After a highly successful U.S. Coast Guard career spanning over 25-years, Jim served his final tour as the Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Galveston. In that capacity, he managed commercial vessel inspections, marine investigations, port safety and security, and marine casualty response operations in the Ports of Galveston, Texas City, and Freeport, and along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and U.S. Outer Continental. It is this depth of knowledge and experience that Jim brings to the EMSI team.
With decades of leadership experience in marine casualty, pollution response, and salvage operations, Jim has numerous qualifications in incident management, including the Type 1 Incident Commander, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, and National Strike Force Response Officer certifications. While serving as Executive Officer of the Coast Guard’s Gulf Strike Team, he directed national responses to oil and hazardous material spills, marine salvage operations, and natural disasters across the country. Leading and serving in key positions for several national-level incidents, Jim was critical to the success of numerous response efforts, to include assignments as an Incident Commander and Federal On- Scene Coordinator during the historic responses to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Ike, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Recognized as a subject matter expert in marine environmental response, marine salvage, and incident management, Jim was the recipient of the national Environmental Manager of the Year Award for the U.S. Coast Guard, National Registry of Environmental Professionals Leadership Award, and Texas Association of Environmental Professionals Regulator of the Year Award. He is also a certified Incident Command System (ICS) Instructor, Certified Environmental, Safety and Health Trainer (CET), Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), Registered Environmental Manager (REM) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) Oil Spill Course Instructor with worldwide experience teaching Incident Command System and incident management courses.
Jim now serves as Vice-President of Salvage Operations for a Galveston, Texas, company. In this capacity, he is responsible for managing worldwide marine salvage, heavy lift, commercial diving, and emergency response operations. Jim has also served as a Salvage Master, Project Manager, and Salvage Advisor on numerous multi-million dollar marine salvage and wreck removal operations.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Science in Environment Management from Indiana University, a Master of Environmental Policy with honors from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies with highest distinction from the U.S. Naval War College. He additionally holds certifications as a Type 1 Incident Commander, Type 1 Operations Section Chief, Type 1 Planning Section Chief, and Coast Guard Incident Management Assist Team (IMAT) Incident Commander.