Whidbey Island Maritime Heritage Foundation maritime heritage and sail tours on Whidbey Island |
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board shall consist of not fewer than three (3), nor more than seven (7) directors, the specific number to be set by resolution of the Board.
BOARD MEMBERS AND THEIR TERM OF EXPIRATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING
| President I have been involved with the marine environment for most of my life. Growing up in NY I spent most summers at the beach, on the water sailing with friends, and learning to scuba dive when I was 15. I hold an undergraduate degree in Ocean Engineering and have held professional roles as a commercial diver supervisor for International Underwater Contractors and as a structural engineer for the American Bureau of Shipping. I also bring program management experience from civilian space programs and commercial aircraft to my position as President. |
Outside of my professional career, I am an avid sailor currently sailing a 1955 Nordic Folkboat in the Salish Sea. In addition to volunteering on Suva and maintaining my folkboat, I have recently been a crew member on several exploration sailing voyages. In the past five years I have sailed over 10,000nm in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. These voyages included crossing the equator, the international date line and the Arctic Circle.
It is a great honor to serve as a Director for the Foundation where I look forward to helping preserve the S/V Suva and improving the quality of our marine environment.
Vice President & Treasurer |  |
Secretary Kathy Cotner (2026) I moved to the island with my husband in 2021 after searching for our ideal retirement setting for many years. We discovered Suva in the spring of 2022 and have been members ever since. I joined the Board in the fall of 2022 as the Secretary. My background is in Special Education, with a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University and a master's degree in education from Loyola. In the mid-nineties, I volunteered on the Captain Connor, a 64-foot fantail passenger ferry tug built in 1943, on the Columbia and Willamette rivers while living in the Portland, Oregon area. Originally used to transport prisoners to the McNeil Island Penitentiary, the ship was operated at the time by an educational outreach group known as H2O (Headwaters to Ocean), which ran summer field trips for students. I have always enjoyed being out on big boats of every kind, but Suva is my first experience with actual sailing. I have a great deal of respect for this dedicated group of volunteers and have thoroughly enjoyed working with them. SUVA is a beautiful ship, and sailing on her has been truly inspirational. It is equally inspiring for our passengers, and I am pleased to help continue SUVA's mission of bringing maritime history to life in Coupeville. Kathy chairs the Scheduling Committee and is responsible for sail events, crew scheduling, and booking charters. |
Operations Gary McIntyre (2026) Gary “Captain Mac” McIntyre has been a sailor for over 55 years, beginning on a 16-foot Sunfish. A lifelong sailing enthusiast, he currently owns a 30-foot Catalina in Oak Harbor. In 2008, upon moving to Whidbey Island, Gary obtained his U.S. Merchant Marine Officer's License. His leadership in the maritime community includes serving as the Commodore for the Whidbey Island Naval Sailing Association (WINSA), where he trained Navy personnel for recreational sailing. Gary joined the Coupeville Maritime Heritage Foundation in 2016 and has served as a skipper for Suva since. He is deeply committed to the foundation's community mission, frequently leading "donation sails" for local nonprofits, including excursions for adults with developmental disabilities. For Gary, the most rewarding aspect of captaining Suva is witnessing the excitement of children as they step aboard and take the helm of such a historic vessel. Gary is the senior captain responsible for crew training as well as |
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| Maintenance Kirby Stevens, a former USCG captain, has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from San Jose State University. His sailing journey began in 1964 when he set sail on the 65-foot schooner “Brigadoon” in San Francisco Bay, hailing from Boothbay. Over the past two decades, Kirby has resided in Coupeville. Kirby has held the esteemed position of USCG captain from 2000 until 2021 and has taught USCG captains’ classes. He was also a charter member of CMHF/WIMHF and served as the Captain of Suva from 2015 to 2021. "My interest in being on the Board is to expand the Foundation’s focus from just Suva, to include the Island’s maritime heritage as outlined in our charter, through outreach to the community by broadening our appeal to people that are not sailors." Kirby chairs the Maintenance Committee. |
Marketing Tim Neal (2026) My wife and I moved here in 2017 from San Antonio, TX to be near family. We joined the SUVA family in 2018 to meet other people in the community. We found crewing on the SUVA to be a learning opportunity and have met fascinating people in the community. My background in aviation and computer technology has given me the ability to promote awareness of SUVA. My experience in sailing was limited until I joined SUVA. Prior to that, I sailed the Turkish Riviera on a 35 ft Beneteau sailboat. I’m a strong supporter of SUVA, participating in training, marketing and web design. |
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| Director Emeritus
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Director Emeritus Jim is largely responsible for everything Schooner Suva is today. From the time of acquisition, he led the effort to form the 501(c)(3) foundation, coordinated initial Coast Guard inspections, and oversaw the physical modifications required for passenger certification. He also helped secure the pandemic-era loan that sustained us while we were unable to sail. From 2018 to November 2022, Jim managed the "Suva phone," personally handling all ticket sales and charter arrangements. In addition to serving as Foundation President and the face of Suva, Jim volunteered as a Senior Bosun in charge of crew training. He was a lead on the Maintenance Committee and served as our resident expert on the electrical system, which he updated. |
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