Bob Rice appointed to Secretary-Treasurer post

Chief Engineer Bob Rice has been appointed to fill the vacant office of American Maritime Officers National Secretary-Treasurer for the remainder of the term.

Rice, who earned his 3rd Assistant Engineer's license and joined AMO in 2003, had sailed as a member of the Seafarers International Union after initial training and upgrading at the SIU's Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education in Piney Point, Maryland.

He now holds a Chief Engineer's license - Steam, Motor and Gas Turbine, Any Horsepower - and three PIC endorsements.

Rice served for the last four years with Crowley Government Services as Chief Engineer on the USNS Kocak after logging nearly 14 years in various licensed positions with TE Subcom.

In 2020, Rice was named AMO Mariner of the Year in part because of his work mentoring SIU members striving to earn licenses.

AMO National President Paul Doell appointed Rice to the official term under authority apportioned to the President in Article VIII, Section 1(e) of the AMO National Constitution.

"I gave this appointment much thought, and I discussed it frequently with other members of the AMO Executive Board," Doell said. "There were other qualified AMO members in the running for the job, but Bob Rice has been an outspoken supporter of the healthy reforms I have promoted in our union since January 2015, including sound asset management and honest conversation between this administration and the seagoing AMO membership. Like all members of the current Executive Board, Bob is committed to sustained stability for AMO in what has been a most unusual, most challenging year."