Carlisle & Bray’s own Damen Madaris and Robert “Flash” Westmoreland received their Steersman of Towing Vessels on Western Rivers certificate from Rear Admiral Robin Osborne, USN, during the Steersman Course commencement ceremony on Jan. 16, 2015, at Inland Waterways Academy in Huntington.

Each student completed the 10-day course, which prepares experienced deckhands in obtaining the license from the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We are very proud of Damen and Robert for their accomplishments at Inland Waterways Academy,” said Rob Carlisle, President of Carlisle & Bray Enterprises. “We look forward to having them as certified steersmen on our C&B vessels.”

Chad Bray, COO of Carlisle & Bray Enterprises, said training is key a principle at C&B. “We realize that our employees are our most important asset and we strive to ensure that they receive the best training to grow their career opportunities and better serve our customers,” Bray said.

Employment of water transportation occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from now until 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median annual wage for water transportation occupations is approximately $50,000 among the highest paying jobs in the United States without a college degree.

Congratulations to Damen and Flash for their hard work and achievement.