Key Employee/ Instructor Biographies

J. J. Marie, President and CEO

  • CEO of Zodiac of North America.
  • JJ. joined the Zodiac Groupe in 1984 as President of Zodiac Inflatable Technologies, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a company he started, engaging in the distribution of Zodiac, Bombard, and Sevylor products for the Canadian leisure and marine markets.
  • In September 1987, JJ. became Chairman and CEO of Zodiac Hurricane Technologies in Vancouver, British Columbia, a public company engaged in the manufacture and distribution of rigid-hull inflatable boats for the world professional military market and North American leisure market.
  • In March 1990, JJ. became President of Zodiac of North America, a supplier of inflatable boats, rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and life rafts to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Special Forces, state and municipal agencies, as well as the recreational market.
  • JJ. is a member of the Annapolis Yacht Club and the National Safe Boating Council. He holds a lifetime membership in the UDT SEAL Association, the U.S. Naval Institute, and the Navy League of the United States. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the National Marine Manufacturers Association, Naval Special Warfare Foundation, U.S. Coast Guard Foundation, and the Association for Rescue at Sea. He is also a former director of the American Boat & Yacht Council, Marine Safety Association, and served two terms on the National Boating Safety Advisory Council.
  • JJ. is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the French Legion of Merit, the French Legion of Honor, the Charles F. Chapman Award, U.S. Coast Guard Public Service Commendations, and UDT SEAL Association Distinguished Superior Service Awards.

Todd Salus, General Manager, Military and Professional Products Division (USN Ret.)

  • Military and Professional Products Division
    • General Manager Military and Professional Division
    • Lead Instructor Zodiac Maritime Training Academy
    • Zodiac Facility Security Officer
  • Todd Salus is former member of the US Navy having spent much of his career with Naval Coastal Warfare Group Two. He is a veteran of both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom during which he led over 300 patrol craft, combat missions in the Central Command AOR, for which his unit was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.
  • Todd is the recipient of three awards of the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two awards of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals as well as other personal awards. He also holds a current USCG Merchant Marine, Near-Coastal, 100-Ton Officer License. Todd was also among the many Zodiac Rescue Instructors who deployed in direct support of the first responder effort in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.

Bob Beck, Academy Director, USCG Account Executive (USCG Ret.)

  • 24 Years of Service in the US Coast Guard
  • Promoted from Seaman Apprentice to Warrant Officer and from Warrant Officer to Lieutenant
  • Enlisted background as Machinery Technician.
  • Instructor Coast Guard National Motorlifeboat School
  • Lead Test Engineer MLB Replacement Project(47 ft MLB)
  • Cerified RHIB Coxswain
  • Engineering Petty Officer on CGC Nantucket, CGC Edisto
  • Engineering Petty Officer CG Station Chetco River
  • Senior Marine Inspector
  • Supervisor MSD Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, Alaska
  • Chief Port State Control, Marine Safety Office Portland Oregon
  • Awarded 4 CG Achievement Medals
    • 4 CG Commendation Medals
    • 5 CG Cood Conduct Medals
    • 2 Humanitarian Service Medals
    • 2 National Defense Medals
    • Sea Service Ribbon
    • CG Commandants Letter of Commendation
  • Retired 2004
  • Began working for Zodiac of North America as New Delivery trainer
  • Acted as CG Customer Support Manager
  • Led Zodiac Response team to Hurricane Katrina Response
  • Chief Instructor Zodiac Maritime Training Academy
  • 2006-2007
  • Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Program Coordinator, USCG Sector Seattle.
  • Supervised Fishing Vessel Examination staff, conducting exams, marketing, program promotion, etc.
  • 2007
  • Returned to Zodiac, new role as Director Maritime Training Academy and Contract Specialist.
  • Married to the Former Shannon Tapp
  • Resides in Van Buren, AR

Jake Albinio, New Products Delivery Instructor (USCG Ret.)

  • Military and Professional Products Division
  • Coast Guard Customer Support and Training Manager
  • Jake Albinio is a 27 year veteran of the US Coast Guard. He spent all but the first 5 years in District 13 serving along the Oregon and Washington Coast. Jake retired in 2002.
  • During his Coast Guard career, Jake served over 18 years as a vital member of the coveted Surfman community. He has logged over 5000 underway hours much of which was in the dangerous Oregon and Washington Coastal surf. Jake has conducted over 675 search and rescue cases in which 97 lives were saved, 2,351 persons assisted, and the loss of over $50 million in property was prevented.
  • Jake has conducted training for over 350 coxswains and crew members from various Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Oregon and Washington State Police, Sheriffs and First Responder Marine Units. He also served as a Law Enforcement and Small Arms Instructor. Jake has provided critical input for the development of the Coast Guard Non-Standard Boat curriculum and instructed the first train-the-trainer course at USCG Station Yaquina Bay. Jake has been awarded five Commandant Letters of Commendation, four Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and two Coast Guard Commendation Medals.
  • Jake began working as a training consultant for Zodiac right after retiring from the Coast Guard. He was instrumental in writing the curriculum that Zodiac Training Academy now uses when conducting training. He is now the Coast Guard Customer Support and Training Manager and is responsible for boat deliveries and training for Coast Guard Cutters, Stations and other Government Agencies throughout the Country. Jake was among the many Zodiac Rescue Instructors who deployed just days after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans to provide direct support in search and rescue efforts.

Dave Grandin, Eastern States Academy Manager (USMC GySgt Ret.)

  • Military and Professional Products Division
    • Manager of Maritime Training Academy, East Coast.
  • David Grandin was a Marine for 22 years. He participated in the contingency operations in Lebanon in support of multinational forces and participated in Operation Desert Shield/ Storm. David was part of the first Marine Corp reconnaissance team to conduct combat patrols into Kuwait 17 days before the ground war started and also participated in the cease-fire campaign during the Persian Gulf War.
  • As a Marine David, has served as a Rifleman, a Team leader, a Platoon Sergeant, a Military Free-Fall Instructor, a Amphibious Recon Instructor and a Project Officer for the Marine Corps Small Boat programs. He is a two time recipient of the Navy-Marine Corps Medal for Heroism, Once for saving the life of a seriously injured Marine in the Philippines and once for saving six Marines during a swift water rescue at Camp Pendleton Ca.
  • Working for Zodiac, David was the Military Manager for the East Coast for two years and then was promoted to his present position as the Zodiac Maritime Training Academy Manager for the East Coast, United States. David was among the many Zodiac Rescue Instructors who deployed in direct directly support of the first responder effort in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
    David Grandin also works as a assistant Instructor with the Indiana River Rescue School.

Shawn Workman, Western States Academy Manager (USMC Ret.)

  • Military and Professional Products Division
    • Western States Academy Manager
    • Western States Customer Support Manager
  • Shawn Workman was a Marine for 20 years. He participated in operations in Somalia in support of multinational forces and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom at it’s outset in 2003 as well as a second tour in Iraq in 2004. Shawn’s entire unit was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon and Presidential Unit Citation for their actions during the conflict and Shawn was awarded the Navy Commendation with Combat “V”.
  • As a Marine, Shawn has served as a Rifleman, a Team leader, a Platoon Sergeant, an Amphibious Recon Instructor. Shawn’s last few years in the Corps was divided between duty in Iraq and serving stateside as a Battalion Diving and Amphibious Operations Chief. It was in this later capacity that Shawn was instrumental in establishing training regimens for small boat operators and combatant swimmers/divers as well as coordinating and supervising all surface and subsurface training for his and other units in Southern California.
  • Working for Zodiac immediately after his retirement from the Corps, Shawn has been the Zodiac Maritime Academy Manager for the Western States. He has assumed additional duties as the Western States Customer Support Manager as of February 2007. Shawn was among the many Zodiac Rescue Instructors who deployed in direct support of the first responder efforts in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
  • Shawn Workman is a certified Instructor with the National Safe Boating Council, completed USCG approved 100 ton Masters course and also teaches personal water craft rescue on a pro bono basis with K38.

Bill Gnesda, Special Operations Forces Account Executive (LCDR USN Ret.)

  • Military and Professional Products Division
  • Maritime Operations Support Manager, U.S. Special Operations Command
  • Bill Gnesda spent over 20 years as a US Navy SEAL.
    His duties included tours at SEAL Teams on the U.S. East and West Coast. Bill also completed two tours at the Naval Special Warfare Center, Coronado Ca. During the first tour, he trained prospective SEAL's in Open and Closed circuit diving and Land Warfare operations. During his second tour, he was the Advanced Training Officer, responsible for all the Advanced Warfare courses taught by the Naval Special Warfare Center.
  • After military retirement, Bill took a position as a Personal Security Detachment (PSD) member in Baghdad and Kirkuk Iraq providing protection for U.S. State Department personnel. He then returned to Naval Special Warfare to manage the NSW CERTEX, this final training exercise certifies entire Navy SEAL Teams for deployment in support of the Global War on Terror. Bill holds various combat and unit awards for operations in Central and South America as well as Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.

 

 

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Zodiac Maritime Training Academy
540 Thompson Creek Road
Stevensville, MD 21666
p. 410.643.4141 f. 410.643.0161
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