This year is the 150th anniversary of the founding of Martin & Ottaway. We are in the middle of writing a company history, and we thought that towards the end of the book a picture of our present staff would be appropriate. On September 8, we almost succeeded in getting everybody in the same place for a picture.
Unfortunately, Lenny Pucci, Niek van Sas, and Murat Kilic could not join us, but from left to right on the front row, we have Mirna O’Dell, Jim Dolan, Alan Colletti, Marianne Herrick and Brenda Caswell. On the back row, left to right, we have Jim Kline, Joe Laughinghouse, Pierce Power, David Tantrum, Aaron Brawner, Rik van Hemmen, Evan Headley, Adam Moilanen, Rich Ottaway and Kyle Antonini.
While most are familiar to our clients, the photo contains four new faces that have expanded the Martin & Ottaway staff in the last few months and have not been introduced before; Adam Moilanen, Aaron Brawner, Evan Headley and Joe Laughinghouse.
The company is extremely fortunate to engage these talented and dedicated consultants. It is particularly notable that these staff additions further expand and update the company’s already incredible wide ranging skill set.
Adam Moilanen retired as ABS’ Corporate Vice President and Chief Surveyor in 2025 and follows in Jim Dolan’s footsteps in joining Martin & Ottaway. Adam will spend his time in Houston and Virginia Beach and with his tremendous background in all aspects of maritime, will focus his efforts on providing the company’s services in those locations.
Aaron Brawner retired as a Master Marine Inspector from the USCG in 2025 and his wide ranging experience has already fully involved him in the typical massive variety of projects that the company engages in. Often without intending to do so, a maritime professional gains expertise in unexpected specialties. Among his wide variety of USCG marine inspector tasks, Aaron became one of the top USCG wooden vessel inspectors. Since the firm regularly consults on wooden vessels, Aaron is expected to continue to apply this specialized knowledge in that work. In another unusual specialty Aaron also has been deeply involved in the certification and safety analysis of FRP parasailing vessels and has inspected the construction of the vast majority of parasail vessels built in the USA and shipped worldwide.
Before Jim Kline and Aaron joined Martin & Ottaway, we were comfortable working with the USCG, but were also occasionally confused since USCG operations are so different from the company’s modus operandi. In interacting with the USCG, Jim and Aaron’s experience are invaluable in avoiding miscommunications and misunderstandings and directly benefit our clients in even more quickly resolving the typical tasks the company engages in.
Similarly, US Navy miscommunications could also occur and that is now remedied by Evan Headley joining the firm.
Evan Headley joined Martin & Ottaway after 3 years with Naval Surface Weapons Center in Philadelphia. Evan is a New Jersey water rat with a degree in Naval Engineering from Stevens Institute and quite a pile of Navy advanced study certifications. Moreover, he is close to getting his USCG 25 ton Captain’s License. Evan also spent time at Viking yachts, which will bolster our yacht construction experience.
Joe Laughinghouse also has a New Jersey water rat background and is a recent Mechanical Engineering graduate from Lafayette College. Like Evan, he also spent time at Viking Yachts and will be able to rapidly grow his knowledge and experience working with the entire staff.
Our research in the company’s history has shown that a consulting firm like Martin & Ottaway succeeds by adhering to core values in engineering and ethics, but with a staff that has the widest ranging expertise. Over time that has resulted in a company mantra that states: “Don’t waste your time hiring someone like yourself”. In range of expertise, and in range of life experience, today, Martin & Ottaway may fit that model better than any time in its 150 year history, which to all within the company provides great confidence in its continued success.
