Photo Courtesy Collection of Bob Cunningham

Peter Braus (Trustee)
Peter is Managing Principal of Lee & Associates and been involved in the ownership and brokerage of real estate for over 20 years. He is Chair, Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) Retail Committee; board member, Alliance for Downtown New York; member, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC); Manhattan Community Board One (Chair of the Tribeca Committee); board member, Friends of Hudson River Park; and board member, Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT). 

John Doswell & Jean Preece (Founders)
John, along with Jean Preece, was one of the driving forces behind the return of the waterfront to public use, including saving and restoring the fireboat.  He was a Board Member of the boat, the founder of the Working Harbor Committee, and a driver behind the North River Historic Ship Society and Friends of Hudson River Park.  His death in 2015 is a great loss to the City of New York and everyone who loves the harbor and classic vessels.  Jean actively continues their work.

Rafe Evans (Founder)
A brilliant retail real estate broker, Rafe knows little about boats save that John J. Harvey is the best one. 

Huntley Gill (Founder & Trustee)
Historic preservationist, principal at Guardia Architects, member of the boards of several architectural and maritime preservation organizations, founder of two Manhattan Business Improvement Districts, and holder of a 200-ton USCG Master’s License.

David Grill (Trustee)
David joined the boat in 2008 and joined the Board a few years later.  He has a love of the water and a soft spot for historic vessels in need of loving care.

Sergio Guardia (Founder)
An award winning architect practicing in Manhattan and Latin-America.  Past owner with Chase Welles and Huntley Gill of the historic 1931 heavy motor yacht Shell-Fish.

Tim Ivory (Founder)
Chief engineer emeritus, head of restoration in the project’s early years, and still the ultimate expert on the complex systems of John. J. Harvey.   Tim is a licensed maritime engineer working on tugs for NYS Maritime Highway on the Hudson, the canals, the Great Lakes and New York harbor.  

John Krevey & Angela Krevey (Founders & Trustee emeritus)
John Krevey was a seminal force in our region’s burgeoning interest in public waterfront access.    With Angela & Eric Fischer, he maneuvered through countless practical obstacles to create Pier 63 / 66 Maritime on an historic car float in the North River.  As part of that project, he restored National Register lightship Frying Pan and made her available to the public.  He succeeded in enlivening the New York waterfront, and in doing so inspired countless other such efforts, both public and private, throughout the region.

John founded our project in the late 1990’s when he convinced several of its founders to join him in buying and restoring John J. Harvey.   His remarkably generous offer of a free berth at Pier 63 / 66 (which we have to this day) was yet another of his means of getting people out on the water. Thereafter he gave unstintingly over the years of his expertise, good will, financial and tactical support and friendship. His contributions to waterfront access, maritime preservation and to our project cannot be overstated.

Since John’s death in 2013 his wife Angela has continued their work with equal passion and commitment.

Robert (Bob) Lenney (Trustee emeritus)
Bob Lenney first steered John J. Harvey for FDNY in 1963. He was faithful to his fireboat through the years, and when she was retired in the early 1990s, Bob retired as well.  He was coaxed back on board in 1999 and stayed with us for sixteen years training 'this bunch of clowns' to take care of his boat as well as he had.

It is not possible to overstate the effect he had on us, and the project. He coaxed, ranted, opined, charmed, and amused us season in and season out. His wisdom and judgment saved us from countless errors, and we relied on his profound wisdom, both nautical and diplomatic. Bob was truly one-of-a-kind. It was a rite-of-passage to get yelled at by him; behind the yelling was a fierce love for the fireboat and the people who take care of her.

His death in 2016  was a great loss, but we are so much better for having known him. 

Florent Morellet (Founder)
Civic figure, community activist and artist, Florent was the creator of the eponymous, now legendary restaurant in NYC’s Meatpacking District. In addition to his art, featuring creative riffs on maps and urban narratives, he is actively involved in Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn and lobbying for the end-of-life rights organization Compassion and Choices.

Garry M. Pace (Trustee)
Garry is a retired Deputy Fire Chief from BWITM Airport in Baltimore. He teaches Fire Dept Management, Hazmat and Safety for the University of Maryland. He also is the Assistant Superintendent of Rail Operations and certified locomotive engineer at the B & O Railroad Museum. Garry teaches Rail Safety and Hazmat to two local shortline railroads in Baltimore. He has been involved with the Harvey since 2001.

Marja Samsom (Founder)
Dutch artist and chef/owner of the well known downtown restaurant 'The Kitchen Club & Chibis Bar', a Nolita staple from 1990-2010.  Marja currently balances her time between photography and culinary events while working on a book project.  She can be reached at  www.marjasamsom.com 

Randy Simon (Founder)
A film producer and classic car dealer in LA, Randy is an avid fire buff and collects fire engines.

Renée Lutz Stanley (Trustee)
Renée Lutz Stanley, proud daughter of a Merchant Marine, and wife of a very patient husband, is a professional stage manager. Since joining the Harvey Family, she has discovered an unnerving love of old steel boats, as well as deep affection for the crew and volunteers on the fireboat. Harvey is undeniably the Best Boat. 

Chase Welles (Trustee)
President of the boat, Chase is well known in commercial real estate circles, and is a life-long boater.

 

 

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