Tighe Merkert, Chairman
Tighe owns and manages Marriner Marketing Communications, a successful marketing communications firm that specializes in the food and hospitality industries. He is intimately involved with and oversees strategic planning and direction of all client work. Prior to Marriner, he served a 16-year tenure as a Senior Vice President of Service America Corporation, where he managed a $350 million business unit. He built a foundation of knowledge and experience, developing strategic, long-term business solutions that worked. Throughout his 16 years at Marriner (MMC), he amplified that experience, building high-level, corporate positioning and communications programs for some of America’s most prestigious companies.
Mike Eckhart
Mike participated in the original Oyster Policy Roundtable and has been on the ORP Board since 1994. In 1992, he proposed the Clear Bay Project — the combination of a large-scale, hatchery-based oyster restoration program for the Chesapeake Bay, powered by a gas-fired power generation plant — that was one of the factors that led to the formation of the Roundtable and ultimately to the ORP. Mike grew up in Annapolis in the early 1960s, when the Skipjack fleet still sailed from the area and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1966. He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service and went on to receive an Electrical Engineering degree from Purdue University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Having worked in power generation and renewable energy for more than 30 years, Mike has continued to strive to connect the dots between this cutting-edge, sustainable practice and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Mike joined Citi, a leading global financial services company, after spending a decade as the founding President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE), where he became a world leader on issues of renewable energy and often contributes this “business environmentalism” to the ORP. Mike enjoys sailing out of Annapolis with his wife and two grown daughters and has enjoyed membership with both the Maryland Watermen’s Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for several decades.
Bill Coney
After retiring from the tech industry in 2015, Bill co-founded Legacy Reef Foundation in Kailua-Kona Hawaii, a coral preservation and restoration non-profit foundation. Bill’s love of the ocean and desire to improve the quality of near shore marine habitats has driven him to seek opportunities in Hawaii, South Pacific, Caribbean, and the East Coast to open restoration projects. Bill lives in Hawaii and Maryland.
William Gibbons-Fly
William (Bill) Gibbons-Fly is Executive Director of the American Tunaboat Association (ATA), representing the owners and operators of the U.S. Pacific tuna purse seine fleet, the last true distant-water fishing fleet operating under U.S. flag. Previously, Bill spent 15 years as the Director of the Office of Marine Conservation at the U.S. Department of State. In this capacity, he led the development and implementation of U.S. policy for the international conservation and management of living marine resources, including as lead negotiator for the United States on a wide range of international treaties, agreements, and arrangements. He also currently serves on the Board of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, and the Federal Advisory Panels for both Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission.
Harold Graul
Harold Graul has worked in his family’s business, Graul’s Markets, for over 60 years. He has experience in all phases of running supermarkets. Seafood has always been a part of these stores, and they try to buy as much local product as possible. Graul’s Markets have six stores in Maryland and are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, 2020.
Captain Herman “Jeffery” Harrison
Fifth generation Chesapeake Bay Waterman received Captain’s License in 1983. Member of various Fishery Groups (MD Waterman’s Assoc since 1981, Talbot County Oyster Shell Committee since 1986, Talbot Waterman’s Assoc Secretary 2010-2015 and President 2015 to present, Oyster Futures Group 2016 to present, and Oyster Advisory Commission 2016 to present). Member of various Environmental Groups (Choptank Tributary Team since 2006 and Phillips Wharf Environmental Center since 2010). Member of Local Community Groups (Tilghman Volunteer Fire Department Volunteer 1985 to present, Tilghman Elem School PTA Vice President 1994-2000, Coach for SLOT and Homerun Baker youth leagues 1994-2007, Talbot County Parks and Rec Advisory Board 2000 to present, and Tilghman Watermen Museum Board Member 2022).
The Honorable James J. King
James King is the CEO of an Anne Arundel County-based restaurant holding company that owns and manages seven restaurants in the Virginia/Maryland/Delaware region. The restaurants include The Blackwall Barn & Lodge (Gambrills, MD & Columbia, MD) and Blackwall Hitch (Annapolis, MD & Alexandria, VA), Smashing Grapes Columbia, The Farmhouse Gambrills, and The Lodge Annapolis. James is a native of the Washington-DC area and has spent most of his professional career in the food services industry. He spent one term as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates (2007-2011).
Thomas Kountz
A Baltimore native, Thomas has combined a passion for flavor in the culinary world with the science of chemistry, getting his start in Maryland based seafood restaurants. Thomas developed a strong passion for the culinarily rich waters of the Chesapeake Bay while developing an understanding of sustainable restaurant practices. Driven by his curiosity for flavor, sustainability and the sciences, Thomas obtained his BS in Chemistry from Towson University. Thomas joined McCormick and Company in 2015, developing a career as a Research and Development Chemist with a focus on clean and sustainable industrial flavor solutions. Thomas is a member of McCormick’s R&D Sustainability Committee, Corporate Multi-Management Board, and an active member in the scientific community.
Shannon Lyons
Shannon’s career has focused on bridging science and people to solve marine conservation issues spanning such topics as mitigating North Atlantic right whale ship strikes to implementing ecosystem-based fisheries management. Most recently, Shannon was the Director of the Making History Campaign at Chesapeake Bay Foundation, where she worked to restore clean water to the Bay by amplifying natural infrastructure and advocacy. Shannon has a Master of Coastal Environmental Management degree from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Marine Studies from University of Delaware. She grew up spending summers on the Jersey shore and winters diving and fishing in the Bahamas. Shannon now resides in Annapolis, Maryland with her three children and SUP pup, Mahi. She teaches SUP and barre fitness and spends as much time on the water as possible sailing, paddle boarding, diving, and fishing – always in search of a tight line.
Katie Matthews
Katie currently works as Chief Scientist at Oceana, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting world oceans. Her varied work environments have included Arctic ice caps, Capitol Hill, international treaty negotiations, and the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific. After 10 years in research, she returned to Washington DC, her hometown, to work as a legislative fellow in the U.S. Congress and then for the Office of Marine Conservation in the U.S. State Department. Katie continued her science-based policy work with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and then with The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she ran a marine conservation and sustainable fisheries grantmaking program. She also served on the Society for Conservation Biology’s Board of Governors and led its Marine Section’s board of directors as president (2017-2019). She has an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Earth and Environmental Science.
Karen Oertel
For more than 40 years, Karen and her family have been involved in the seafood industry. As a member of the Harris Family Partnership, Karen has served on many business and nonprofit boards, including county and state boards and commissions. She has served on ORP’s board since its founding, helping to launch it as part of the Oyster Round Table and Tidal Fish Commission. She lives on the Eastern Shore with her husband and enjoys spending time with her three children and five grandchildren.
Jim Perdue
As Chairman and CEO of Perdue Farms, Jim heads the company’s executive team and is responsible for developing the company’s vision and growth strategies. Jim grew up in the family poultry business, but left after high school to attend college to pursue his interests in biology. He received his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and his master’s degree in marine biology from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, doing growth rate research on the Malaysian prawn. In 1983, Jim earned a doctorate in fisheries from the University of Washington in Seattle, where he studied survival of the Japanese oyster to summer mortality through genetic selection. He then returned to the family business and in 1989. Jim earned his MBA from Salisbury State University and became Chairman and CEO at Perdue Farms, Inc. in 1991.
Maxine Phillips
Ms. Phillips has served as Vice President for International Business Development for Phillips Seafood since 2000. She manages a variety of strategic planning and marketing strategies for the company and has been a part of Phillips’ sustainability in seafood practices and environmental health efforts. In addition to supporting ORP, Maxine is a member of the Boards of the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, the Living Classrooms Foundation, and the World Presidents Organization.
Ed Rich
As a judge in the Baltimore Science Fair for more than 15 years, Ed has encouraged the talented youth of our area to pursue science as a career. When Ed first joined the ORP Board, he represented the Windjammers, the founders of Chesapeake Appreciation Inc., which became the Oyster Recovery Partnership. Over the years, Ed has played an active role in supporting outreach events to teach children about the role that oysters play in restoring our Bay. He lives in the Annapolis area with his wife and daughter, and is an active member of the sailing community.
Jason Ruth
Jason comes from a family of Chesapeake Bay waterman and is the Owner and Operator of Harris Seafood Company. His firm’s knowledge of the Bay’s seafood industry and aquaculture dates back to 1947. His seafood products are caught and processed locally and then distributed to over 30 states across the nation.
Ben Savage
Mr. Savage is the Chief Marketing Officer for Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland, responsible for brand marketing, sales, business strategy, and industry trade partnerships. Prior to Flying Dog, Ben served as the Director of Marketing for Erickson Living. He has served as president of the Maryland Brewers Association, a member of the Board of Directors for the Brewers Association of Maryland, and member of the Rotary of Carroll Creek in Frederick.
Bill Sieling
Bill began his career in the Army, serving from 1965 to 1967. He then joined the Maryland Department of Natural Resources as a Fisheries Extension Agent, spanning 20 years, working with watermen and processors to better the industry. Bill later switched to the Department of Agriculture as Chief of Seafood Marketing for 12 years. Now in retirement, Bill works as Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Seafood Industries Association. He is a graduate of Washington College. Bill is an original ORP Board member. Bill and his wife, Anne, make their home in Bay Ridge, Maryland.
Russell F. Smith III
Russell F. Smith III has worked on international environmental issues for more than 20 years. He served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In that position he led U.S. international engagement in support of the sustainable management of fisheries, including promoting science-based decision-making and improving efforts to combat illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. In addition, he represented the United States as the U.S. Commissioner in several regional fisheries management organizations.
Russell has also worked for the Office of the United States Trade Representative on efforts to ensure that U.S trade policy and its implementation are supportive of U.S. environmental policy, including through the promotion of the sustainable management of natural resources and ensuring that opportunities for trade and investment liberalization resulting in access to the U.S. market are used as incentives for the enhancement, and not degradation, of environmental protection.
Russell B. Stevenson, Jr.
Russell B. Stevenson, Jr. has practiced law in Washington, D.C., taught law as a Professor of Law at The George Washington University, and served as Deputy General Counsel of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He was General Counsel and Secretary of Ciena Corporation from 2001 to 2008, when he retired. He is currently Professor from Practice at Georgetown University Law School.He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, cum laude. He is a member of the bars of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and the United States Supreme Court and is current Chairman of the Chesapeake Legal Alliance.