Board of Directors & Staff

Meet Our Team

CRAB Board of Directors and Staff members love sailing and are well aware of its benefits.

Board of Directors

CRAB Board Members provide the leadership and financial planning for CRAB to accomplish its ambitious mission to be the best adaptive boating program in the country. Every Board Member supports the personal commitment required of their position and strives to expand the outreach and impact of CRAB’s programs and financial resources. The CRAB Board has a
diversity of expertise and knowledge that serves to strengthen CRAB’s outreach to the community, government, and donors.

Will Crump, Chair of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Will Crump

Chair

Will is a successful technology entrepreneur and investor who has made Annapolis his home because of his love for the water and competitive sailboat racing. Shortly after graduating from Hampden-Sydney College, Will moved to Annapolis to race and coach sailing professionally.He earned multiple regional, national, and continental championships which afforded him the opportunity to meet his future bride who represented Denmark on the Danish Olympic sailing team.

After attending the Copenhagen Business School together, Will and his wife Marie Klok Crump became technology executives and entrepreneurs in the data management space with a specialty in hyper-growth and building high performance technology teams. Together they have built two companies into industry leadership positions, while successfully match racing, offshore distance racing, and one-design fleet racing. Together they have earned regional and continental titles in addition to some of the most legendary offshore sailing trophies.

The father of two girls, Will is excited to share his favorite sports of lacrosse and sailing with hisdaughters and cultivate the tradition of philanthropy he learned from his mother’s thirty-yearservice in the United Way of Virginia.

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Elizabeth "Beth" Rossman, Vice Chairman and Secretary of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Elizabeth “Beth” Rossman

Vice Chair & Secretary

Elizabeth (Beth) Rossman grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She inherited her love of
being on the water from her dad, and she and her family spent a great deal of time
during her childhood boating, fishing, and crabbing all along the Chesapeake Bay and
on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Beth became a volunteer with CRAB in late 2020
and strongly believes in CRAB’s mission – the therapeutic value of being on the water
for anyone with a disability, recovering warriors, and youth from underserved
communities. Beth not only works with CRAB leadership, she is also an active volunteer
who enjoys interacting with guests and sharing in their joyful experiences.

Beth currently serves as both Vice Chair and Secretary of the CRAB Board of Directors.
She is Chair of the CRAB Governance Committee and an active member of the CRAB
Development and Programs & Activities Committees.

Before her retirement in October 2019, Beth enjoyed a 35-year career in both the
government and private sectors in Washington, DC. She spent the first 20 years of her
professional life in the Federal Government, the majority of which was serving in the
White House Office of Management and Budget. She worked for Administrations of both
political parties and advised the OMB Directors and other senior White House policy
officials on all aspects of the legislative process as it pertained to the President’s
Budget, including relevant authorization legislation and all appropriations/funding
measures. After retiring from the Government, she went to work as Vice President of
Global Government Relations for Honeywell Aerospace. She led a global team whose
primary goal was to support Honeywell business leaders throughout the defense,
energy, space, and civil aviation business segments. Beth and her team worked with the
US Departments of Defense, Energy, and Transportation; the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration; the White House, US Congress, and key Congressional
Committees; and embassies and other international representatives on a daily basis.

Beth also serves on the Board of the Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO), the
largest aviation charity event in Washington, DC. She is also very involved in supporting
Suited for Change, a Washington, DC, non-profit organization that equips women in
need in the community on their path to financial independence by providing them with
professional attire, coaching, and skills training.

Beth has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Maryland
Baltimore County and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of
Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA). She has
served on the Board of Visitors for GSPIA for more than a decade.

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Arthur "Jib" Edwards, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Arthur “Jib” Edwards Jr.

Treasurer

Jib is the President and CEO of The Severn Companies and currently oversees 100 employees and 60 multifamily housing communities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Responsible for over $500,000 in annual capital expenditures and $8 million in annual rental income, Jib has sponsored and served as a partner on a total of 25 limited partnerships that have acquired and built an aggregate of $200 million of assets on behalf of investment partnerships. Jib has successfully developed a diverse range of multi-family housing developments, from small rehabilitation projects to large master­ planned communities using structured financing that includes market-rate and government programs such as 515, HUD 221D-4, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and other affordable housing resources. Certified as HCCP and C3P Specialist, Jib is recognized by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program for compliance in the LIHTC program. As a specialist in housing planning and development for over 20 years, Mr. Edwards has served as a consultant to state federated labor councils, housing development corporations, and state and local housing authorities and taskforces. Prior to joining The Severn Companies, Jib served as a naval pilot and flew the SH-2F during Desert Storm, where he was awarded two Navy Achievement awards.

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Jim Nolan, Past Immediate Chair of CRAB's Board of Directors.

James “Jim” Nolan

Past Immediate Chair

“As a resident of Annapolis since 1962, I have spent a great part of my life enjoying the Chesapeake Bay. I’m excited to join CRAB’s Board in order to assist in enabling those with disabilities to have their lives enriched by equitable access to the Bay. I had the great honor of interacting with CRAB founder Don Backe shortly after the formation of CRAB. I’m eager to help carry on his legacy and that of this wonderful organization.”

Jim Nolan is a partner of Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Nolan, P.A. He previously served as Managing Partner of the firm from 1987-2015. Mr. Nolan’s practice includes general civil and criminal litigation, administrative law, business and commercial law, corporate law, construction law, real estate and land use law and personal injury law.

In addition to Jim’s extensive litigation and business experience, he has been a leader in many bar, civic and business organizations. He is a member and Immediate Past Chair of the Board of the University of Baltimore Foundation and Board of Visitors and a member of the Board of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB). He is a Past President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, the Maryland State Bar Association, the Anne Arundel County Bar Association, the Anne Arundel County Bar Foundation and the Maryland Institute for the Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers. He previously served as a Delegate in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association for 16 years. He is a Past Chair of the Board of the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, a Past Chair of the Board of Severn School, a Past Co-Chair of the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce, a Past Chair of the Board of the Historic Annapolis Foundation and a former member of the Boards of the Annapolis Banking and Trust Company, the Annapolis Advisory Board of PNC Bank, the Annapolis Community Foundation and the Maryland Bar Foundation.

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CRAB board member Keith Misner

Keith Misner

Mr. Misner has over 35 years of national commercial real estate experience with success in
investment sales, investor relations, asset management, and development in public and private
owner/investor firms and major service providers. Mr. Misner is a private investor, developer,
and intermediary focused on the Living Sector.

Prior to his current role, Mr. Misner held key positions in renowned companies, including serving
as EVP and co-head of Investment Sales at Berkadia, Senior Vice President and Portfolio
Manager at Abacus Capital Group, and Senior Vice President of Transactions at AIMCO, a
Denver-based nationally active REIT. His career also includes significant contributions in senior
leadership roles at Grubb & Ellis, CBRE, and Cushman & Wakefield.

Mr. Misner earned an M.S. in Real Estate Development and Investment from New York
University and a B.S.B.A in Finance and Real Estate from East Carolina University.

Mr. Misner also serves on the Board of Directors of The Buoniconti Fund, which supports The
Miami Project to Cure Paralysis in Miami, FL. Keith further supports The Miami Project and
cancer-related charities through a family foundation, The Misner Foundation. Keith is an at-large
member of the Annapolis Yacht Club Board of Governors.

Mr. Misner has lived in Annapolis, MD, for 30+ years, is married to Gretchen Misner, and they
are always active with three 20-year-old sons: Maxfield, Blake, and Gavin. When not working,
Keith enjoys boating, skiing, pickleball, traveling, and spending time with the family Bernie
doodle dogs, Bennett and Bair.

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CRAB board member George Schulze

George Schulze

George served on the CRAB Board of Directors from 2020-2021. He was one of the first major fundraisers in the Skippers Challenge to use his business contacts and social media to raise a record amount of funds. He moved to North Carolina in 2021 but has moved back to Annapolis and has rejoined the CRAB Board.

George has been boating all since early childhood and greatly loves and respects the water. In all his years of boating, safety has been a paramount concern after witnessing a fatal boating accident. When he moved to this region twenty years ago, he always planned to retire on the Bay, except for a brief hiatus to Cornelius, NC.

Before retirement, George enjoyed a successful 42-year career in the hi-tech industry, both in sales and executive management.  He worked for companies ranging from start-ups to multi-billion dollar companies like KPMG Consulting and OpenText.  While at OpenText, he was Senior Vice President and member of the CEO’s Executive Leadership Team. He was responsible for an $800M global business unit and assisted in mergers and acquisitions. His client base of over 60,000 customers included many of the Global 2000 companies like Citibank, Nestle, and Toyota.  His business unit was recognized by Gartner (the premier research and advisory company) as the #1 provider of business-to-business services for four years. His leadership style, passion, and ability to work collaboratively with employees and many different companies and cultures around the world led to his successful business career.

He was introduced to CRAB at The Crab Cup in 2019. Due to a fairly severe accident, he had six years ago, which included a number of surgeries, leaving him with some permanent nerve damage to his knee, he felt a strong personal affinity with CRAB’s mission. His compassion for CRAB aligns with his love of the water and personal experiences. George’s understanding of the happiness boating brings to CRAB’s guests inspired him to serve on CRAB’s Board and further support its mission.

George graduated from Lehigh University with a degree in Civil Engineering. He has a son and daughter, along with two adorable grandkids. He resides on Spa Creek with his yellow lab Ellie, and a beautiful Formula 31 Bowrider.  

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Sandy Grosvenor, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Sandy Grosvenor

Sandy is an international official in the sport of sailing and a lifelong sailor.  She is recognized by World Sailing as an International Judge, Umpire, and Race Officer.   She is also currently Chair of the Race Committee at Annapolis Yacht Club.

Sandy does not remember learning how to sail: She grew up sailing initially on family boats and then competing for many years in keelboats like the J/22 and J/24 all around the country.  She match-raced for several years rising at one point to 13th rank among women internationally.   

She shifted priorities into officiating and has served at international events around the world over the last 15 years including highlights such as being Chief Judge twice at the Laser Women’s Radial World Championships; being Principal Race Officer for the 2018 J/22 World Championships and the 2017 5O5 World Championships.

As her mid-life crisis, she started to train and compete in triathlons and other endurance sports, culminating in finish in the 2016 Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI, and 3rd in her age group in the 2018 International Triathlon Union’s Aqua-Bike World Championships.

Professionally, she has been career software developer working over the years with (among others) Leidos, SAIC, and NASA.

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Steve Ritterbush, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Stephen Ritterbush

In December 2016, Dr. Ritterbush retired as the Managing Partner of Fairfax Partners, a Washington, D.C. based equity firm, which he founded in 1989.  During his career Dr. Ritterbush had been responsible for approximately 40 private equity investments that were a combination of both leveraged buyout/acquisition-oriented transactions and more traditional early-stage venture capital opportunities. Over the last 18 years, Dr. Ritterbush has also founded or co-founded more than 25 companies.

From 1989 to 1991, Dr. Ritterbush was President and CEO of Greater Washington Investors, a $38 million Small Business Investment Corporation (SBIC), where he repositioned a stagnant, underperforming portfolio, ultimately resulting in an eleven-fold increase in the share price.

In 1986, Dr. Ritterbush, with five partners, successfully acquired Kaiser Engineers, of Oakland, California.  Kaiser Engineers was then merged with ICF, a northern Virginia company of which he was a partner.   In the newly merged companies, he served as a director and senior corporate officer of ICF Kaiser International, Inc., and President of its subsidiary, American Venture Investments, Inc. During this period, ICF’s revenues grew from $18 million to more than $500 million, as the company became one of the largest environmental engineering and remediation firms in the United States. In 1989, the company was taken public by Alex Brown.

From 1981-1986, Dr. Ritterbush served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Arthur D. Little Far East, Inc., located in Singapore. While in the Far East and later in Washington, DC he worked with Advent International of Boston, MA to establish and develop venture capital funds in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia.

Dr. Ritterbush received a BS in civil engineering and a BA in political science from Union College. He subsequently earned an MS in oceanography from the University of Hawaii as well as an MA in international affairs and a PhD in international economics from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University. He was concurrently awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship to support further study at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Dr. Ritterbush served on the Board of Trustees of Union College and as Chairman of the Finance Committee for eleven years from 2005-2016.  Until 2019 he served as Chairman of the Board of Advanced Software Systems (Assyst) of Sterling, Virginia. He is currently the founder and equity owner of two early-stage companies:  xMD Diagnostics, which develops medical equipment for the emerging field of genomics, and Cordex Systems, Inc., a medical device company that is developing a new non-invasive way to examine inflammation in a patient’s arteries.  He has been awarded ten US and International patents covering the development of medical technologies.

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Don Santa, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Don Santa

Don is an active Annapolis racing sailor on his J-105 Santa’s Reign Dear, who has supported the sport of sailing and charitable organizations with a sailing/boating focus, especially CRAB. He also has prior experience as a member of nonprofit boards for the Arundel Rivers Federation and St. Anne’s School of Annapolis.


Don is an executive with over 35 years’ of experience dealing with the intersection of law, public
policy, and business imperatives affecting the energy industry. He has served in multiple roles connected with the US natural gas and electric power industries, including federal government policymaker, industry trade association leader, corporate legal and executive positions, and outside counsel.

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Ed Gosselin, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Ed Gosselin

Ed Gosselin has 35 years of experience in commercial real estate development and investments. He retired in 2023 from Chesapeake Real Estate Group, where he was a partner since 2013, responsible for partnership negotiations, financing, project management, and entitlements. He developed 4 million square feet of industrial assets in Maryland with partners including USAA, Prudential, and TA Realty.

Ed holds a Bachelor of Arts from Colorado State University and an MBA from DePaul University. He currently serves as the board chair of Arundel Community Development Services and is a director of the Anne Arundel County Pension Oversight Commission. He has also served on various civic boards, including the Anne Arundel Health System and the Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis.

Ed’s wife, Debbie, was is the former owner and operator of Watermark Cruises. Ed is committed to enhancing access to Chesapeake Bay for individuals who would not typically have that opportunity.

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Tony Parker, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Tony Parker

Tony Parker is the founder and CEO of Parker Tide Corporation, a federal contracting company specializing in HR, procurement, and adjudication services. With over 20 years in corporate and tax law, he serves on the boards of four NASDAQ companies and is the Past-President of the Naval Academy Sailing Foundation. A Vietnam War veteran with degrees from Harvard and Georgetown, Tony is also an avid sailor. He captained the Harvard Sailing Team and has raced his J24, Bangor Packet, for 45 years, achieving podium finishes at 3 World Championships. Additionally, he races a Morris 47 and participates in major races like Newport to Bermuda. Tony is a member of several yacht clubs around the country and is committed to making sailing more accessible through CRAB.

He lives in Annapolis Roads with his wife, Claire.

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Joe Rubino, member of CRAB's Board of Directors.

Joe Rubino

Joe Rubino is the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Superintendent for Finance at the United States Naval Academy, retiring from active-duty Navy in 2000. Joe holds a degree from Villanova University, a Master’s in Management from MIT, and a JD from Temple University School of Law. He has served on various boards, including as past Chairman of the Board of Historic Annapolis. Born and raised in Annapolis, Joe has been boating since childhood beginning with the Severn Sailing Association and later the Annapolis Yacht Club.  

Joe’s wife, Amy, is a retired head of the Anne Arundel County Senior Health Insurance Program, and they have three adult children. He is passionate about connecting his interests in boating and military service to support wounded warriors and improve accessibility for the community through the CRAB programs.

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Staff

Paul "Bo" Bollinger, CRAB's President and CEO.

Paul “Bo” Bollinger, Jr.

President & CEO

[email protected]

Paul “Bo” Bollinger is the President & CEO of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB) and has been serving in this role since March, 2016. Prior to becoming the President & CEO he was a CRAB Board Member in 2015.  Bo was responsible for the public funding, accessible and sustainable design, and construction oversight of the Annapolis Adaptive Boating Center that opened in 2023.

Bollinger was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from the University of Kentucky majoring in Business Administration and Airport Management. He is married to Elizabeth Stablein Bollinger, his high school sweetheart and they have two adult children and two grandsons. Elizabeth was designated an honorary “Admiral” of CRAB in 2017 for her exemplary service to the organization.

Bo has been boating all of his life starting on the Ohio River and many of Kentucky’s major lakes, before sailing and boating on  Chesapeake Bay for 40 years.  His local boating covers the entire length and breadth of the Bay and Delmarva.

Bo spent 18 years working in Washington, DC in senior level positions for aviation associations such as the American Association of Airport Executives; Airport Consultants Council, Airports Council International; and, the Air Traffic Control Association. In addition, he spent more than a dozen years working for companies in the aviation industry such as AECOM and Boeing. His favorite work was as a Special Assistant and later as Deputy Assistant Secretary from 2006-2009 in the Pentagon. He was responsible for standing up the alternative fuel certification program for the Air Force; and, creating the Army’s energy strategy and initiating projects to reduce consumption, increase renewables, and enhance energy security.  Bo also provided oversight for the $13B public/private partnership to build 89,000 new housing units for soldiers.

Working with his aviation friends, Bo created the Greater Washington Aviation Open (GWAO) in 1989 which is the largest aviation charity event in Washington, DC. The GWAO was the 2013 recipient of the National Aeronautic Association’s Public Benefit Flying Award and has raised over $3 million for several aviation charities. 

Bo founded the Wounded Warrior Sailing Regatta in Annapolis in 2012 and was introduced to CRAB’s founder Don Backe.  In 2018, Bo had the idea of creating the Triple Crown of Triple Crown Sailing Trophy to create greater interest in sailing and raising funds for the Leukemia Cup, CRAB Cup, and Hospice Cup. 

Bollinger earned a graduate executive certificate in association management from George Washington University in 1984. He earned his U.S. Coast Guard Master’s license in Sail/Power in 2006.

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Rebecca Gonser, CRAB's Vice President of Development.

Rebecca Gonser

Vice President of Development

[email protected]

Rebecca Gonser is a native of New Jersey and gained a love of watersports on Greenwood Lake, NY, and Lake Wallenpaupack, PA boating with her family and friends. After graduating from Monmouth University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Journalism, she married USNA graduate JT Gonser. As a Navy family, they traveled around the country on an adventure together.

Throughout her career, Rebecca has gained extensive marketing experience working with several non-profits, military interest groups, and special education advocacy organizations. Rebecca has experience in event management, relationship management, branding, design, editing, and grant writing. Rebecca has also been an active volunteer, and has served on the board of the Chesapeake Public Relations Society of America. 

Rebecca and JT have three teenage children. All of whom love sailing and boating and enjoy volunteering for CRAB whenever possible. When not on the water, Rebecca and her daughter are avid equestrians and can be found competing at local and regional horse shows. 

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Shannon Rohrer, CRAB's Manager of Programs.

Shannon Rohrer

Manager of Programs

[email protected]

Shannon Rohrer, is CRAB’s Manager of Programs. Shannon is responsible for all communication, scheduling, and managing CRAB’s boating and education events. She also takes charge of scheduling and management of all facility rental events at the new Adaptive Boating Center. Shannon’s smiling face welcomes all guests, volunteers, Fleet Directors, and friends when they arrive to participate in all CRAB programs.

Shannon came to CRAB with twenty-nine years of hospitality experience. Her career began at the Ram’s Head Tavern and Tsunami restaurants in Annapolis. From there, Shannon relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, in 2002, where she continued in the Hospitality Industry and obtained an education in Culinary Arts. In 2017, shifted her focus to management and obtained a position at the Seabrook Island Resort Club and at Kiawah Island Club.

After many years in South Carolina, Shannon returned to Annapolis and became a member of the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) and assumed a position at Annapolis Yacht Club, where she continued to exceed expectations.

As a native of Kent Island, a love of the Chesapeake Bay comes naturally to Shannon. She and her husband, Chris, an experienced sailor and past CRAB Volunteer, have established their home just blocks from the Adaptive Boating Center and expect many joyful and fulfilling days on the water. “I am excited to be a part of the CRAB team. Life on the water has always brought me joy, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share that experience with the guests and volunteers at the new Adaptive Boating Center,” said Shannon.

Shannon has a passion for golf, loves water sports, and excels in customer service.

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Carey Ross, CRAB's Manager of Marketing and Events.

Carey Ross

Manager of Marketing and Events

[email protected]

Carey Ross is an Annapolis native who grew up sailing with her father. Carey attended St. Mary’s High School for 13 years and went back to her alma mater to teach high school English after graduating from Marymount University. While teaching, she pursued her masters degree from St. John’s College. She also earned her 200 Hour Yoga Certification during this time. Carey left teaching to start a family and later worked part-time at an international yacht charter company. In her position as Account Manager, she was responsible for providing great customer service while facilitating multiple business accounts. Carey and her husband Steve have two young sons and two goldendoodles. Carey enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, reading, and playing with her two rambunctious toddlers. She is very excited to be working at CRAB and using her education and management experience to support a mission she strongly believes in. 

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Maude Laurence

Manager of Finances and Administration

[email protected]

Maude comes with a robust resume that includes experience as Territory Manage for Sears and Regional Director of Operations at Pizzeria Unos. Maude found CRAB through her husband who was disabled by a stroke. When he passed suddenly, she became an active volunteer for CRAB. She participates in the Don Backe Memorial Regatta, CRAB Cup, and Recovering Warrior Regattas every year. Originally from New York, Maude moved to Annapolis in 1994. Her passion for sailing ignited when she started volunteering for CRAB in 2015. Maude has become an avid sailor and races, cruises, and volunteers as much as possible. When she’s not out on the water sailing, Maude enjoys her friends, cooking, hiking, working out, and traveling with her son and daughter. 


Fleet Directors

Dan Flagler, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

Dan Flagler

Dan Pendergast, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

Dan Pendergast

George Pappas, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

George Pappas

Jim Barnes, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

Jim Barnes

Tony Spitzer, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

Tony Spitzer

Walt Laird, one of CRAB's fleet directors.

Walt Laird