconsin, and Vermont. Sam was a member of the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee for the District of Rhode Island Local Rules Review Committee, which drafted the Local Admiralty Rules for the District of Rhode Island, effective as of January 15, 2013. Sam is designated as a Proctor in Admiralty by the Maritime Law Association of the United States, served as the Chairman of the Association’s Practice and Procedure Committee, and currently serves as a member of its Board of Directors. He has been designated as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star, Transportation and Maritime Law from 2013-2022, a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, Transportation and Maritime Law for 2023, and as one of the 2024 Best Lawyers in America® for Admiralty and Maritime Law.

ANDREW BROWN joined Ingram Barge Company in 2014 as Senior Corporate Counsel, after eight years in private practice at Hill Rivkins in New York, and Fowler Rodriguez in New Orleans and Houston. Since 2017, he has overseen Ingram’s Legal and Claims departments, supporting his team’s efforts on a wide variety of commercial transactions, claims and commercial litigations, and regulatory compliance matters. Andrew joined the executive team as Senior Vice President and General Counsel in 2022, and was recently promoted to Chief Legal Officer. In his current role Andrew works to provide actionable, business-focused legal advice to senior management and others throughout the organization. He also began overseeing the Company’s Corporate Affairs Function in late 2023, which includes Ingram’s government relations efforts and sustainability initiatives.

Andrew and his wife Laura (also a corporate attorney) have three kids under the age of 10, a rapidly disintegrating 18-year-old house in the Nashville suburbs, and have slowly learned to just embrace the routine chaos of their lives.

ANTHONY BUZBEE, ESQ. is the managing partner of The Buzbee Law Firm. The New York Times has described Tony Buzbee as “one of the most successful lawyers in the country.”

Tony Buzbee graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Psychology. After college, Mr. Buzbee entered the United States Marine Corps. In the Marines, he was the honor graduate in every special ops school he attended, to include Navy Dive School, Navy Combat Dive School, Amphibious Reconnaissance School, and Mountain Warfare School. Buzbee was an infantry officer. He also commanded Recon Company of the First Marine Regiment. Buzbee earned the rank of Captain, and for his Marine Corps service was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Buzbee entered law school at the University of Houston Law Center. While there, Buzbee was the Managing Editor of the Houston Law Review and was elected Class Captain. Buzbee was also state and regional mock trial champion. Buzbee ultimately graduated Summa Cum Laude, second in his class.

Mr. Buzbee has tried multiple cases to verdict, obtaining more than $10 billion in verdicts and settlements over the course of his career. He is the subject of the book “Defining Moments,” and has appeared on the cover of New York Times Magazine. In 2015, Mr. Buzbee was named “Attorney of the Year” by Texas Lawyer due to winning eight cases in a single year, including verdicts of $159 million; $41 million; $35 million; $39 million; $30 million; and $12 million, all while also representing Governor Rick Perry in his criminal case that Buzbee was ultimately able to get dismissed. Buzbee has the highest verdicts awarded in multiple courts across Texas.

Texas Monthly said of Buzbee: “Buzbee has made his name going after corporations, and he usually wins big.”

The New York Times described Buzbee like this: “Mr. Buzbee is a big, mean, ambitious, tenacious, fire-breathing Texas trial lawyer. Really big. Poster boy big.”

JUDGE KURT D. ENGELHARDT was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, on May 10, 2018. He was previously appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 13, 2001, and became Chief Judge to that Court on October 1, 2015, serving until his appointment to the Fifth Circuit. He received a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1982 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and received his law degree from LSU in 1985. Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, Judge Engelhardt was a partner with the Metairie, Louisiana law firm of Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, where his practice included all aspects of commercial transactions and commercial litigation, including real estate, bankruptcy, insurance defense and coverage issues, RICO, contract disputes, and construction litigation, along with some practice in the areas of personal injury litigation and white collar criminal defense work. In 1995, Judge Engelhardt was appointed by the Governor to serve a four-year term on the nine-member Louisiana Judiciary Commission; in 1998, he was elected by his fellow commission members to serve as Chairman. His work on the Judiciary Commission has been cited for its excellence by the Louisiana Supreme Court. In 2004, Judge Engelhardt was appointed by United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Rehnquist to serve on the Judicial Conference Committee on Federal-State Jurisdiction, where he served two terms. He also served on the U.S. Fifth Circuit’s Committee on Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions, charged with drafting and updating jury instructions for use throughout the Circuit. He is a member of several professional organizations including the Advisory Board of the New Orleans Chapter of The Federalist Society; The American Judicature Society; and previously the Board of Directors (and past president) of the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. On October 17, 2019, he was elected to membership in The American Law Institute. He is also a Board member and past president of the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans.

DANA S. MERKEL is a partner at Blank Rome LLP. Dana focuses her practice on domestic and international marine transportation and environmental issues for clients worldwide. Clients include ship owners, operators, and managers; offshore construction companies; shippers, charterers; and terminals. Major areas of practice include: 

Compliance counseling under a myriad of international conventions and U.S. and foreign regulations; Coastwise trade; Offshore construction, oil & gas, and wind farm development; Crew citizenship, including visa and entry issues; Defense of administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement actions; Internal investigations; Pollution response; Counseling on compliance and risk mitigation strategies; Development of administrative and legislative solutions to maritime and environmental compliance challenges; Vessel construction and flagging; and International trade and sanctions issues. 

Dana’s passion for the maritime industry began as a child growing up on Lake Superior, where she worked in marinas and on private yachts and small passenger vessels. She went on to graduate from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and worked through the International Organization of Masters, Mates, and Pilots (“MMP”) as a Third Mate and Qualified Member of the Engine Department (“QMED”) on a variety of vessel types, including container, dry bulk, tanker, ro-ro, ice breaker, and research vessels. Dana also worked ashore managing crude and product transportation for a major U.S. oil company. 

Dana conducts customized training sessions for clients and assists in creating and implementing effective compliance programs. She also frequently writes and presents on issues impacting the maritime industry.

CAPTAIN ANDREW MEYERS is the Coast Guard’s Chief of Port and Facility Compliance, where he oversees programs that advance the safety, security, and environmental stewardship of the Nation’s ports and facilities.  He also leads the Coast Guard’s Cyber Risk Management Task Force for the marine transportation system spanning ports, waterways, onshore and offshore facilities, commercial vessels, and other maritime critical infrastructure.  He is the U.S. government’s Designated Federal Official for the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee and serves as the U.S. Head of Delegation on the International Maritime Organization’s Facilitation Committee. 

Captain Meyers is a career marine safety professional with over 24 years of service, primarily focused on commercial vessel inspections, facility inspections, waterways management, and aids to navigation.  His operational assignments include tours in Kodiak, Alaska; Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; Morgan City, Louisiana; and Portland, Maine.  He has also served in Headquarters assignments as a program manager for the Coast Guard’s Port State Control program and as a strategic analyst on the Coast Guard Commandant’s Advisory Group.  His most recent assignment was as Executive Officer of the Coast Guard Navigation Center. 

CAPTAIN EVELYNN B. SAMMS is a 2001 graduate of the Delaware State University, where she received a degree in Computer Science.  Shortly after, she attended Coast Guard Officer Candidate School, where she commissioned as an Ensign and was assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters in the office of Systems and Logistic Information. She currently serves at Coast Guard Headquarters as the Chief of the Marine Investigations & Casualty Analysis Office.  

Her previous operational assignments include Chief of Inspections at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. She also served as the Chief of Prevention at Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region and as the Marine Safety Assignment Officer at the Coast Guard Personnel Service.  Additionally, at Coast Guard Headquarters, she previously served as the Chief of Enlisted Personnel Management (Advancements & Separations).

KYLE J. SMITH is President and Owner of Kyle Smith Marine Surveying, Inc., a New Orleans based marine surveying company. Mr. Smith has spent over 36 years in the maritime industry, specializing in a variety of fields including regulatory issues, United States Coast Guard inspection, bridge / dock fender system damage, vessel construction and repair, as well as cargo, barge condition / damage and container inspections. He has extensive experience as an expert witness and litigation consultant. Mr. Smith first began his career on the Mississippi River working in the family businesses, T. Smith & Sons, a stevedore company, as well as at Crescent Towing & Salvage, a tugboat company. 

He attended Spring Hill College and then went on to sail in three America’s Cup campaigns and Olympic Trials before returning to New Orleans to work for Breit Marine Surveying, Inc. After 10 years, Mr. Smith started Kyle Smith Marine Surveying, Inc., where he continues his maritime career. Kyle serves on the Board of Governors for The Propeller Club, Port of New Orleans. He is a member of The National Association of Marine Surveyors and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

JOHN W. THERIOT, CPA, MACCT, Cr.FA  is managing partner of Malcolm M. Dienes, LLC. John received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Nicholls State University in 1983, and he received his Masters in Accounting from Tulane University in 2004.  John began his career in public accounting upon graduating from Nicholls in 1983 as a staff accountant at MMD.  He is now the managing partner of the firm and has over 30 years of experience in the field of public accounting. 

John is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Forensic Accountant, and Certified in Financial Forensics.  He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Louisiana Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American College of Forensic Examiners. 

John has obtained extensive experience in the subjects of Accounting and Taxation during his career at MMD. John also has extensive litigation support experience in various industries and litigation settings including providing testimony in more than 150 cases.  He has been hired by various courts as a “special master” on accounting related matters.

 

JEFFERSON R. TILLERY, ESQ. is a partner in Jones Walker LLP’s Maritime Practice Group and co-leader of the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team. 

For more than 35 years, Jeff has advised and represented clients in maritime personal injury and collision matters, emergency and casualty response investigations, commercial litigation, longshore matters, and marine insurance coverage disputes. Throughout his career, Jeff has represented clients all over the Southern Gulf Coast and abroad and has appeared on their behalf in Louisiana and Texas state courts and federal courts, serving as lead counsel, in complex marine multi-party casualty cases, including many under the Oil Pollution Act. 

Jeff is a regular speaker on marine industry podcasts and at maritime seminars throughout the country. His presentations cover a range of maritime topics, including collisions, offshore casualties, the ramifications of recent court decisions on the industry, and the application of a host of federal and state laws and regulations, including the Jones Act and the Longshoremen and Harbor Workers Compensation Act. 

Mr. Tillery served as an instructor of maritime law at the University of New Orleans, Paralegal Institute for 12 years.  He earned his law degree from Louisiana State University in 1986 where he was a member of the Louisiana Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif.  He is an active member of the legal community through organizations such as the Maritime Law Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association and The Bar Association of The Fifth Federal Circuit.

Friday Speakers

ROBERT “CHIP” BIRTHISEL, ESQ. is a founding partner in Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel, LLP’s Tampa office. He practices transportation and maritime law, personal injury and wrongful death defense, marine pollution, general liability defense, and insurance law. His practice includes international and domestic litigation and transactions. He is a retired Coast Guard officer, who spent his final years on active duty as a law specialist and trial attorney assigned to the U.S. Department of Justice, Aviation and Admiralty Litigation Section. 

Chip represents a wide range of transportation, maritime, and general litigation clients, providing a myriad of services including litigation of maritime and land-based wrongful death and personal injury, maritime lien, bunker, P & I, cargo, and hull and machinery claims. He represents many of the world’s largest insurers and has provided coverage opinions and defense and litigated declaratory judgment actions on behalf of numerous insurers. He also handles contractual matters (charters, bills of lading, sales, brokerage and finance agreements, concession agreements, franchise and license agreements, vehicle lease and purchase agreements, owner/operator agreements), from drafting to litigation. 

His practice includes rendering advice on all marine regulatory matters, including coverage placement, flagging of vessels, classification society compliance, and U.S., flag state, and international (i.e. SOLAS, IMO, and Law of the Sea Conventions) regulatory compliance. In addition, he has provided counsel regarding the establishment of a variety of maritime businesses including cruise line operations, cargo lines, Ocean Transportation Intermediary licensing and compliance (VOCC, NVOCC, and Freight Forwarders), and marine and land-based terminal operations. He renders advice daily on compliance with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Coast Guard, Immigration, Federal Maritime Commission, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and other international and domestic regulatory schemes. 

Chip has represented and represents a variety of foreign entities and clients in international business transactions and litigation including clients in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Panama, the Marshall Islands, England, Norway, Venezuela, Ireland, Korea, Costa Rica, Brazil, Honduras, the Philippines, most every island nation in the Caribbean, and Canada.

 

CAPTAIN GREGORY A. CALLAGHAN assumed the duties as Deputy Commander, Sector New Orleans in June 2022. In this capacity, he oversees over 1,000 active duty, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary Coast Guard personnel who serve over 300 miles of the Lower Mississippi River, 230 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway, and almost 4,000 miles of coastline in an area of responsibility totaling over 100,000 square nautical miles. 

His previous operational assignments include Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Texas City from 2016-2018 and Executive Officer from 2014-2016. There, his responsibilities included carrying out the Coast Guard’s Homeland Security, Marine Safety, and Marine Environmental Protection missions in the Ports of Galveston, Texas City and Freeport, in over 120-miles of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, a 4,000 square-mile region of the Outer Continental Shelf, and the entrance to the nation’s largest petrochemical complex. His time there included the preparation and response to Hurricane Harvey. From 2004-2008, Captain Callaghan was assigned to Sector Boston, MA, where he served as Chief of Port State Control, Assistant Chief of Waterways Management, Aids to Navigation Officer, and Senior Investigating Officer. From 2000-2004, he served at Marine Safety Office Miami, FL as Port State Control and Domestic Marine Inspector and Licensing Examiner at Regional Exam Center Miami. 

Captain Callaghan’s staff assignments include his most recent assignment as Chief of Prevention for the Eleventh Coast Guard District from 2019-2022 where he led staff, two Coast Guard Buoy Tenders, and more than 2,500 Auxiliarist in management of the prevention mission in an area of responsibility covering California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona and responsible for $500 Billion in international trade. From 2010-2014 he was assigned in the Office of Port and Facility Compliance at Coast Guard Headquarters where he served as the Coast Guard’s program manager for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential enforcement and Chief of the Port and Facility Security Standards Branch leading research, development, and implementation of top priority maritime security regulations. Additionally, he was the Coast Guard representative to the U.S. and Canada Bi-National Maritime Security Working Group. 

In 2020, Captain Callaghan was appointed by the Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations as Chairman of the Marine Board of Investigation to investigate the causal factors in the loss of the commercial fishing vessel SCANDIES ROSE and five crew members which occurred on December 31, 2019. 

Captain Callaghan served in the Coast Guard Reserves from 1996-2000 as part of the Maritime Academy Reserve Training Program and was assigned to Activities New York. 

Captain Callaghan is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College where he received a Bachelor of Science degree and an Unlimited Third Mates License in the Merchant Marine. He has Master’s in Public Administration and Certification in Port and Maritime Administration from Old Dominion University, and a Master’s in National Security and Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School.

MICHAEL W. MAGNER, ESQ. is a partner in Jones Walker’s Litigation Practice Group. A former federal prosecutor, he represents clients in a wide range of commercial disputes, investigations, and white-collar criminal matters.

 Mike provides preventive and litigation services for businesses and individuals in corporate and white-collar criminal matters. He also represents individuals and companies in connection with grand jury and other investigations. 

Mike has particular experience in anti-corruption compliance and litigation matters on the domestic and international levels, with broad experience in civil and criminal RICO matters. He served as a federal prosecutor in New Orleans for 20 years. In that role, he was a key member of the team that successfully prosecuted former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, following a five-month trial. He was also the lead prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s long-term investigation and prosecution of judicial and related public corruption known as “Operation Wrinkled Robe.” In recognition of his work, Mike was awarded the Department of Justice’s highest award for litigation, the John Marshall Award, as well as the Director’s Award for Superior Performance by a Litigative Team. 

Mike is particularly adept in handling long-term, complex white-collar investigations and trials, including export control, mail and wire fraud, government contract fraud, bribery, money laundering, police misconduct, and civil rights violations. In 2011, he served as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s advisor to the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, where he was embedded in their principal headquarters for nearly two months, and provided training to KACC’s investigators, auditors, and attorneys on corruption compliance, investigative, and prosecution matters. 

Following Hurricane Katrina, Mike prosecuted the first criminal case upon the re-opening of federal court and also successfully tried several high-profile civil rights cases against New Orleans policemen. He was the US Department of Justice’s first counsel for emergency management and crisis response in the Office of Director, Executive Office for US Attorneys in Washington, DC, for 18 months, where he represented the DOJ at various White House-level emergency exercises and planning meetings relating to the federal government’s response to major criminal events, natural disasters, and pandemics.

CHARLES W. MCCAMMON joined Willis Towers Watson in October 2013 as Vice President – Risk Consulting to lead Willis Marine’s growing commitment to risk consulting. With over thirty years of experience in the maritime industry he has an extensive operational, legal and military background. After graduating from Fort Schuyler in 1987, he went to sea aboard a variety of vessel types from tankers to roll/on roll/off vessels upgrading his license from Third Mate to Master. He came ashore in 1993 and was employed as a marine surveyor while also attending Loyola University (New Orleans) Law School. 

After obtaining his J.D. in 1997, Charlie served as Assistant Vice President and General Counsel with one of the country’s leading groups of towing companies. Mr. McCammon practiced general civil litigation, admiralty and maritime law in Philadelphia from 2000 to 2013. 

His legal practice focused on representing owners, operators, charterers, builders and insurers of commercial vessels in claims involving charter party disputes, personal injury, property and cargo damage. He also represented vessel owners and managers in commercial matters including contract and charter party negotiations. 

Charlie retired from the Navy Reserves after serving 32 years. He was mobilized to active duty on two occasions and is a veteran of the Iraq Campaign Operation New Dawn (2010/2011). He served as a Emergency Preparedness Liaison Officer for the last eight years of his Navy career. 

Charlie was a volunteer child advocate in Philadelphia for 10 years and from 2007 to 2010 he was elected to the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania’s Pro Bono Roll of Honor as an attorney whose pro bono work has been recognized by the judiciary as exemplary. Charlie has served as a member of the board of the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia and is an active J22 sailor at the same club. Charlie also owns Patriot Harbor Lines, a harbor tour business in Philadelphia.

NICHOLAS D. MOSES is a federal prosecutor at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. When he was the district’s environmental crimes coordinator, he prosecuted cases stemming from both offshore and inland incidents. His convictions of several corporations and individuals in a multiple-fatality oil platform explosion case received a superior service award from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. He has investigated and prosecuted a variety of white-collar crimes, including the bank fraud prosecutions stemming from the largest bank failure in Louisiana history, nationwide and local healthcare fraud schemes, public corruption, racketeering, and tax fraud. Before joining the government, he practiced in New York as an in-house litigator at Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC and began his career at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Boston University.

MORGAN TURRELL currently serves as the director of the National Transportation Safety Board’s Office of Marine Safety. Turrell began his career at the NTSB in 2003 as a nautical operations investigator. From 2007 to 2010 he served as Vice President of Marine Investigations for Princess Cruises, where he investigated casualties aboard ships worldwide. Turrell returned to the NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety in 2010. In 2014, Turrell was selected as chief of investigations and in 2017 he was promoted to deputy director. Turrell has served as acting director of Marine Safety since March 2020. 

Captain Turrell is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy and served as a licensed deck officer, including Master, on a variety of commercial vessels including tankers, container ships, roll-on/roll-off vessels, research ships and bulk carriers. 

Turrell earned an MBA from Pepperdine University and a master’s degree from George Mason University in transportation policy, operations and logistics.