About
Our History
Mission
On behalf of its maritime employer members, the Boston Shipping Association (BSA) carries out its mission by facilitating collaboration between its members, labor unions and maritime stakeholders and by negotiating and administrating union collective bargaining agreements. Through its actions the BSA seeks to encourage the protection and growth of traditional maritime industries in the Port of Boston and emphasize the safety of those industries and their workers.
The BSA Today
The BSA remains a non-profit business association steadfast to its core mission of managing a multitude of union pension and benefits funds and negotiating and administrating labor agreements on behalf of our employer members. Over the years the BSA has become more focused on advocating for the protection and growth of traditional maritime industries in the Port of Boston thereby fostering economic prosperity for the Port, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the New England region.
The BSA’s role as an advocate for the local maritime industry is accomplished by its participating as a member on various boards and committees that effect the future of waterfront employers and labor, speaking at state and local public hearings concerning governmental action that impacts the working port, and submitting to federal, state, and local agencies and media outlets written commentary that highlights the importance of the maritime industry in the Port of Boston.
Leadership
Officers and Directors
William Eldridge
President
William is the BSA Board of Governors’ President. He has been a member of the Board of Governors since 1993 and began serving as the Board’s President in 2011.
William is the Vice President of Mediterranean Shipping Company USA Inc Boston Office, a position he has held since 1989. Mediterranean Shipping Company is the longstanding container carrier leader in the Port of Boston.
William is the Principal owner in Peabody & Lane Corporation, a New England Steamship Agent focusing on bulk products, a company whose roots date back to 1916.
William serves on the board of the Boston Propeller Club Port of Boston and is a past president of the Propeller Club. William is a board member of the Boston Port and Seaman’s Aid Society and is a past President of the Boston Port and Seaman’s Aid Society.
William graduated with a degree in Marine Transportation from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Ryan Cox
Vice President
Ryan is the BSA Board of Governors’ Vice President. He has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2014.
Ryan is the President of Boston Line & Service which has been operating in the Port of Boston since 1933. Boston Line provides a variety of maritime related services to the port including but not limited to Line Handling, Launch Service, Oil Spill Response, Maritime Security and Dredge support.
Ryan also serves on the board of the Propeller Club Port of Boston and is a past president of the Propeller Club. Ryan graduated with a degree in Business Administration from The University of Vermont.
Brian Day
Secretary-Treasurer
Brian is the BSA Board of Governors Secretary-Treasurer. He has been a member of the Board of Governors since 2018 after he was hired by the Massachusetts Port Authority as its Director of Labor Relations / Labor Counsel.
As a labor attorney with more than 20 years of experience in union contract administration and negotiation, he serves as the Massport’s lead spokesperson during collective bargaining with the eight unions representing employees covered by nine collective bargaining Agreements.
Prior to serving as Massport’s Director of Labor Relations / Labor Counsel, Brian served as its Deputy Director of Labor Relations for more than 10 years. Prior to working for Massport, Brian worked in the Labor Relations Department at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
Brian holds an Undergraduate Degree in Politics from Fairfield University and a Law Degree from Suffolk University Law School.
Kelly Strong
Executive Director
Kelly joined the BSA as its Executive Director in 2018. As Executive Director, Kelly oversees all BSA operations and its staff. As a labor attorney with more than 20 years of experience in union contract administration and negotiation, he serves as the BSA lead spokesperson during local collective bargaining negotiations with the ILA, represents the BSA during East and Gulf Coast Master Contract negotiation as a member on the USMX bargaining team, and oversees the proper administration of the various benefits funds and the local and Master union contracts in the Port of Boston.
He also is a member on the Board of Trustee for the MILA Health and Welfare Benefits Fund, which provides health and welfare benefits for longshore labor working in ports along the East and Gulf coasts, and he is member of the Board of Advisors for Boston Harbor Now. Kelly also serves as the BSA President’s designee to the Commonwealth’s Pilot Rate Board. Prior to joining the BSA, Kelly was the Massachusetts Port Authority’s Chief Labor Counsel for more than a decade.
BSA Board of Governors
- William Eldridge
- Kelly Strong
- Ryan Cox
- Rick Elliott
- William Fluke
- Joseph Morris
- Brian Day
- David Powell
- Chris Zuffante
- Nick Eldridge
- Gerard Buckley
- Gavin Black
- Stephen Tobin
- Marshall Greenland
- Luke Doremus (alternate)
- Pawan Rimal (alternate)
- Max Wigglesworth (alternate)
- Barry Cox (alternate)
- Jason Kirin (alternate)
- Patrick Davis (alternate)
Pension, Health and Welfare, and Retirement Funds Joint Trustees
Management Trustees
- William Eldridge
- Kelly Strong
- Ryan Cox
- William Fluke
- Brian Day
- David Powell
- Rick Elliot
Union Trustees
- Bernard O’Donnell
- George McEvoy
- Patrick Considine
- Robert Luzzo
- Francis Moran
- Dennis McLaughlin
- William Miller
Staff
Dennis Miniscalco
Controller/ Plan Administrator
Accounts Payable/Receivable Clerk
Marilia Drummond
Benefits Specialist
Minerva Gonzalez
Administrative Assistant