The Vane Brothers Co., Baltimore, announced that it is reshaping its senior leadership team ahead of the July 1 retirement of Capt. Rick Iuliucci, vice president of operations, with a change of command set for June 1 and three internal promotions taking effect at that time.
Brendan MacGillivray will assume the role of chief operating officer, joined by Capt. Brian Rau as vice president, operations–East, and John Shkor as vice president, regulatory compliance and health, safety, security, and the environment (HSSE). The three collectively bring more than 70 years of combined industry experience to their new roles.
Iuliucci spent 47 years in the U.S. tugboat and barge industry, the last 19 with Vane Brothers. During his tenure as Vice President of Operations beginning in 2018, the company expanded to the West Coast and the Great Lakes region, added more than two dozen vessels, and achieved full Subchapter M compliance across its entire tugboat fleet. He also served as chairman of the board for trade group the American Waterways Operators.
"Captain Iuliucci has made an enormous impact on the tugboat and barge industry over five decades of maritime service," said Vane Brothers President C. Duff Hughes. "His success has been rooted in a tireless work ethic, a thorough understanding of the industry's essential role in the nation's economy, a positive spirit, and — above all — a genuine concern for the safety and well-being of mariners."
In a statement, Iuliucci reflected on his career: "What began as a job became a calling — one built on responsibility, teamwork, and respect for the sea." He credited the people around him for any success he achieved. "Any success I had was never mine alone. It belonged to the crews, colleagues, and leaders who trusted me, challenged me, and supported me along the way."
MacGillivray joined Vane Brothers in 2011, having begun his maritime career as a licensed mariner in the 1990s before managing a tug and barge operation based in Rhode Island. At Vane Brothers he served as a New York port captain, then sales and marketing manager, before being promoted to vice president of chartering and scheduling in 2020.
"Within the Vane Brothers organization, we have several highly regarded and incredibly experienced experts in their fields who are fully prepared to step right into senior positions with the company," MacGillivray said. "This allows us to continue providing the excellent services our customers have come to expect and to maintain our reputation as the premier marine transportation provider in the U.S."
Rau is a 1999 graduate of SUNY Maritime College who sailed on wire boats and ATBs until 2007. He joined Vane Brothers in 2013 following a shore-side operations management role at another tug and barge company, serving as a vessel supervisor, port captain, and, most recently, general manager of the company's New York operations.
Shkor has spent two decades in the maritime industry, coming to Vane Brothers in 2009 with both deck and engine room experience before moving ashore in 2012 as a health, safety, and environmental officer. He was promoted to HSE regional manager in 2019 and to departmental manager two years later.
Hughes said the transition reflects the strength of Vane Brothers' internal talent pipeline. "We have a deep bench of highly skilled and experienced maritime professionals at the ready to provide peak service continuity for our industry partners."
