NMHS:
A CAUSE IN MOTION
10
photo by allison lucas
photo by joseph rudinec
The gathering together of esteemed tall ship captains and sailors, Chesapeake Bay conservationists, great shipping families, and maritime heritage organization leaders, writers, artists, and yachtsmen brought an unparalleled excitement and energy to this year’s NMHS Annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club. Award-winning yachtsman Richard du Moulin, NMHS overseer and master of ceremonies, commented he was most impressed by the maritime experience and credentials of the three recipients— quite a statement, considering the breadth of maritime experience in one room. The National Maritime Historical Society honored four most worthy individuals at its annual awards gala. Annual Awards Dinner Chairman George W. Carmany III, a previous recipient of the NMHS Distinguished Service Award, declared the evening a vastly successful event. He particularly thanked event Marquee Sponsor Brian D’Isernia and Eastern Shipbuilding Group, and Fleet Sponsors The Artina Group, Howard Slotnick, and William H. White for their generous contributions. Admiral Robert J. Papp Jr., USCG (Ret.), presented the NMHS (l-r) Richardo Lopes, Christopher Culver, Brian D’Isernia , Richard Distinguished Service Award to Brian D’Isernia—fisherman, shipdu Moulin, Philip Webster, Captain Bert Rogers, Admiral Robert builder, maritime industry innovator, sailor, and maritime heritage preservationist—whose career spanned nearly fifty years. Today, Papp, George Carmany and Ronald Oswald stand behind BurchEastern Shipbuilding has a portfolio of more than 350 vessels, enal Green and Deirdre O’Regan in preparation for the evening. including a departure from the commercial and military vessels they typically build, a steel-hull recreation of Columbia, the historic 141-foot Gloucester fishing and racing schooner designed by William Starling Burgess and built at the A. D. Story Shipyard of Essex, Massachusetts. In the launch and subsequent sailing of Columbia, D’Isernia fulfilled a lifelong dream of bringing a significant piece of maritime history back to life. In introducing him, Admiral Papp spoke of family as the central theme in Brian D’Isernia’s life. It was not that he and his beautiful wife, Mimi, had ten children, but that the D’Isernia children were raised by two parents with commitment, love, and loyalty, teachNMHS trustees, staff, and members—some ing character and work ethic and all of whom have been involved with the Society those things that make one successful for many years—have become an extended in life. All ten children traveled to family of sorts. Here, Margherita Sorio New York for the dinner, and it was watches with trustee Rick Scarano as bidders a pleasure to see them together. Every try to outdo one another for a private charter one of the D’Isernia children had aboard Scarano’s yacht Manhattan. The an- worked in the shipyard at some point, nual awards dinner features a spirited live and six of them continue to work there. Family shipping companies auction that benefits the Society. were the unofficial theme of the night, as also in attendance were the McAllisters, Weeks, and Wronowskis. In accepting The D’Isernias can fill a room just with immediate his award, Brian D’Isernia reiterated the importance of family and described his family. It was moving to see this tight-knit family children with mud on their boots, degrees on the wall, and an unbreakable resolve of ten children and spouses, all gathered together to protect the legacy of their name and the reputation of the shipyard through to honor their father, awardee Brian D’Isernia. quality work and integrity in business. Our own Deirdre O’Regan, editor of Sea History, presented the NMHS Distinguished Service Award to Captain Bert Rogers, executive director of Tall Ships America. Before Captain Rogers took over administering sail training programs from ashore, the two were shipmates over tens of thousands of sea miles running sail training programs for youth and college-at-sea educational programs. She remarked that Rogers is both colleague and a collaborator in the mission to preserve our maritime heritage, but also a shipmate. Shipmates, she reminded our guests, are those who can be counted on, fellow mariners who work side by side in all kinds of condi-
photo by allison lucas
Pomp and Circumstance—and a Lot of Fun—Honoring This Year’s Awardees at the National Maritime Historical Society’s Annual Awards Dinner
SEA HISTORY 161, WINTER 2017–18