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Choice Ballast Solutions, LLC offers consulting and advisory services for ballast water management services that include: Fleet Assessments; USCG Extension Applications; BWMS Selection; Feasibility Studies; 3D Scanning & Vessel Surveys; Design Engineering, Detail Design; Project Management; Onboard BWMS Services (Operations – Training – Testing).

NETSCo, a sister-company to Choice Ballast Solutions, is your comprehensive solution for ballast water treatment. NETSCo and Choice offer a blend of theoretical engineering and practical experience with first-hand knowledge of ballast water management systems, IMO and USCG regulations, and extensive vessel survey and retrofit experience.

Green Marine is an environmental certification program for the North American marine industry. It is a voluntary, transparent and inclusive initiative that addresses key environmental issues through its 12 performance indicators. Participants are shipowners, ports, terminals, Seaway corporations and shipyards.

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Richard A. Mueller

President/CEO

Richard A. Mueller has more than three and a half decades as an C-level executive, project manager, consultant. As founder of NETSCo, Inc., in 1984, his experience includes overall corporate management, project management as an owner’s representative in oversight or hands-on positions. Richard also has extensive experience in vessel operations, manning, personnel, traffic and dispatch issues as well as providing repair and maintenance oversight. In addition, Richard has experience in crisis management experience: including vessel groundings, major mechanical casualties, on-scene investigations, oil spills, etc.

Prior to founding NETSCo, worked for Hyde Products, Inc. from 1979-1984, in their marine department, selling chemicals, parts, and marine equipment.

Richard is also one of the founders of Choice Ballast Solutions, a consulting and advisory services firm with a specific focus on compliance with ballast water management (BWM) requirements. He holds eight [8] patents, both US and international, and is the inventor/designer for the Nutech O3 Mark III System. This BWMS was IMO Type Approved and Flag State Approved in Korea and was sold to NK O3, the current provider of the Blue Ballast System. Richard has extensive experience with all types of BWMS design, installation, testing, start up and service.

Richard has been a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) for over 39 years and has held various elected positions including four [4] terms as Chairman for the Great Lakes/Great Rivers Section, V.P. of Planning/Public Policy and he currently serves as the Functional VP of Membership, and serves on the Council and the Executive Committee. He is a longstanding member of the U.S. Propeller Club in Cleveland, OH and Tampa, FL. Richard is also an elected Member of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and serves on the ABS Great Lakes Members Committee.

John Williamson

Engineer Manager, Cleveland

John Williams has more than 35 years of experience working in the maritime industry. He has extensive experience in regulatory requirements associated with marine operation, project management, and engineering design, planning and budgeting of capital projects. His responsibilities at NETSCo will include managing and directing our group of experienced engineers and designers. In addition, he will define the scope and manage projects, assign staff, and act as NETSCo’s delegate with clients, classification societies and other regulatory agencies.

Prior to this position, John worked as an Owner’s Representative at shipyards during the building of new vessels or the refurbishment of existing vessels. During his breaks in shipyard tours of duty, John was a Mechanical/Electrical Engineer for NETSCo. John has also held positions at Lafarge NA as a Marine Maintenance Manager and Port Engineer, Transport and Marine in Durban, South Africa, and Tongaat-Hulett where he learned to perform overhaul and servicing of diesel engines, turbochargers, steam turbines and centrifugal and positive displacement pumps as well as general machining including turning, milling & shaping. John also has experience as a mariner with Unicorn Lines progressing to First Assistant Engineer.

John holds a degree in Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the Harcourt Learning Direct Center for Degree Studies and has additional studies in Marine Engineering from the Natal College for Advanced Technical Education.

Trish McIntyre

Engineering Manager, Tampa

Trish McIntyre has more than 26 years of experience in project management as well as reviewing and approving machinery system design. Her responsibilities at NETSCo include managing and directing our group of experienced engineers and designers; defining the scope of projects and assigning resources, as well as interacting with clients, classification societies, and other regulatory agencies.

Prior to NETSCo, she held the principal engineer position at the American Bureau of Shipping in New Orleans for the machinery group and assisted in the development of the machinery sections of the Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels Under 90M in Length. Her other responsibilities included the role of project leader, vessel and equipment surveyor with extensive experience in Code, Rule and Regulation compliance in both design and implementation phases. Trish was also part of DNV-GL where she held positions of Senior Engineer and Surveyor for offshore vessel systems and drilling materials and components, as well as field engineer for Austal Shipbuilding for the LCS class ships focused primarily on propulsion system installation and operations.

Trish holds a degree in Marine Engineering from Texas A&M University and has served on the ABS Rule Development and Technical Committees.

Richard T. Nicholls, P.E

Chief Naval Architect / Marine Engineer

Richard T. Nicholls has more than 45 years in the maritime industry, including four years at the U.S. Coast Guard Technical Office on Governors Island, New York. Over this time, he has been responsible for all phases of project management as well as building, piping and structural modifications, plus storage tank installation, designs involving hazardous materials, environmental compliance and use of special corrosion-resistant materials.

Prior to joining NETSCo, Richard worked with Marine Consultants and Designers, Inc., as well as in the defense and the petrochemical industry. His project experience includes vessel design, lengthening, repowering, self-unloader conversions, electrical generator installation, automation and other modifications for both ocean and lake vessels. He has also worked on bulk carriers, tankers, gas carriers, barges, tugs, passenger vessels and integrated tug barges.

Richard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan, a Graduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute, and an MBA from Baldwin-Wallace College. He is a registered professional engineer in Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin. Richard is a 50-year member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME).

Jerome J. Mueller, Jr., P.E.

Vice President – Engineering

Jerome J. Mueller has over 40 years of experience in the marine business preparing technical specifications and design as well as detailed drawings for new installations and existing system modifications including diesel re-powerings, major conversions, piping system modifications and ship machinery surveys.

Prior to NETSCo he served as project leader for marine engineering projects such as boiler automations, self-unloading conversions, bow thruster installations, diesel engine re-powering and marine sanitation device retrofits. In addition, Jerome has prepared, coordinated and supervised dock trials and sea trials for new and converted ships, both foreign and domestic.

Jerome is a Registered Professional Engineer in the States of Ohio and Florida. He is a member of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), The United States Propeller Club, Port of Cleveland as well as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society of Naval Engineers, and the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Jan Flores, P.E

Vice President

Jan Flores has more than 20 years in the maritime and offshore industry. He has developed a wide range of expertise including specialized and bulk marine transportation, complex offshore projects, offshore support vessels, shuttle tankers, FPSO/FSO, and LNG/CNG

Prior to joining NETSCo, he directed the FSO Group at OSG and was responsible for Business Development in the offshore market. While with OSG, Jan was the Technical Project Manager overseeing the development of the MT Overseas Cascade and the MT Overseas Chinook. Both vessels were the first two dedicated shuttle tankers in the Gulf of Mexico and now support the FPSO Pioneer, serving the Petrobras deepwater fields known as Cascade & Chinook. In addition, Jan held the position of Technical and Marine Superintendent at Crowley Maritime Corporation.

Jan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Ocean Engineering with a specialization in Naval Architecture. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Florida. Jan is a member of The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and serves as a member of the American Bureau of Shipping Americas, Technical Committee.