The Friends of the American Merchant Marine Museum is an organization governed by a Board of Directors consisting of persons with a deep interest in preserving the history of our Merchant Marine. This Board shall have all of the powers and duties enumerated by the Laws of the State of New York. New members of the Board of Directors are nominated in writing by at least three current members and receive a two-thirds vote of the full Board.

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Board of Directors

Richard P. Kaye, President

Richard is a graduate of George Washington University Law School, started his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan, and was a litigation partner in several law firms until
his recent retirement.  Although Richard’s sea-faring career was limited to a summer on board the SeaLand containership Arizpa as an ordinary seaman, he has a lifelong devotion to naval history and current naval/maritime affairs.

Richard serves as Treasurer and Judge Advocate for the New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States and a member of the Commandery’s Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature Committee, as well as the Commodore John Barry Book Award Committee sponsored by the Navy League’s New York Council. He is an active member of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 07-04 in Stamford, Connecticut and is a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, the National Maritime Historical Society, the Historic Naval Ships Association, and the International Naval Research Organization, the South Street Seaport Museum, and American Merchant Marine Veterans.  He has visited numerous naval and maritime museums throughout the world, as well as over a hundred warships and merchant vessels, both in active service or preserved as museum ships.

He and his wife, Susan Strickler, live in White Plains, New York.

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Matthew Bonvento, Friend

Matthew Bonvento is an Assistant Professor of Nautical Science at the Merchant Marine Academy where he enjoys teaching Seamanship, Navigation, and business.

He is a co-author of a Maritime Firefighting published by Cornell Maritime Press and the author of From The Galley: Stories and Recipes from American Mariners. He holds a B.S. in Marine Transportation and M.S. in International Transportation Management.  Before coming to USMMA Matthew worked as the Regulatory and Safety Compliance Manager at Vanuatu Maritime Services post sailing as Chief Mate.

A past President of the Board of the Friends, he lives in New York with his wife and two children.

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Ira Breskin, Friend

Ira Breskin is a journalist, editor and lecturer, focusing on maritime-related subjects. He is the author of The Business of Shipping (9th edition).

Since 2003, Ira has taught classes that address maritime economics, history, policy and regulation at State University of New York Maritime College in the Bronx, New York where he is a senior lecturer and co-leads month-long study aboard programs in either Asia or northern Europe, arranging industry visits for upper level students.

Ira has also taught at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point and Webb Institute in Glen Cove.  He is a regular contributor to industry publications, including gCaptain.com

Ira brings more than 25 years of experience as a business journalist to his lectures and writing.  He has covered international trade and transportation for The Journal of Commerce and Fairchild News Service, serving as the Canadian bureau chief in Toronto.  He also reported on local businesses for daily newspapers in New Jersey and West Virginia.

Ira earned a BA from Columbia University, an MBA from Dowling College, and an MS in International Transportation Management from SUNY Maritime. He holds an Ordinary Seaman rating.

He has won several academic fellowships, including a National Endowment for the Humanities award to study maritime history at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut and the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, to study international business and economics at Columbia University. Ira lives in Great Neck, New York with his wife Terry and daughter Marti.

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Peter Kahl, Treasurer

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Jim McNamara, Friend

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Emil Muccin, Friend

Emil served as Chairman of the FAMMM for 8 years and only recently retired from the United States Merchant Marine Academy where, during his tenure at the USMMA, he held positions as the Assistant Department Head, Maritime Business Division of Marine Transportation Department and Associate Professor of Nautical Science, instructing Navigation, Seamanship, Firefighting, SOLAS, Navigation Law and Cyber Security courses.

Emil was the Marine Transportation Department STCW Coordinator and STCW Council Lead Auditor.  Additionally, he was the Faculty Advisor to the Museum Club, Cyber Defense, and Propeller Clubs at the Academy. 

Emil graduated from the USMMA with a BS in Nautical Science and from Pace University with an MBA in Information Systems.  He sailed for many years as the Master of paddle wheelers on the Hudson River.

Emil currently is an Instructor in Continuing Education at SUNY Maritime and a Quality Consultant for several ISO 9001 and AS 9100 companies.  He is the co-author of a technical textbook titled: Maritime Firefighting published by Cornell Maritime Press.

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Michael Rowles, Friend

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James F. Tobin, Friend

Jim is a graduate of the class of 1977 from the United States Merchant Marine Academy with a BS in Marine Transportation and has an MBA in Finance from the New York Institute of Technology. He is the President/CEO of the United States Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association & Foundation, Inc, (AAF).

JJim joined the AAF in 2008 and is the current President/CEO. He is also on the AAF Board of Directors. He is very grateful for the opportunity to give back to his alma mater.    

Prior to joining the AAF, Jim was Marketing Director for The Heritage Group LLC, a Long Island-based financial firm specializing in retirement and estate planning.  During his tenure he became involved in the not-for-profit sector, assisting various charities with their marketing and planned giving.  Jim was also Director of Investment Services for CFM Advisors, Inc., where he was responsible for all the firm’s qualified plans, specifically retirement plan investments and life insurance.

Upon graduation from USMMA, Jim sailed deep sea with Masters, Mates, & Pilots on various vessels including containers and tankers. He eventually worked with the Department of Environmental Protection for the City of New York. He sailed as Master and was promoted to Port Superintendent.

He obtained an Unlimited Masters License Upon Oceans, and First Class Pilotage for the New York Harbor area. He attained the rank of Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve and received his honorable discharge in 1985.  Jim coached the USMMA Rugby Club in 1983-85 and has been the Rugby Team advisor and mentor.

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Ian Watts, Webmaster

Ian Watts received a BA in Anthropology and U.S. Government from the University of Virginia and pursued a Ph.D in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies at Brown University. His awards, scholarships, and fellowships are from the Luso-American Development Foundation, the National Library of Lisbon, Orient Foundation, and the Camões Institute.

Ian lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, with his wife and three boys. He is an avid researcher of the American Merchant Marine, writer of fiction, and a translator of Portuguese poetry. His work may be found in the Review of Culture (Macau) and Prairie Schooner.