On April 18, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) held its annual dinner & elections at The Lobster Shanty in Point Pleasant Beach and elected its 2024-2025 officers & directors. The Association also presented three Top Sponsor Awards and inducted two honorees into the MTA/NJ Hall of Fame.
Colleen Blake of All Points Marina in Point Pleasant Beach will continue as association president, Brian Houf of MESCO in Thorofare resumes the position of first vice president, and Jerry Bench of Win-Tron Electronics in Manasquan will continue as second vice president. Ed Harrison, III of Baywood Marina in Brick remains the group’s treasurer and Raymond Bogan of Sinn, Cantoli, Bogan, & Steuerman in Point Pleasant Beach continues as secretary. Greg Wright of John B. Wright Insurance Agency in Manasquan will continue to serve on the board as immediate past president.
Directors re-elected to serve another two-year term include Lou Cecchini of Off Shore Marine in Branchville, Aaron Held of Octopus Yachts: Marine Electrical Systems in Wall, Eric Traber of Pier 47 Marina in Wildwood, Eliot Walters of Dillon’s Creek Marina in Island Heights. Mark Cassidy of Cassidy’s Breton Woods Marina in Brick, Karen Gruppuso of Coastal Environmental Consulting in Toms River, Tom Micai of Margarita Yacht Sales in Waretown, Debbie Mooers of Grassy Sound Marina in North Wildwood, and Pat Salinas of Morgan Marina in Parlin will continue their terms as directors.
Active past presidents that will continue to serve on the board include Fred Brueggemann, Jim Cerruti, Don Ditzel of Comstock Yacht Sales & Marina in Brick, Ed Harrison, Jr. of Baywood Marina in Brick, Tom Leaming of Leamings Marina in Waretown, Paul Terzian of Causeway Marine Sales in Manahawkin, and Rick Traber of Pier 47 Marina in Wildwood.
“As I reflect on my time serving as president of the MTA/NJ over the past year, I am filled with a sense of pride and gratitude for the progress we made together,” stated Colleen Blake, MTA/NJ President as she addressed the crowd. “Our board meetings have been a hub of activity, with agendas brimming with a multitude of topics and pressing issues at hand. From discussing industry trends to addressing regulatory challenges, we have worked hard to ensure that the interests of our members are well represented and protected.”
The MTA/NJ also held its Sponsor of the Year Awards and recognized three deserving and supportive companies, Dillon’s Creek Marina in Island Heights, John B. Wright Insurance Agency of Manasquan, and Travelers Ocean Marine Insurance of Edison. “The generosity of our sponsors, year after year, has not only enabled us to strengthen our mission but has also empowered us to make a tangible difference in our industry,” stated MTA/NJ executive director Melissa Danko, adding “Their commitment to our cause, incredible generosity and continued support has made a tremendous mark on our organization and the businesses we serve.”
The evening also included the presentation of the MTA/NJ Hall of Fame award to two recipients: William “Bill” Healey of Viking Yachts, and David P. Martin, Naval Architect. The MTA/NJ Hall of Fame was established to honor an individual, group or organization who, over the years, has proven to be outstanding in furthering MTA/NJ’s objectives of promoting and protecting the marine industry.
Established in 1972, MTA/NJ is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, advancing, and protecting the recreational marine industry and waterways in the State of New Jersey. Learn more at mtanj.org.
