On April 17, 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 2025-2026 Officers & Directors.
Brian Houf of MESCO will take the helm as President, Jerry Bench of Wintron Electronics in Manasquan will assume a new role as First Vice President, and Karen Gruppuso of Coastal Environmental Consulting in Toms River will assume a new role as Second Vice President.
Ed Harrison, III of Baywood Marina in Brick remains the Treasurer and Raymond Bogan of Sinn, Cantoli, Bogan, & Steuerman in Point Pleasant Beach continues as Secretary. Colleen Blake of All Points Marina in Point Pleasant Beach will continue to serve on the board as Immediate Past President.
Two new directors were elected to the board: John Leek of Viking Yacht Co. & Valhalla Boatworks in New Gretna, and Pat McGovern of Mack Boring & Parts Co. in Somerset. Mark Cassidy of Cassidy’s Breton Woods Marina in Brick and Pat Salinas of Morgan Marina in Parlin were re-elected to serve another two-year term as directors. The following directors will continue their terms: 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, and Eliot Walters of Dillon’s Creek Marina in Island Heights.
The active Past Presidents that will continue to serve on the Board include Greg Wright of John B. Wright Insurance Agency in Manasquan, Fred Brueggemann, Jim Cerruti, Ed McCarthy of McCarthy’s Marine Sales in Brielle, 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.
Established in 1972, the Marine Trades Association of New Jersey (MTA/NJ) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to advancing, promoting and protecting the recreational marine industry and waterways in New Jersey. The MTA/NJ is dedicated to promoting the interests of the industry as a whole for the benefit of its individual members and the consumers whom they serve. Learn more at www.mtanj.org.
