New Vineyard SSA Board Member Ready to Get to Work

The Vineyard’s next representative on the Steamship Authority board of governors is the head of a consulting firm that specializes in helping turn around businesses in crisis. 

The Dukes County Commission, after interviewing the three finalists on Tuesday, unanimously voted Wednesday for Ted Gavin to take over the post from James Malkin. A Chilmark resident and the founding partner of Gavin/Solmonese, Mr. Gavin was up against Gail Barmakian, an Oak Bluffs attorney and former select board member, and Cameron Naron, a retired U.S. Coast Guard captain.

Several commissioners said they were blessed to have three candidates with distinct skillsets and praised Mr. Gavin’s business acumen, Mr. Naron’s maritime background and Ms. Barmakian’s municipal experience. 

“It is a difficult decision to make, given three very strong candidates that we have,” said commission chair Christine Todd. 

But, most agreed that Mr. Gavin’s resume was what was needed as the ferry line looks to address several concerns raised about finances and management. 

“He said that he has spent a good portion of his career, and I’m paraphrasing but I think I’m very close, walking into a room where he knows no one, doesn’t know the industry, and his entire job is to bring people to consensus,” said commissioner Doug Ruskin. “To me, that alone elevated him to the top of my list.” 

Mr. Gavin, who is the former president of the American Bankruptcy Institute, had previously told the Gazette that his work included aiding maritime transportation and shipping groups, and he believed his experience with corporations and boards would be an asset to the Steamship Authority. 

“Walking into chaos is my daily work,” he said.

Wednesday’s vote came after the three candidates answered a series of questions at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center about their qualifications and what they would bring to the board, which is charged by state law with administering the authority’s operations and affairs.

Mr. Gavin said the Steamship board of governors needs to focus on its responsibility for holding management accountable.

“The board sets priorities [and] approves major financial decisions, but does not operate the Steamship line on a day to day basis. It can’t,” Mr. Gavin said.

“It all gets back to evaluation of management,” he said.

Mr. Naron, a retired captain in the U.S. Coast Guard who has commanded individual ships as well as an overseas fleet and ship maintenance facility, highlighted his seagoing experience as an asset to the Steamship Authority board of governors.

“A couple of the existing board members are attorneys, and I think that’s helpful, but no one on the board has broad maritime experience,” he said.

“I’ve seen things coming to the board that, in my opinion, the board members did not understand what was being presented to them,” Mr. Naron said.

Ms. Barmakian cited her longstanding experience on the Oak Bluffs wastewater commission and her former terms of service on the town’s select board.

“I have over 30 years of combined experience in a fiduciary role, overseeing an hierarchical structure which supplies essential public services,” she said.

All three candidates agreed that general manager Alex Kryska, now in his third month on the job, is off to a good start and has responded appropriately to the state inspector general’s deeply critical report on the Steamship Authority released in December.

They also concurred on the need for better communication between Islanders and the authority, with varying thoughts on how to achieve the goal.

Mr. Naron said he would meet with state and local officials and make himself available to Islanders on a monthly basis.

“I think it’s very, very important for this board position to … hear their concerns and try to help them with their frustrations or problems,” he said.

Mr. Naron also said he’d like the county to set up a website for SSA-related communications that would exist separately from the boat line’s official site.

Mr. Gavin agreed that public outreach is important, but strongly opposed the suggestion of a separate website.

“That’s a dangerous idea, because what you don’t want is for there to be two independent means of communication,” he said.

For his part, Mr. Gavin said, he had already drafted a communications plan and scheduled two Zoom public forums, which he offered to Mr. Naron or Ms. Barmakian in the event that one of them was selected for the Steamship board instead of him.

“The community needs to feel heard, [although] it doesn’t mean everything’s going to go their way,” he said.

Mr. Kryska and Falmouth board member Peter Jeffrey took the ferry from Woods Hole for the public interviews, and also attended Wednesday’s vote. Port council members John Cahill of Tisbury and Joe Sollitto of Oak Bluffs also attended, as did the outgoing Vineyard member of the Steamship board of governors, James Malkin.

Mr. Gavin said that he was ready to get down to business when he joins the board later this month. 

“I’m deeply honored, very humbled and excited to get to work,” he said. “I’m also very grateful for everything Jim Malkin has done. He’s a tough person to take the baton from, but we’re going to do it.” 

Commission chair Todd also thanked Mr. Malkin for his two terms on the board.

“It has been immensely important to all of us and brought a lot of attention to the Steamship Authority that I think was something that was sorely needed,” she said. “Thank you for all you’ve done over the years.”

This article appears in March 6, 2026.