Green Shipping Line - Leadership Team

Chairman, CEO, and Founding Partner of Green Shipping Line

A founding partner, Chairman and CEO of Green Shipping Line (GSL), Percy hails from a family with a legendary history in marine transportation.  The Pyne family legacy began with their arrival on the Mayflower, and generations later they would grow to own and operate one of the largest ocean fleets of Yankee Clippers in America (Rainbow & Sea Witch). Their efforts helped to integrate the rail and bridge networks in metropolitan New York City, which created the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Percy's family legacy is carved into the history of American marine transportation and is a driving force behind his dedication to GSL.

Percy R. Pyne has been involved in the shipping world for more than thirty years. He has invested his time and resources towards recreating the U.S. short sea shipping/feedering system that existed prior to 1956. Prior to Green Shipping Line, Percy R. Pyne co-founded American Feeder Lines (AFL), which operated a short sea feeder service between Halifax, Portland, and Boston. The enterprise provided invaluable experience and insight into the challenges facing the emerging short-sea shipping industry. AFL was awarded one of the first eight America’s Marine Highway project designations to operate in the United States.

As Green Shipping Line’s founding partner, Percy R. Pyne has received two additional America’s Marine Highway project designations (for a total of three), successfully transported the first and only new OEM cars to Europe through container shipping, has had two vessel designs pre-approved by ABS and received wide union support for ongoing efforts to revive marine transportation in the U.S., as it’s the most efficient and cost-effective green transportation method in our nation.

Concurrently, Percy R. Pyne has worked for more than 40 years in marine transportation, property acquisition, dispositions, development, ownership, management, complex ground-lease negotiations, joint ventures, and consulting. Percy R. Pyne has advised on major U.S. and international commercial transactions for Mobil Oil, USX Corporation, Chemical Bank, Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, and the Republic of Korea.

Percy R. Pyne has been featured, quoted, and published in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg, Dow Jones, Thomas Reuters, Commercial Property, CNBC, Fox Business News, Financial Times, American Journal of Transportation, Boston Globe, National Real Estate Investor, Real Estate Weekly and other trade publications. He holds an MBA from Columbia University and is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York.

President of the Executive Council; AFL-CIO

Throughout brother Hart’s career as a trade unionist, he has served in a number of leadership positions at the local, state, and national levels.Hart began his career in New York City as a member of Plumbers Local Union #1, UA. He was initiated into the union on March 1, 1976, where he rose through the ranks of membership as an apprentice, journeyman, instructor, foreman and local union officer. During his tenure in New York City, Brother Hart represented civil service employees and led government employee collective bargaining negotiations that yielded or protected some of America’s highest wages and most progressive workplace conditions enjoyed by municipal government employees.In 1999, Brother Hart was appointed as a Special Representative and assigned to the state of New York and later Florida where he was in the forefront of building teams that were responsible for rebuilding and restoring the union’s pipe trades and state associations and councils to organizing and political prominence. He was subsequently elected international representative and served as director of the Metal Trades Maritime and Government Employees Department.Hart served as UA key representative to the Metal Trades Department and as a Council trustee. During that time, Brother Hart worked with the Councils that comprise the Department in both an administrative capacity and as a liaison between the UA and the Department. This dual role allowed him to work with local unions and various MTD Councils to address financial, membership, record keeping and organizing practices, while instituting changes to help improve council management. His efforts improved branding, communication, political and membership outreach methods and ultimately provided new perspectives towards what works when building consensus among affiliated International and National Unions, the Department and its Councils.Jimmy Hart was born and raised in Brooklyn, is a family man who loves the New York Mets and Jets and like all good Union Plumbers from Brooklyn hopes to pass on to his final reward while residing in Florida (God Willing). #JustSayn

Chief Financial Officer and Board Member of Green Shipping Line

The CFO of Green Shipping Line (GSL) and a member of its Board of Directors, Gary is an MBA, CPA, CVA, and CFE and has over 25 years of experience as a CFO and as a senior financial executive. In past experience, Aldridge held positions as a CFO and senior financial executive in privately held businesses including industries such as telecommunications, hospitality, nonprofit, manufacturing, distribution, solar energy, healthcare, and transportation, including the trucking industry. These companies and clients range from $300k to $120 million in revenues.
Gary is licensed as a CPA in Tennessee and Mississippi. He is also a licensed CVA through The National Association of Certified Valuators and Analysts (NACVA) and a CFE through the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).
For more than a decade, Aldridge has supported several civic associations and held board positions such as treasurer and president of the Neighborhood Christian Center. Gary was a former treasurer for the In His Steps ministry and for New Life ministry. He also has been a volunteer on several missionary trips to countries like Ukraine, Belize and Turkey. Gary graduated from the University of Mississippi with a BBA in Banking and Finance and from the University of Alabama with an MBA, with a concentration in Accounting.

Managing Director & Board Secretary of Green Line Shipping 

Colleen Robertson is the Managing Director and an owner of Green Shipping Line (GSL).  She has worked for the company for five years on various initiatives to help revive marine transportation in the U.S, including the transportation of cars through container shipping, offshore wind farm equipment transportation, the fabrication of new vessels in the United States, and on three successful America’s Marine Highway applications.

Prior to Green Shipping Line, Colleen worked for several private companies as a consultant, as well as for the Ford Motor Company and Ford Motor Credit Company for nearly 20 years.  Her experience spans several activities, including engineering, manufacturing, warranty, marketing, finance, and strategy.  While at Purdue University she was nominated by the engineering school as a co-operative engineer and began working with Ford Motor company. After completing the Ford College Graduate program, she was offered a position at Ford Motor Company in the finance department where she was responsible for present and future vehicle line financials, profit reporting, fleet administration, and the formation and management of Covisint, a B2B joint venture between Ford, General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler, Renault-Nissan, and their suppliers. Her last assignment was in the Office of the Chairman and Chief Executive, working directly for Alan Mulally and Bill Ford on corporate strategic initiatives. Colleen assisted Mr. Mulally in his transition to his CEO position and facilitated the implementation of his strategic plan (One Ford), which overhauled Ford Motor Company toward a team management approach. 

Colleen holds an Interdisciplinary Engineering degree from Purdue University with minors in Spanish and Business as well as a Masters in Engineering Management from the University of Michigan. For years, she served as vice president on the Purdue University Engineering Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Vessel Operations Director of Green Shipping Line

Donald (DJ) Kurz Jr. is the Vessel Operations Director at Green Shipping Line (GSL) and a Board Member.  Donald is a fourth generation leader of the founding family of Keystone Shipping Company, and is also currently their Director of Business Development.  Keystone has been in the marine transportation business for more than 100 years, manages a worldwide fleet of more than 20 vessels (including Jones Act compliant vessels for the U.S. government) and has been chosen to be the operator of all vessels for GSL.
DJ has had increasing responsibility while working for Keystone Shipping. He has managed contract renewals and asset acquisitions for fleet expansion projects.  In his role as Director for Business Development, he has expanded the company’s business into offshore wind farm as well as short sea shipping of containers.
Keystone Shipping Company, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is a global provider of innovative marine transportation solutions.  Keystone is a full-service shipping company which provides a wide range of services, from ship construction and maintenance, to accounting and purchasing, to chartering and safety training. Keystone Shipping has close relationships with BP, Shell, and the United States Government.  In fact, Keystone manages the RoRo vessels in MARAD’s Ready Reserve Fleet and has managed vessels for the Military Sealift Command.  The company has won MARAD’s highest achievement, the Merchant Marine Medal for Outstanding Achievement, as well as numerous other accolades.
DJ graduated from Villanova University with a degree in English Language and Literature and holds an MBA from Boston College.

Owner of Divergent Logistics, LLC &Trucking & Logistics Consultant for Green Shipping Line

Pat Roche has been in the logistics sector for over 35 years. In 1984, he joined the US Navy aboard the USS PENSACOLA LSD-38,(1984-1988), achieving the rank of E-5 prior to discharge. Following this, he began his driving career, graduating to class 8 trucks by 1990. Having worked for many companies in the food, aggregate, equipment, recyclables, and many other consumer commodities industries, he holds over 2 million safe driving miles in his credit. Between 2001 and 2013, he directed all traffic for a large metals recycling company, where he was very involved in international logistics. As part of his role, he leveraged industry networking and conducted network alterations to triple monthly shipping and reduce the annual transportation cost by several million dollars. 
Currently, he owns and operates a trucking company and continues to advise companies on how to save money and make their supply networks greener.

Intern

Born and raised in South Florida, Gianna currently resides in Tallahassee, FL as a full-time student.  

Gianna is a senior at Florida State University studying Finance with the pursuit to graduate in 2023, intent on learning everything her professors and mentors have to offer. 

Prior to becoming a member of the Green Shipping Line team, Gianna worked for Dawn Edwards Salon for 5 years as an assistant and marketing manager, primarily focusing on website design and product line development.

Gianna then worked as an intern to the Metal Trades Department Executive Council under the supervision of President James Hart, who introduced her to Percy Pyne and Colleen Robertson.

Since coming aboard, Gianna has and continues to learn much from both Percy and Colleen about marine transportation in the United States and the efforts necessary to truly Transform Transportation in America.