Michael P. Gaffney (left), Alaris Companies executive
vice president of engineering, recently received the Outstanding Professional
Achievement Award from Charlie Hill, chairman of the Alumni Foundation Board of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point.
Gaffney received the award at his 25th class reunion during the Alumni Awards
Banquet on Oct. 13.
The Outstanding Professional Achievement
Award is presented to USMMA graduates who best exemplify the finest tradition of
Corps — Acta Non Verba — by attaining personal achievement in their chosen
fields. For the last several years Gaffney has devoted himself to the design
and implementation of a unique shipboard energy management program that
decreases vessels’ energy costs and carbon footprints.
In 2006, Gaffney formed Alaris Companies with
business partner Bobbi Wolff. Gaffney was lead engineer in the design of Equate,
the first software tool to quantify energy use, financial savings and emissions
reductions realized through energy conservation measures aboard ships and
maritime facilities.
“There are huge gains to be made in energy
efficiencies in the shipping industry and there has never been a better time to
make them,” said Gaffney in an Alaris Companies press release. “Energy
management is key to realizing energy independence in the U.S., to reducing
costs in tough economic times throughout the world and to mitigating global
climate change.”
Gaffney, a 20-year veteran of the maritime
industry, holds a Chief Engineers License and a designation from the
Association of Energy Engineers as a Certified Energy Manager (C.E.M). He has
served as chief engineer and technical superintendent on U.S. government and
commercial vessels and as technical fleet manager for Patriot Contract
Services, managing Military Sealift Commands' LMSR program.