Welcome
The Marine Chemist Association Board of Directors (BOD) met on August 23, 2026, ahead of our Annual Seminar in Portland, Maine. This issue covers the seminar, the board meeting, upcoming events and general information for members.
This year’s Annual Seminar was attended by 31 chemists, including 9 BOD members, 8 GFEs, 2 trainees and 1 NFPA member. Attendance remains below our pre-pandemic average of 37.
In This Issue
- Welcome & 2026 attendance
- Fall Sectional: Albuquerque, NM
- 2026 Annual Seminar recap: Portland, ME
- Benzene instrument accuracy update
- Board of Directors
- Seminar incentive program
- Certificates & 2027 surcharge
- NFPA 306, MCQB & new chemists
- Professional standards
- Website, Forum & Facebook
- Committee appointments
Key Dates & Deadlines
Oct 6–7
NFPA 306 first review of ~56 suggested changes
Oct 17
Fall Sectional Seminar, Albuquerque, NM
Oct 18
BOD meeting, Albuquerque (breakfast 0700, meeting 0730)
Late Nov
Deadline for 2026 Annual incentive paperwork (3 months after the seminar)
2027
Surcharge rises to $40.00 per certificate
Next Up: Fall Sectional Seminar — Albuquerque, NM
Our next sectional seminar is Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the Sheraton Albuquerque Airport Hotel. The room-block cutoff of September 18, 2026 has passed. That was also the last day to register without a price increase and the last day to request a refund if you had paid but cannot attend.
This year’s sectional topic is the Standard Safety Designation (SSD) Safe for Shipbreaking, and the fall sectional will cover the same topic. The BOD continues to use the sectional seminars to review the NFPA 306 requirements for each SSD. Remember that you can receive credit for only one sectional seminar per year, at either of the two locations offered.
Agenda
- MCA Business Update
- How to Clean Spaces for the Shipbreaking SSD
- How to Inspect a Vessel for the Shipbreaking SSD
- What Is Required on a Certificate When Using the Safe for Shipbreaking SSD
- Presentation on Shipbreaking Certificate Evaluations
- Open discussion
At a Glance
Saturday, Oct 17: Seminar in the Valle Grande room. Breakfast 0700–0800; seminar starts 0800.
Sunday, Oct 18: BOD meeting in Vista Norte. Breakfast 0700–0800; meeting starts 0730.
Airport shuttle (24 hours): Once you have your bags, call (505) 348-7422. Exit baggage claim door 4 and cross the first street to the hotel shuttle loading zone. The driver will meet you there within about 15 minutes. The hotel is also about a 10-minute walk from the airport.
2026 Annual Seminar — Portland, Maine
This year’s Annual was held at the historic Portland Regency Hotel & Spa, a four-story property in the heart of Portland’s Old Port. Members gave the hotel good reviews for its small size and location, and an airport shuttle made the 10-minute trip easy.
Registration was held in the Mariner’s Church space, part of the Regency directly across the street.
All presentations are posted on the seminar presentations page of the website for members to use as they see fit.
Program
| Time | Topic | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, August 24 | ||
| Breakfast | Welcome | MCA Chair Geoffery Jenny |
| 1000–1200 | Business Meeting | Donald Raffo |
| 1300–end | Gas Detection Issues and Answers: Benzene, CO₂ and HF Measurement | Bob Henderson, GFG Instruments |
| Tuesday, August 25 — Instrument Updates | ||
| 0800–0840 | Session 1 | Scott Williamson, Honeywell Instruments |
| 0855–0940 | Session 1 | Kevin Wilson, RKI Instruments |
| 1035–1110 | Session 1 | Kyle O’Malley, MSA Instruments |
| 1115–1155 | Session 1 | Russell Warn, Draeger Instruments |
| Noon | Luncheon, Regency Room | |
| 1400–1500 | Session 2 | Gabe Scholl, Industrial Scientific |
| 1515–1600 | Session 2 | Hong Sun and Werner Haag, mPower Instrumentation |
| Wednesday, August 26 — Session 3 | ||
| 0700 | Breakfast, Armory Room | |
| 0800–0845 | MGHCP Overview | Joe Cox, Chairman, MGHCP |
| 0900–0945 | EMCC Program Update | Joe Cox, MGHCP |
| 1000–1030 | NFPA Updates | Larry Russell, NFPA |
| 1045–1115 | OSHA Maritime Enforcement Update | Jeremy Fuchs, OSHA |
| 1115–1155 | Adjacent Spaces and How to List and Inspect | Vince Pempeit, MCQB |
Registration
Welcome Breakfast
On Monday, following registration, the MCA held its welcome breakfast. It featured an introduction by Giovanni Tesei of the Italian MCA, who attended the seminar, followed by an overview of Maine oyster farming by Willie Leathers.
Spouses & Friends Tour
After breakfast the group split in two. The Spouses and Friends tour visited three historic Maine lighthouses, followed by lunch at Boone’s, a local fish house.
Technical Sessions
Chemists began with the business meeting (available on the website). After lunch, the seminar resumed at 1300 with Bob Henderson of GFG presenting on sensors, benzene and CO₂.
Tuesday was devoted to instrument updates, with presentations from Honeywell, RKI, Draeger, MSA, Industrial Scientific and mPower. Ion Science was invited but decided not to attend pending additional testing of their meters.
Benzene Instrument Accuracy: What We Learned
- RKI: although the meter states it can measure benzene to 10 ppb, RKI told the group it is accurate only to about 60 ppb. The official letter is in the seminar presentations.
- Ion Science: has indicated its meter is being tested and may not be accurate to 20 ppb.
- RAE Systems: has indicated its meter may be accurate to 10 ppb only in a controlled lab environment.
- Draeger: introduced a portable GC that it says is accurate for benzene down to and below the limit. The instrument starts at about $40,000 and must be returned to the manufacturer every year.
The MCA is awaiting official letters from RAE and Ion Science and will distribute the information once complete.
Lobster Bake on Peaks Island
After Tuesday’s technical sessions, the annual social event was a lobster bake at the Peaks Island Lions Club. Two chartered boats carried the group from the mainland to Peaks Island, about a 15-minute ride. The evening featured an open bar and, of course, lobster.
Board of Directors
Your Board of Directors for the 2026 Annual (as of August 2026)
| Name | Representing | Term Starts/ Ends* |
|---|---|---|
| Phil Giles | Past Chair | July 2024/July 2026 |
| Geoffery Jenny | Chair | July 2024/July 2026 |
| Josh Marshall | Chair Elect | July 2024/July 2026 |
| Greg Gadbois | Pacific | July 2024/July 2026 |
| Max Chou | Pacific | July 2023/July 2027 |
| Eric Moore | Gulf | July 2024/July 2026 |
| Chris Thompson | Gulf | July 2023/July 2027 |
| Mark Bruff | Atlantic | July 2024/July 2026 |
| John Loprino | Atlantic | July 2023/July 2027 |
| Scott Hernandez | Pacific Alt. | Term starts July 2026* |
| Whitney Cerilli | Atlantic Alt. | Term starts July 2026* |
| Jason Taylor | Gulf Alt. | Term starts July 2026* |
*Term starts and ends after the Annual Meeting.
BOD Positions
The Gulf and Pacific sections have filled their alternate positions with Tyler Bennett and Philip Dovinh, who will move onto the board in a year. Blair Duff is the Atlantic alternate and will also move onto the board in a year.
One person applied to become Chairman by the end of 2025. The next Chairman Elect will be Jason Babin, CMC 684. Congratulations, Jason! Jason attended the annual BOD meeting to prepare for joining the board.
Seminar Incentive Payment
About $11,000 has been paid in seminar incentives for 2026. Several members who attended have not yet submitted their paperwork. You have three months after the seminar to submit it. The incentive is funded directly by the surcharges through the Marine Gas Hazards Control Program and helps offset the cost of attending the Annual.
What is reimbursed (2027)
- The seminar fee. You must register and pay the fee up front.
- Room fees, partially or fully, depending on the number of chemists attending. Incidentals are not included.
To qualify
- Membership: You must have been a regular MCA member (contributing to the Fund) for the past 5 years in accordance with the rules. New members must have continuous membership.
- Full attendance: You must attend 100% of the seminar and obtain credit. The 90% attendance waiver does not apply to the incentive. Attending 90% still earns seminar credit, but not the incentive.
- Hotel: Stay at the seminar hotel under the MCA room block, booked through the MCA website. Rooms booked outside the MCA website are not eligible.
- Room block full? You must still stay at the seminar hotel to be reimbursed; stays at other properties are not covered. Contact D. Raffo before the cutoff date if you cannot get a room in the block.
- Paperwork: After the seminar, once attendance credit is confirmed, email your hotel receipt to dvraff@comcast.net. Payment by ACH usually arrives within 5 days; a check takes 2–4 weeks.
- You must make your own travel arrangements.
If the proposal to extend the incentive to the sectional seminars is approved, the requirements will be similar.
Certificates & Surcharge
Certificate counts are shown below. All chemists are encouraged to submit monthly reports on time, because these reports are used to calculate the number of certificates issued.
| Year | EMCC Certs | Paper Pkgs | Paper Certs | Total | EMCC Users | EMCC Chemists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 19,701 | 550 | 13,750 | 33,451 | 59 | 57 |
| 2020 | 17,666 | 519 | 12,975 | 30,641 | 58 | 58 |
| 2021 | 18,147 | 509 | 12,725 | 30,872 | 59 | 58 |
| 2022 | 19,191 | 434 | 10,850 | 30,041 | 64 | 59 |
| 2023 | 20,613 | 409 | 10,225 | 30,838 | 67 | 64 |
| 2024 | 22,099 | 365 | 9,125 | 31,224 | 71 | 67 |
| 2025 | 21,938 | 335 | 8,375 | 30,358 | 72 | 69 |
| Average excluded 2019 | 30,662 |
2027 Surcharge Increase
Because of rising costs and a decline in certificates, the MGHCP formed a subcommittee of three MGHCP members and the MCA Executive Board. It recommended raising the surcharge to $40.00 per certificate. The recommendation was adopted and takes effect in 2027. To prevent a run on certificates, you will be able to order only your average yearly number of certificates.
NFPA 306 & MCQB Report
NFPA 306
NFPA 306 received about 56 suggested changes, which will be reviewed first on October 6–7, 2026. They will then be open for public comment, and a final meeting to act on comments will be held in 2027. If you still disagree with the changes, you can file a NITMAM (Notice of Intent to Make a Motion) and present your views at the NFPA.
MCQB
The MCQB met after the Annual in Portland. The changes to benzene measurements were explained to the USCG. The USCG representative on the board asked for hard copies, which were provided, and is seeking comments from USCG personnel. To date there has been no response.
Welcome Aboard, Kerry and Grant
The MCQB certified two new chemists following the MCA meeting, and both are now MCA members:
- Kerry Amos, CMC #754, Paducah, Kentucky
- Grant Jenny, CMC #755, River Ridge, Louisiana. Grant is the son of Geoff and Amanda Jenny.
Professional Standards
Seminar and Meeting Dress Code
We are a professional organization, and all members are expected to dress appropriately. Business casual is required at all seminars and BOD meetings. When appearing before any board, especially the MCQB, dress professionally and use appropriate language. Business casual means:
- Neatly pressed tweed, khaki, clean denim or cotton pants or skirts
- Knit shirts, polo shirts, cardigans or long-sleeved button-downs
- Knit sweaters; tie optional
- Closed-toe shoes for men
- No shorts of any kind
Code of Conduct for Meetings
During any official MCA meeting there should be no discussion of personal matters, private disputes or business pricing. Discussion should be limited to technical matters and the business of running the MCA.
Physical Ability to Perform Duties
The NFPA Marine Field Service reminds all marine chemists that the Rules for the Certification and Recertification of Marine Chemists (as amended September 1, 2023), Section II, Qualifications — General, Paragraph A, requires every marine chemist to “be of and maintain good character, and physically able to perform the duties of a Marine Chemist.” If you cannot perform your duties because of injury or illness, you should be examined by a licensed physician and obtain a statement attesting to your physical ability to perform them. The General Medical Examination Form (Form No. CMC-MD-01) may be used for this purpose.
Insurance Fund
If you appear before the MCQB for any type of review, you are permitted and encouraged to bring counsel, documentation or any information that supports your case. The MCQB also encourages this practice. The Insurance Fund is not part of the MCA, but many chemists participate in it. Fund members with contract questions should contact the attorney, Matthew F. Pierce, at mpierce@gordontilden.com.
Ethics
Past Chair Philip Giles, Ethics Committee Chair, reported that there are currently no ethics issues before the board.
MCA Insurance
The MCA carries both D&O and liability insurance for the board and any associated MCA activities.
Website, Forum & Facebook
The MCA website, www.marinechemistassociation.com, is the central location for all MCA information, including billing, seminar registration and hotel booking. If you run into problems, first contact support@marinechemistassociation.com. If the issue persists, email Don Raffo and I will contact the web team.
The MCA has also reacquired www.marinechemist.org. It was our original website, lost after the passing of Ed Willwerth and bought by a third party. When the domain recently became available, the MCA purchased it, and it now redirects to our current site.
The Forum
The Forum is now the primary way the MCA communicates with members. Failure to sign up for the Forum indicates consent to not receive meeting notifications. Any member can view and post news and technical discussions. Registered users receive a text and/or email whenever something new is posted. We encourage all chemists to join the Forum and turn on notifications.
My Dashboard
After you log in once with your password, you stay logged in. Use My Dashboard (upper right of the home page) to:
- Update your personal information yourself. You no longer need to contact Donald Raffo or the web team.
- Check your seminar attendance record. Click the year tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet to view each year. Please review your attendance soon after each seminar and contact D. Raffo with any questions.
- Renew your membership. During the renewal period, a link on the home page makes renewal easy.
Visit Friends of Marine Chemist Association on Facebook. It is a closed group where only chemists, spouses and friends may view and post; send a request to the group to join. We encourage everyone to share information, photos and comments about our profession, seminars and events, including on-the-job photos. Posts about the Annual Seminar have been especially popular with spouses and friends.
MCA Committee Appointments
The following members represent the MCA on outside committees.
| Committee | Selection | Representatives |
|---|---|---|
| Control of Gas Hazards — NFPA 306 | Appointed by BOD | John Edgar, principal (alternate sought — see note); Jim Bruff, principal; Phil Giles, alternate |
| Hot Work Operations — NFPA 51B | Appointed by BOD | Greg Grondin, principal; Robbie Walker, alternate |
| Tank Leakage and Repair Safeguards — NFPA 326 & 329 | Appointed by BOD | Brian Axelrad, principal; Vince Pempeit, alternate |
| NFPA 350 — Safe Work in Industry Confined Spaces | Appointed by BOD | Robbie Walker, principal; Vince Pempeit, alternate |
| Marine Chemist Qualification Board (MCQB) | Voted by membership | Brian Axelrad, principal; John Edgar, alternate |
| Marine Field Service Advisory Committee | Appointed by BOD | Donald Raffo; Chairman Elect |
| SSRAC | Volunteers | John Ward, principal; Robbie Walker, alternate |
| MACOSH | Appointed by BOD | Suspended — OSHA advisory groups have not been rechartered |
The MCA is looking for an alternate for NFPA 306. If you are interested, email D. Raffo.
In Conclusion
If you have comments, thoughts or ideas on any aspect of the MCA, please send them to me and I will present them to the BOD for consideration. Remember, you are the MCA, and without your participation it will not work. Be safe, all.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald Raffo
Secretary/Treasurer
Marine Chemist Association
#668