FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2015
2015 MARINER AWARD & STURGEON BAY COAST GUARD PERSON OF THE YEAR
Sturgeon Bay—Fourteen iconic figures in the rich maritime history of the Door Peninsula and three local Coast
Guardsmen were honored at the annual Mariner Award Dinner held at the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club on Monday
evening, August 3.
A joint effort by the Door County Maritime Museum and Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club, the Mariner Award is
presented annually to recognize individuals who have had significant, positive and lasting impact on the Door
County maritime community. One living and at least one deceased recipient are honored each year. The
nominees for this year’s Mariner Award were Steve Brunstrom, Pat Haggerty, Joseph Harris Jr., Clifford B. Hart,
Mike Kelsey Sr., Pat O’Hern, Bill Parsons, Dick Purinton, John Purves, August Rieboldt, William “Curly” Selvick,
Leathem “Tim” Stearn, Alanson Sweet and Todd Thayse.
Nominees for the Sturgeon Bay area Coast Guard Person of the Year were also honored at the dinner.
Sponsored by the City of Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard Committee, Greater Green Bay Council of U.S. Navy League,
and Door County Maritime Museum, this award recognizes a local active duty Coast Guardsman who exemplifies
the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty. The nominees for this year’s award were
Petty Officer Matthew Hunt who is stationed aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay, Petty Officer A. R.
Weiss from the Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay and Petty Officer Russell Pool from the Coast Guard Marine
Safety Detachment in Sturgeon Bay.
The 2014 Mariner Award recognizing a living nominee went to Pat O’Hern, the former vice president and
general manager at Bay Shipbuilding. O’Hern was instrumental in the planning, estimating, pricing, selling,
marketing and the execution of several key projects at Bay Ship. His vision for growth, coupled with an in-depth
understanding of the marine industry’s needs, fueled the resurgence of new construction at Bay Shipbuilding,
leading to the construction of 30 new boats over a 14-year span. Posthumous honors went to local maritime
legends John H. Purves, Pat Haggerty and Mike Kelsey Sr. Purves contributed considerably to the success of the
Roan Steamship Co. Haggerty purchased Palmer Johnson with the help of Kelsey and fueled its remarkable
growth and enhanced reputation for top-line luxury yachts around the world.
O’Hern was presented the Mariner Award trophy, a hand-crafted original work by noted local woodcarver David
Frykman. Purves, Haggerty and Kelsey were added to the impressive Mariner Award plaque that is prominently
displayed on the second floor of the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay.
Petty Officer Hunt, who distinguished himself as a certified master helmsman and Quarter Master of the Watch,
was this year’s Coast Guard Person of the Year. Petty Officer Moore received an impressive wooden plaque
depicting the Coast Guard Seal.
The Coast Guard Person of the Year and Mariner Award dinner was part of the annual “Sturgeon Bay Maritime
Week: A Salute to the United States Coast Guard”. The festival brings together many long-standing annual
events along with new and exciting activities to celebrate the area’s rich maritime heritage and to honor local
Coast Guard units.
Photo Captions: Photo of Mariner Award winner, Pat O'Hern and US Coast Guard Person of the Year winner,
Petty Officer Matthew Hunt
Media contact:
Amy Paul
Marketing & Communications Manager
(920) 743-5958
apaul@dcmm.org