IRI - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Marine Investigations Manager / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Mr. Blume joined IRI in 2007 after retiring from the USCG following over 20 years of active duty service. During his service in the USCG, Mr. Blume developed a broad base of experience conducting both flag and port State inspections, marine casualty investigations, analysis-based casualty prevention, emergency incident response and management, waterways management, and at sea experience on USCG vessels. Noteworthy accomplishments include: overseeing the new construction inspections of the first two US flagged vessels designed and built to comply with the IMO's 2000 High-Speed Craft Code; coordinating the implementation of the Maritime Transportation Security Act regulations and the ISPS Code for Long Island Sound ports; the multi-million dollar refit of an Alaska Marine System ferry that included repowering and extensive structural fire protection upgrades; coordinating the safety and security risk assessments for a proposed floating, storage and re-gasification unit to import LNG; and, the implementation of a PSC program in Western Alaska. His investigations experience includes joint flag State marine casualty investigations as well as the MARPOL investigations of oil water separator bypasses. He has also co-authored a paper on channel design and ship controllability. Mr. Blume is a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers as well as the International Navigation Association. Mr. Blume holds a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island as well as degrees from Yale University and the University of Maine.
Job Titles:
- Yachting Advisor / MONACO
Mr. von Stein began working with IRI in 2010 as a Yachting Advisor. His three decades of experience in yachting, including his roles related to yacht finance, international yacht sales (new and brokerage), vessel management, and yacht building, bring a diverse perspective and extensive experience to the Yacht Team. This experience and his unique knowledge of the yacht industry benefit the Regulatory Team, where Mr. von Stein is the Registry's subject matter expert on yachts.
Mr. von Stein is certified by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) for Training the Trainers and Maritime Inspectors under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006. Based in Monaco, he travels frequently to support yacht clients worldwide.
Job Titles:
- Maritime Administration Liaison / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Angela Plott joined IRI in September 2007 with over 20 years of experience in the maritime and political fields. Previously, she was Vice President of the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL). During her tenure, she developed and implemented positions to relevant US and international governmental bodies on cruise maritime policies and shipboard operational procedures, in particular relating to tourism and travel, economic impact, medical facilities, health, sanitation and labor issues. As chair of the ICCL Medical and Sanitation Committees, she drafted the industry's SARS and Pandemic Response Plans and successfully negotiated with the US Centers for Disease Control for revisions to the Vessel Sanitation Program Operation and Construction Manuals. Prior to this she worked on Capitol Hill and as a consultant representing both public and corporate clients before Congress. She holds a M.B.A. from DeVry University, and received her B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from Boise State University. Ms. Plott is a member of WISTA.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Fleet Operations / BALTIMORE / ANNAPOLIS
Mr. Poskaitis is currently the Senior Vice President, Fleet Operations overseeing maritime safety, security, and the environmental compliance of the RMI flag fleet of over 4,800 ships worldwide. He joined IRI in June 2007 after 26 years of active duty service in the USCG. While in the USCG, Mr. Poskaitis was the Chief of Investigations and Analysis where he was responsible for program management and operational oversight of all marine casualty, marine pollution and environmental crimes investigated by the USCG. He also served as the Chief of Strategic Planning and Analysis for the Office of Marine Safety, Security, and Environmental Protection. As the head of Strategic Planning, he directed all strategy improvements and led a multi-agency team in the development of the National Strategy for Maritime Security. In 2005, Mr. Poskaitis was assigned as the Incident Commander for Salvage Operations during Hurricane Katrina, where he led salvage operations directing US Navy and commercial salvors to salvage over 2,000 vessels. His experience includes an emphasis in Operations Management, Risk Management, Strategic Planning, and Incident Management. Mr. Poskaitis has a M.Eng. in Management from The George Washington University, a M.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Maryland and a B.S. from the USCG Academy.
Job Titles:
- Captain
- Country Manager
- Regional Director, South America / RIO DE JANEIRO
Captain Freitas joined IRI as Country Manager in February 2012 after serving a distinguished 39 years in the Brazilian Navy. In January 2024 he was promoted to Regional Director, South America. During his naval career, Captain Freitas worked in many capacities ashore and afloat including Divisional Officer, Chief of Operations, Staff-Officer, Instructor, Executive Officer, Commander and Harbor Master. His decorations include the Naval Order Merit Medal with Degree of Knight, Military Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Tamandaré Merit Medal, Marine Merit Medal with two anchors, Santos-Dumont Merit Medal, Legionnaire Merit Medal, Brigadeiro Falcão Merit Medal, and numerous unit citations. In 2006, after holding a two year position as Harbor Master of Maranhão, Captain Freitas was invited to join the Directorate of Ports and Coasts (DPC/Brazilian Coast Guard), which is responsible for the Brazilian Maritime Authority. In his last assignment at DPC he worked in the Surveys, Naval Inspections and Technical Expertise Management Division as Head of the Maritime Casualty Investigation Department, representing Brazil in meetings of the Marine Accident Investigators' International Forum (MAIIF). Captain Freitas holds a degree in Naval Science from The Brazilian Naval Academy, has completed a doctorate level course in Policy, Strategy and Strategic Planning from The Brazilian War College (ESG), and a Masters level course in Naval Warfare and Strategy from The Brazilian Naval War College (EGN). He has also completed a multitude of courses in Maritime Safety Compliance at the International Maritime Safety, Security and Environment Academy (IMSSEA) in Genoa, Italy, among other fine maritime institutions around the world.
Job Titles:
- Captain
- Country Head - China / DALIAN
- in 2006 As the Chief Representative
Captain Chen joined IRI in 2006 as the Chief Representative in Dalian and was promoted to Country Head - China in 2016. Captain Chen brings over 24 years of experience, which includes several years as a Master and over six years as a Vice General Manager. Prior to joining IRI, Captain Chen served as Vice General Manager of China Shipping International Ship Management Co., Ltd. Dalian Branch. He received his Bachelor's Degree in Navigation from Dalian Maritime University.
Job Titles:
- Captain
- Regional Manager
- in 2011 As a Marine Manager
- Regional Manager / ISTANBUL
Ozgur Asik joined IRI in 2011 as a Marine Manager based in Istanbul. In 2018, he was promoted to Regional Manager of the Istanbul office. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Asik served as Marine Superintendent for Columbia Ship Management. He has more than a decade of experience at sea, sailing as a superintendent, safety manager, deck officer, chief officer, and Master for various ship owners and management companies across the world. Mr. Asik has extensive experience in external and internal audits (ISM, ISPS, ISO) and inspections, and operations related to regulatory implementation. He is a graduate of Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty Deck Department.
Job Titles:
- Captain
- Captain Luiz Augusto Oliveira De Freitas
- Senior Vice President, Maritime Operations / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Captain Fay joined IRI in July 2002 as a consultant and was made Vice President, Seafarers' Documentation in January 2003 then Senior Vice President, Maritime Operations in December 2004. Captain Fay has extensive seagoing experience after nearly 30 years of maritime service as a US Merchant Mariner, serving as Deck Officer on a variety of vessel types, including 15 years as Master of Fast Sealift Ships; 30-knot capable container-Ro/Ro vessels in international service. He earned his B.S. in Marine Transportation Management from the State University of New York Maritime College and has extensive training in modern ship security and training procedures from the US Navy's Military Sealift Command training center. Captain Fay is currently licensed by the US and the RMI as an Unlimited Master with full STCW training and certification. As Senior Vice President, Maritime Operations, Captain Fay utilizes his expertise and experience to direct administrative functions of the Maritime Services Group, review and evaluate safety and manning requirements, and manage training programs and qualifications for seafarers serving aboard the RMI fleet. Captain Fay is also a member of the RMI delegation at the IMO and participates in the HTW sub-committee meetings.
Job Titles:
- Captain
- LNG Advisor / TOKYO
Captain Warren L. Kedenburg joined IRI's Tokyo office in August 2014 as LNG Advisor. Captain Kedenburg's 33 years at sea prior to coming ashore was aboard breakbulk, container, Ro-Ro and bulk vessels with his final 19 years aboard LNG vessels as chief officer, and Master for 18 of those years. He then reported ashore with PRONAV Ship Management GmbH & Co. KG (PRONAV) at their Osaka, Japan office as General Manager and Senior Operations Manager for five years for the same LNG fleet. After retiring from the Osaka office, Captain Kedenburg worked as a Marine Advisor for PRONAV in Hamburg, Germany and an LNG Consultant for ABSG Consulting, Inc. in Yokohama, Japan, as well as an LNG Consultant for Chevron Corporation in the US and abroad for over ten years. Captain Kedenburg's various expertise includes development and review of LNG carrier technical specifications, port site review of existing and proposed LNG facilities, due diligence of LNG marine terminal facilities, and maintenance and technical operations of LNG fleets. Captain Kedenburg has a Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation from the New York State Maritime College in New York and a Masters in Business Administration in International Business from the Bernard M. Baruch College of Business in New York. Captain Kedenburg was in the US Naval Reserve and served as Officer in Charge, Port Operations, US Naval Facility at Sasebo, Japan while on ACDUTRA.
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Manager, Yachts / ISTANBUL
Mr. Çakmak joined IRI as Senior Technical Manager, Yachts in September 2023. Based in Istanbul, Mr. Çakmak supports yacht operations and compliance in Turkey and the surrounding region. He has extensive experience in leading yacht shipyards in Turkey, as well as more than a decade of experience in technical roles for the Classification Society, RINA. Mr. Çakmak has nearly a decade of project management experience in ship repair, new builds, and retrofit projects in the yachting industry. Mr. Çakmak is a graduate of the Istanbul Technical University with a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist / LONDON
Mr. McHardy joined IRI as Vice President, Technical in November 2011 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Technical & Gulf Coast Operations in 2013. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. McHardy had a distinguished, 30-year career with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) where he most recently held the position of Manager, Maritime Gulf District, in Houston, Texas. He also held positions in Operations, Customer Service, and Business Development with DNV's Aberdeen, London, and Norway offices. Previous to his time with DNV, Mr. McHardy worked as a seagoing engineer and as a shipyard manager. He received an Ordinary National Diploma in Marine Engineering from Glasgow College of Nautical Studies and is also a graduate of the University of Strathclyde (Scotland), where he received a B.S. in Shipbuilding and Naval Architecture. Mr. McHardy is a member of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA).
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, Technical - Offshore / HOUSTON
Mr. Bozenovici joined IRI as Vice President, Technical - Offshore in April 2018. Based in Houston, Mr. Bozenovici oversees technical service and support for offshore vessels around the world. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Bozenovici spent seven years with Noble Corporation, which owns and operates a technologically advanced fleet in the offshore drilling sector. As their Lead Naval Architect and Project Manager, Mr. Bozenovici's team was responsible for engineering and project support of four new ultra-deepwater drillships and six latest generation jack-up units. Prior to working with Noble Corporation, he spent five years with American Bureau of Shipping in marine surveying and engineering roles. Mr. Bozenovici earned an M.B.A. from Temple University and a B.S. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of New Orleans. He is a member of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME).
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Technical / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Mr. Wamsley joined International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) in January 2015 as Senior Vice President, Maritime Services. In January 2022, he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Technical, to manage the worldwide technical team. Prior to joining IRI, he spent over 20 years as a Surveyor with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) in numerous offices in the United States, Korea, Japan, and Singapore. During his most recently held position of District Manager, Mr. Wamsley was responsible for supervising survey and business performance in international offices, ensuring quality system adequacy, providing clients with relevant regulation updates, and managing client accounts and company budgets. During his time with ABS, Mr. Wamsley also held the position of Principal Surveyor and was responsible for the day-to-day operations of various port offices in the United States. Mr. Wamsley earned his B.S. in Marine Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Corporate / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Born in Cambridge, England, Ms. Francis left an administrative position with the Cambridge City Council to emigrate to the US in 1983. She has been with IRI since 1985 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Corporate in 2017. Her many years of experience contribute greatly in assisting our international clientele with their various corporate requirements and inquiries.
Job Titles:
- General Manager / FT. LAUDERDALE
- General Manager of IRI 's Ft
Diego Ramírez was promoted to General Manager of IRI's Ft. Lauderdale office in July 2013. Mr. Ramírez's service with IRI dates back to 2001 when he was a consultant based in Colombia. In 2003, he transferred to IRI's Ft. Lauderdale office as Manager of Corporate Development. After seven years in the Ft. Lauderdale office, he transferred to Denmark and worked as a consultant, participating on RMI delegations at the IMO and the United Nations Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Ramírez held the position of Senior Associate with Brigard & Urrutia Abogados; was the General Registrar and Legal Risk Manager with Grupo TMM- Columbia (TMM Group); and the Risk Manager with Transportación Maritíma Grancolombiana S.A. (TMG). Mr. Ramírez earned his Law Degree at the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario in Bogatà, Columbia and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University College London. He was awarded the LL.M degree with "Merit" from the University of London and the Chevening Award from the British Government through the British Council in Columbia. He is fluent in Spanish as well as English.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Regulatory Administration / WASHINGTON, DC / RESTON
Ms. Bouchard has nearly 30 years of experience in the maritime policy and regulatory fields. She joined IRI as Maritime Policy Advisor in the fall of 2008 and was promoted to Senior Vice President, Regulatory Administration in 2014. Prior to joining IRI, Ms. Bouchard co-founded The SEALAW Group, a maritime and environmental regulatory compliance firm providing services to oil majors, independent vessel operators, and clean-up contractors. Early in her career, Ms. Bouchard held the position of Policy Analyst and then Director of Vessel Operations and Maritime Initiatives for the Transportation Institute, a US based maritime trade association. Ms. Bouchard has served as a liaison between industry and government, including serving on various US state and federal negotiating committees to craft more favorable legislation and regulations for the shipping industry. Ms. Bouchard received her B.A. in Biology with Honors from Kenyon College and her M.A. in Marine Affairs with a concentration in Maritime Transportation from the University of Virginia. Ms. Bouchard is a member of WISTA.
Mr. Guida has been affiliated with the IRI group of companies since 1969 when he served as Vice President and Treasurer for the International Bank in Washington, DC which merged with USLICO Corporation, IRI's parent company. From 1986 to 1988, Mr. Guida was Vice President of USLICO. In 1988, he became the President of Administrative Control Services, Inc. which administers the billing and administrative functions for the maritime and corporate service group of companies. Mr. Guida is a Certified Public Accountant qualified in both the District of Columbia and the State of Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Villanova University. Mr. Guida served at sea as a U.S. Navy line officer.
Job Titles:
- Regional Manager / Hamburg
Mr. Maitland joined the IRI group of companies in 1976. He has been a member of the Legal Committee for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since 1980. He co-founded the Admiralty/Finance Forum and played a major role in developing the bareboat registration provision of the 1993 International Convention on Maritime Liens and Mortgages. He is a member of the Bars of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals (2nd Circuit) and the United States Supreme Court. He served as Chairman of the New York Bar's Admiralty Law Committee from 1982 to 1985, and as Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Law Association's Committee on Intergovernmental Organizations from 1987-1995. In addition to being a member of the American Bureau of Shipping and the National Cargo Bureau, Inc., Mr. Maitland is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Coast Guard Foundation, an Honorary Director of the Fort Schuyler Alumni Association and a Director of the Sea Research Foundation. He serves as Chairman of the International Advisory Board for the AMISTAD Foundation, as well as for the North American Maritime Ministries Association and is the founding Chairman of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA). He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from New York Law School and was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Letters (LLD) from the State University of New York Maritime College (Fort Schuyler) in 2007. Mr. Maitland was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame in May 1999.
Job Titles:
- General Manager / Roosendaal
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Investigations / Washington, DC / Reston
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Maritime Services / Washington, DC / Reston
Job Titles:
- Safety & Technical Manager / London
Job Titles:
- Captain Ozgur Asik
- Yachts Commercial Director / London
Jo Assael joined the London office of IRI in 2023 as Yachts Commercial Director. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Assael spent more than five years in yacht management at Döhle Yachts transitioning from Technical Director to Commercial Director responsible for managing the company's growth. From 2013-2018 Jo worked for the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry as their Yacht Code Specialist and was heavily involved in drafting the Red Ensign Group's Yacht Code while also conducting newbuild and in-service yacht surveys, inspections, and audits. He previously served as a surveyor for the United Kingdom's (UK's) Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and served as a lead technical specialist representing the UK MCA at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Before his time at the UK MCA, Mr Assael was a large yacht naval architect, working on projects ranging in size from 60 to 120m. Mr. Assael serves as Chairman of the Technical Committee of the International Superyacht Society. He is a Chartered Engineer (CENG) with the Engineering Council and a member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA). Mr. Assael has a degree in Naval Architecture from Solent University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Vice President, Management Systems Certification / Ft. Lauderdale
Job Titles:
- Director, Marketing & Communications / Operations Technology Officer / Washington, DC / Reston
- Senior International Counsel, Head of Office / LONG BEACH
Ms. Wilson joined IRI's Legal Department in February 2007, was promoted to Associate General Counsel in 2008, and to Senior International Counsel in May 2014. She graduated cum laude from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Political Science and Communications and earned a J.D. cum laude from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington. At Gonzaga, she was an Articles Editor and Editorial Board member of the Gonzaga Law Review and served as a Law Clerk to the Washington State Attorney General. In addition, she studied International Human Rights and Comparative Law in Florence, Italy. Ms. Wilson is a member of the American Bar Association, the Washington State Bar, and WISTA. *Not admitted to practice in CA, admitted in WA only.
Job Titles:
- Director, Yacht Operations / Roosendaal
Job Titles:
- General Counsel / Washington, DC / Reston
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
- Director, Geneva Office and Worldwide Director, Yachts / Geneva
Mr. Bachofner joined IRI as Business Development Manager in May 2008 to open the Registry's office in Geneva, was promoted to Director, Business Development in January of 2011, and Director, Geneva Office in December 2017. In February 2020, Patrick was appointed Worldwide Director, Yachts. Throughout the past decade, Patrick has built a strongly international career in several business sectors including the maritime industry. After growing up in both French and German sections of Switzerland, he attended university in the United States which led to a position with Deloitte. He then moved back to Geneva where he joined Japan Tobacco, allowing him to thoroughly explore the Asian markets. Prior to joining IRI, Patrick's most recent position was with Hewlett-Packard where he held senior financial roles and managed cross-functional projects. He graduated cum laude from Babson College in Boston with a degree in Finance and Economics. His experience at sea includes sailing across the Atlantic Ocean with only one other crewmember.
Job Titles:
- Senior Technical Specialist, Gas Ships / Roosendaal
Job Titles:
- Senior Safety Manager, Yachts / Roosendaal
Job Titles:
- Country Manager
- Country Manager / Manila
- Regional Technical Manager / Hong Kong
Mr. Bolivar joined International Registries, Inc. and its affiliates (IRI) in August 2015 as Office Manager for the newly opened office in Manila, Philippines and was promoted to Country Head of the Philippines in 2016. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Bolivar worked for Navis Maritime Services, Inc., where he served on the Board of Directors and most recently held the position of Senior Executive Vice President and General Manager, where he was responsible for the management of day-to-day administrative operations. Additionally, in this role he oversaw internal and external audits and assisted in the development and implementation of compliance with key corporate, legal, and regulatory requirements. Mr. Bolivar has also held the positions of Director, Corporate Treasurer and Vice President for Administration with Crossbow Outsourcing Inc, Director and Head of Administration at Ulstein Marine Services, AS, and Owner's Representative and Consultant at Uljanik Plovidba d.d. Mr. Bolivar has also worked as an Executive Assistant to the Owner's Representative at Stolt-Nielsen Philippines Inc. Mr. Bolivar is a member of the Philippines Norway Business Council, Filipino Association for Mariners' Employment, Inc. and currently the Chairman and co-founder of Maritime Stakeholders Alliance Asia, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Chief Maritime Officer / London
Mr. Bonnett joined IRI's London office in April 2010 as Safety & Technical Manager, in January 2018 he was promoted to Senior Vice President, Technical, and then in April 2022 he was promoted to Chief Maritime Officer. In his role as Chief Maritime Officer, he is responsible for oversight of the Maritime Services Group, which supports the RMI Registry's fleet of more than 5,200 vessels. Prior to joining IRI, Mr. Bonnett was employed by Lloyd's Register (LR) since 1997 where he contributed in a multitude of roles including ship design and information systems, plan approval of ship structures, surveying of existing and newly constructed vessels, and business development within LR's Asian market. Mr. Bonnett worked in South Korea for over nine years before moving back to LR's London office in 2009 as a senior specialist concentrating on business improvement and planning. Mr. Bonnett earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Marine Technology with Honours in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding, from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Job Titles:
- Senior LNG / LPG Specialist
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager, Yachts / Ft. Lauderdale
- Director, Zurich Office / Zurich
Mrs. Andersson joined IRI's Zürich office in August 2016 as Customer Relations, Sales & Marketing Manager, was promoted to Deputy Director, Zürich Office in January of 2018, and Director, Zürich Office in July 2019. Growing up in Sweden, she attended Uppsala University studying economics and commercial law, before moving to Canada to study business administration at Concordia University. In her final year, she moved to Switzerland where she graduated magna cum laude from European University in Montreux with a degree in Business Administration. Throughout her career, Susanne has gained strong international experience in several business sectors including banking, trading, and the telecom industry. She started her career in the banking industry as a Relationship Manager and Business Analyst. She also worked with commodity trading before moving on to senior sales positions handling key clients mainly in the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Later she moved into management positions within telecom wholesale. Prior to joining IRI, Susanne held the position of Deputy Sales Director with MGI where she managed the sales and business development department. She is an active member of the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA).
Job Titles:
- Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Piraeus Office / Piraeus
- Senior Technical Manager, Yachts / Ft. Lauderdale
Mr. Chesla joined IRI in August 2013 as Safety & Technical Assistant Manager, Yachts, was promoted to Safety & Technical Manager, Yachts in October 2014, and in January 2021 was promoted to Senior Technical Manager, Yachts. Prior to joining IRI, he spent 13 years with Murray & Associates, LLC, where he gained experience as a Naval Architect in the retrofitting and building sector for yachts. Mr. Chesla holds a B.S. in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Florida for Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Representative
- Representative / Busan
Mr. Blenk joined IRI in April 2017 focusing on safety and technical issues in North Asia. In December 2017, he opened the Busan, Republic of Korea regional office where he was appointed Representative. For nearly 20 years prior to joining IRI, he was employed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) where he served in various survey, management, and global corporate positions in Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. During his last 10 years with ABS he served as Corporate and Regional Vice President. Mr. Blenk also served as a USCG Licensed Engineer on board US flagged merchant vessels. Mr. Blenk holds an Executive Education Degree from Harvard Business School, an M.B.A. from Rutgers Business School, The State University of New Jersey, and holds a B.S. in Marine Engineering from the United States Merchant Marine Academy.
Job Titles:
- General Manager, New York Office / New York
- Vice President, Fleet Quality and Compliance / Baltimore / Annapolis
Mr. Bremer originally joined IRI in May 2013, where he was engaged in ship inspection activities out of the Houston, Texas and New York, New York offices. He subsequently moved on to marine investigations out of the Reston, Virginia office in March 2019 as a Marine Investigator and was promoted to Vice President, Investigations in April 2021. In February 2023, Mr. Bremer was promoted to Vice President, Fleet Quality and Compliance. Mr. Bremer served nearly 10 years in the USCG prior to joining IRI. During his tenure with the USCG, Mr. Bremer was stationed on the USCG Cutter RELIANCE in the Deck Department, at Activities New York in the Port State Control and Investigations Departments, and at Sector Houston-Galveston in the Inspections Department. Mr. Bremer holds a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and received his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the State University of New York.
Ms. Brown joined IRI in August 2012 as a Maritime Specialist. In April 2016 she was promoted to Senior Vessel Registration Coordinator where she was instrumental in working with clients regarding registration transactions. In March 2021, she was promoted to General Manager of the New York office. Ms. Brown earned her B.S.B.A. in International Business from American University. She is a member of the Women's International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA), the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC), the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce (NACC), and serves as Executive Director on the Board of New York Maritime Inc. (NYMAR).
Job Titles:
- Regional Technical Manager / Piraeus
Mr. Gallagher, formerly IRI's General Counsel, was promoted to President in January 2000. Since joining IRI's legal staff in 1991, he has worked closely with the Marshall Islands government and its legislative agenda. Although he has traveled around the globe meeting clients and speaking at corporate and maritime seminars, Mr. Gallagher has been most instrumental in working with IRI's Far East clientele. Prior to joining IRI he specialized in Legal Compliance in the securities industry. He has served as an intern in the United States Senate receiving an award as Intern of the Year and in the German Bundestag, where he enhanced his proficiency in the German language and political culture. Mr. Gallagher received his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Maryland. He earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) at the University of Baltimore School of Law and is a member of the Maryland State Bar.