VSRA's Committees are open to all members and meet regularly to discuss a range of topics pertinent to the industry.
To join a committee, please click here to edit your profile.
Active participants in these committees are recognized as leaders both in their specific areas of expertise and in the committee structure. Members are encouraged to engage in these meetings to not only share their knowledge but also to collaborate on addressing mutual concerns, shaping the Association's positions, and developing educational content for the broader membership.
We'd like to share details on recent and upcoming committee information, and we encourage your involvement.
- Cybersecurity - Chairs: Tracy Gregorio (G2 Ops) and Greg Tomchick (Valor Cybersecurity)
Last Meeting: July 24th, 2025
Next Meeting: September 25th, 2025
The Cybersecurity Committee had their last meeting on July 24th. The committee received a presentation from Tom Tollerton of Forvis Mazars about the new CMMC regulations. Tollerton outlined the three CMMC levels, the phased rollout timeline beginning in Summer 2025, and the assessment process, emphasizing that a perfect score of 110 is needed for a Final Certificate. He highlighted an anticipated bottleneck for assessors and advised companies to engage a C3PAO early, noting that compliance is an ongoing effort requiring annual affirmation from company leadership. The meeting concluded with a call for members pursuing early certification to collaborate and share their experiences.
- Human Resources - Chair: Chris Abel (Willcox & Savage, P.C.)
Last Meeting: September 3rd, 2025
Next Meeting: October 1st, 2025
The VSRA Human Resource Committee meeting on September 3, 2025, featured a presentation by Cher Wynkoop, an employment benefits attorney from Willcox & Savage. She spoke to the committee about the key employment benefits aspects of the recently signed "One Big Beautiful Bill" that would be of interest to association members, and she later answered questions from attendees. During the meeting, John Polowczyk introduced himself as the incoming leader of the Association and shared his areas of emphasis moving forward. The committee also announced that the next meeting on October 1, 2025, will feature a presentation from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Enforcement regarding compliance with immigration laws for waterfront employers.
- OSHA Partnership - Chair: Nate Stanton (General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk) and Larry Ryan (MHI Ship Repair and Services)
Last Meeting: August 20th, 2025
Next Meeting: November 19th, 2025
During the VSRA-OSHA Partnership's third-quarter meeting on August 20, 2025, members approved the previous minutes and discussed the upcoming 29th Annual Safety and Health Seminar. Key personnel changes were announced, including the introduction of John Polowczyk as the incoming VSRA President and OSHA's temporary leadership team of Jeremy Robinson and Anthony Milam for the Norfolk area. The central topic was the proposed heat injury prevention rule, with VSRA formally opposing the "one-size-fits-all" standard as unfeasible for the ship repair industry due to space limitations. OSHA also presented updates on a new National Emphasis Program for amputations, site-specific partnership opportunities, and changes to small business penalty structures. The meeting concluded after a review of new safety technologies and a look at the partnership's annual injury data.
- Quality Assurance and Quality Management Board
QA Chairs: Casey Tarnowski (Lyon Shipyard, Inc.) and Matthew Masciangelo (Advanced Integrated Technologies (AIT), LLC)
QMB Chair: Mike Davis (MARMC)
Last Meeting: July 8th, 2025
Next Meeting: November 12th, 2025
The VSRA Quality Assurance (QA) Committee and the Quality Management Board (QMB) held a combined meeting on July 8, 2025. During the QA session, Casey Tarnowski officially assumed the role of Committee Chair, announcing that Matthew Masciangelo will serve alongside him as Co-Chair. The committee discussed the welder workmanship guide, the current VSRA Audit status, overdue audits, database issues, and other committee opportunities.
For the QMB portion of the meeting, Mike Davis of MARMC presented port-wide metrics for CARs, discussed lessons learned from recent unplanned events, and provided several important updates. These included a new deadline for companies to update their NDT written practices and a request for contractors to review their welding programs for compliance. Memos and checklists on these topics were distributed and are available on the VSRA website.
The committee also recognized the significant contributions of its recent leadership. Members expressed their appreciation for Mike Aldridge's longtime service and honored Dennis Robbins as he stepped down from his role as QA Committee Chair.
- Safety and Environmental - Chairs: Jason Kjos (East Coast Repair & Fabrication, Inc.) and Steve Bulleigh (Colonna's Shipyard, Inc.)
Last Meeting: September 11th, 2025
Next Meeting: November 13th, 2025
The Virginia Ship Repair Association Safety Management Board (SMB) and Safety and Environmental Committee met on September 11, 2025. The first portion of the meeting featured three speakers from Naval Station Norfolk’s Environmental staff. Their presentations covered shipboard mishap investigations and reporting procedures , standards for temporary fire protection equipment like fire hoses , and environmental reporting requirements related to Title V Air Permits and monthly emissions reports. The second part of the meeting included an update on the upcoming 29th Annual Safety & Health Seminar , the selection of Rodney Hanson as the 2nd quarter safety suggestion winner , and a discussion about a suggested change to the VSRA Hot Work Permit, which was tabled for later review. The committee also discussed a Navy requirement for safety nets under brows and OSHA's renewal of its National Emphasis Program on Amputations in Manufacturing Industries.
- Security - Chairs: Leigh Kennedy (General Dynamics NASSCO-Norfolk) and Tamara Haskins (Tecnico Corporation)
Last Meeting: July 1st, 2025
Next Meeting: November 4th, 2025
The Security Committee met on July 1, 2025, with guests from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). Key announcements concerned Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), including significant traffic backups from new security enforcement, gate closures through July 12th, and its new status as a tenant command under NSA Portsmouth. DCSA representatives introduced a new mandatory 60-minute Insider Threat course, discussed a new objective assessment scoring system where timely annual self-inspections are critical for a "Superior" rating , and highlighted a new Virginia law making drone trespassing near defense sites a felony. The committee also congratulated Prism Maritime LLC and GDIT Chesapeake for winning the 2025 James S. Cogswell Award before the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting will be held on November 4th, 2025.
- Workforce Development - Chair: Ali Broemeling (Colonna's Shipyard, Inc.) and Tim Richardt (Hampton Roads Workforce Council)
Last Meeting: August 13th, 2025
Next Meeting: October 8th, 2025
On August 13, 2025, the VSRA Workforce Development Committee meeting featured two presentations focused on military and veteran employment. Sultan Camp of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council discussed strategies for connecting the maritime industry with military talent through the Hampton Roads Veterans Employment Centers and "757 Career Summits". Zuri Polk from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services then detailed statewide programs, including the Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP) that waives public university tuition for eligible families and a new paid internship program for military spouses and dependents. The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for October 8, 2025.
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